Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-15
From the " Friend Of China"
Late from China.

no chance against The insurgents; II seems
foregone conclusion with him that the latter
are far too powerful and valiant for him to
cope with, and so he rests upon anything rather
than otiam cum dignitate, and does nothing.
The inhabitants of Marking were well dressed,
no beggary was observable, abundant supplies
were being carried, as previously noticed, by
women, overlooked by grey-haired men, into
the city-many ladies riding on horseback
handsomely attired, shaded from the sun by
pedestrian attendants with large silk umbrellas,
and everything betokening well-to-do and
contented people. 1t was reported that forty
thousand men have been recently sent to the
north to aid their brethren in arms against the
Tartar dynasty. If that reinforcement has
been sent subsequently to their obtaining pos
session of the many towns in Pih-chih-le, no
ticed by us as reported in the Picking Gazettes,
in our Issue of May ~, we must ere long hear
of very decided movements in that province !;
but until the junction of the two, or perhaps
three sections of the northern army takes place,
we can hardly expect to receive any very i'm.
portant news.
The PORCELAIN Tower OF NANKING.-We
annex an account Of an excursion, made by
Mr. Leroy, in company with Lieut.. Hunter
and Purser Barry, to the Porcelain Tower and
the interior Of the city.
Finding it improbable that any permission
would be given by the authorities, to enter the
city, we started from the ship at o'clock on
the 30th of May, with the determination, if
possible, to see the city and the far-famed Por-
celain Tower. There was on board at the
time number ofChinese officers, two of whom,
said to be generals, promised, through our
IN Or IN nj al, 81
the officer, who granted permission to pass
through the gates. We went in the boat about
half mile to the entrance Of canal which
was filled with Junks, and landed in the out
skirts of a small village some distance from
the walls. After leading us short distance
through this village our generals left us, and
we saw no more of them. We then went on
to the northeast gate of the city about a mile
distant, and were disappointed at seeing it
closed on our approach. Neither persuasion
nor offers OF money were of any use; and as
no one was allowed to enter while we were
there so that large crowd had collected wait
ing to go in, we concluded to keep on and
try another gate, hoping that we might meet
with more success. We then retraced our
steps for some distance and took path which
we judged, from its well-trodden appearance,
led to another gate. Following this path for
several miles, having moat filled with water
between us and the walls, we came to second
gate, after passing through very pretty coun-
try. Almost all the houses on our way we're
deserted and in ruins, but whenever we met
any OF the people we were treated politely,
they. showing very friendly disposition to-
wards US.
This second entrance to the city consisted of
three distinct gates, besides the outer gate
which opened through the main wall. They
were each covered by solid arch some forty
or fifty feet in depth. We walked through the
first and second without interruption, but were
stopped as we were about going through the
third. We showed the people at the gate a
rough sketch of the tower, and made them I'M
derstand that we wished to go through the city
to see it. They told us that we could not go
into the city, but that we could reach the tower
by following on outside the walls. We, there
fore, continued on, our path now lying at the
base OF the walls, between them and the water
the distance to the next entrance was about
four miles. Before we reached this third en-
trance we met with detachment of several
hundred women, of all ages and sizes they
appeared to be employed in carrying rice, and
were accompanied by only few gray-haired
old men. We were again repulsed at this gate,
and still told to keep on. outside. Our path
now changed to the opposite side Of the moat
and after crossing wide and very substantial
stone bridge, we proceeded on until we came to
lookout station or watch-tower, where we at
first thought our further progress would be
stopped. We we're, however, beckoned to enter,
and no one preventing, we went to the top Of
the tower, which was some seventy feet high,
and were thus enabled to get a fine view of the
city and the surrounding country. The Por-
celain tower appeared to be about FIVE miles
further on. This watch-tower was situated on
the extreme end Of the insurgent lines in this
quarter, and was defended by several cannon
mounted behind a stockade, through which we
passed, by means Of gate which was opened
for us by the soldiers on guard.
Leaving this stockade we walked through
an open country for at least FIVE miles, TO
another stockade battery which surrounded
the suburbs, by the fourth gate, in which the
Porcelain tower was situated. We we're es-
corted into this stockade by number Of SOL
diers, whom we met, aud who, led us to the
house of one of their generals.
After remaining there short time, the gen.
eral acting as our guide, took US through the
fourth gate into the city, passing by the tower.
This structure is still an object Of very great
interest, from its age and appearance, though
comparatively in ruins; for when the CITY was
taken by the rebels the interior of the low,
was burned and deface33, and the lower mart
was so filled WITH rubbish that an er..ranee Is
impossible. %
After entering the city our guide led ms
along in a N. w. direction 10 the bouse ne a
still higher general where we remained nearly
two hours. The distance from the gate was
three miles at least; the first part of the way
was through what appeared to be the female
quarter of the city, for we saw there several
thousand women, and no men but those who
were following after us. The streets were
wider, and better paved than in most Chimes.
cities, and the houses were in much better
condition, than at either "Chin- kiang.fu'' or
Z" Wphu." We passed at different distances.
gates which we're probably used to separate the
male from the female quarters. At one corner
we saw several human heads hung up. with
Chinese characters cut on the faces, the mean.
ing of which we could not understand.
Our detention at the generals was caused