Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-06-14
VOLUME XII. NO. 25.

large crowd had collected waiting - :. :.
concluded to go on and try another gate. booioo
'hat we might meet with more success. we,hsD
retraced our steps for some distance and ,ook
path which we judged, from its well.trodsen an.
pearance, led to another gate. Following this
path for several miles. having meat filled with
wafer between us and the walls, we came to
second gate, after passing through very pretty
country. Almost all the houses on our wav
were deserted and in ruins but whenever ,ve mo,
any of the people we were treated politely, they
showing very friendly disposition towards U.s.
The second entrance to the city consists of
three diitnct gates, besides the outer gate. opened
through the main wall They were each covered
oy solid arch some forth or fifty feet p depth.
We walked through the first and second withou,
interruption, but were stopped as we were about
going through the third. We showed the psople
at the gatea rough sketch Of the tower, and made
them understand that we wished to through the
city to see it, They tpla US VIC could lot es into
the city. bat that' we codid reach si,e tower av
following outside the walls. We therefore
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 entrance, 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 re-
pulsed at this gate, and still told to keep on out
side 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 progress would be
stopped.
We were, however, beckoned TO enter. and no
one preventing, we went to the top of the tower
which was some seventy feet high land were thus
enabled to get fine view of the city and the sur
rounding country. The Porcelain Tower an
peared to be abont five miles further on. The
watch-tower was situated on the extreme
end of the insurgent lines in this quarter, and
was defended by several cannon mounted
behind stockade through which we passed
by means of a gate, which was, opened
for us by soldier 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 were escorted into this stockade by number
of soldiers whom we met, and who led us to the
house of one Of their generals
After remaining there short time, the Gen
eral acting as our guide, tsok US through the
fourth gate into the city, passing by the tower.
This structure is an object of very great inter
est from its age and appearance, though compare.
lively in ruins; for when the city was taken By
the rebbes the interior of the tower was burnt
and defaced, and the lower part was safilled with
rubbish that an enisspce is impossible. -
- AAas entering 4 ;aa lngs asorr
Al north ws still
fhishsr general, Y@ss:s we .snsiass 4ysrly two
hours. The dstauce from the gate was three
miles at least The first part of the way was
through what appeared to be the female quater
of the city, for we saw there several thousand
women, and no men but those who were follow
ing after us. The streets were wider and better
paved than in mostChinese cities and the houses
were in much betterasbadition than in either Chin
kiaug-'u or Wuhu we passed, at different
distances, gates, whichswere probably used to
sepera'e the male from the female quarters. At
one corner we saw several human heads hung
up, with Chinese characters cut on the faces, the
meaning of this we could not understend.
Our detention at the Generals was caused b y
his sending for permission for to leave the city,
for without that the gates could not be opened at
that hour, it being after o'clock, P. NJ. He
tried to persuade us to take something to eat an d
sleep at his house but We lacned, and, our guild Q
, being ready, we babe him adeu, and started on
our way to the ship, passing through the third
: gate and then by the path we had come in the
afternoon. On our way back we were hailed by
: the sentry on the walls every few minutes, and
were fortunate in having guide to explain who
we we're; for otherwise they would have fired
. upon US. We reached the ship about half past
t eleven, P. M. exceedingly exhausted for we
had walked at least twenty miles, but were at the
9 same time well satisfied with the success which
had attended our excursion.