Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-18
THE GaaAT WALL OF CHINA.

The treaties oil Ilen-Sln having oeen
ratified by the Emperor Hen Flung Baron
eros was DESTROYS of visiting the Great
Wall, and Of jndging from personal OBJ
servation Of the correctness OF the state
ments representing it as commencing IN
the sea at the entrance Of the Bay OF Leo
tung. At seven o'clock in the morning,
of the 18th Of July, the Ambassadors fol
lowed by his secretaries and attaches,
embarked on board the small steamer tae
PERCENT. The distance of the wall from
the place where the Audacienso trlgate
was at anchor was thought to be from ~
to 40 leagues. Toward evening the
weather not being very clear, 1t was
thought prudent not to approach too close
to the shore, and the steamer came to
anchor in the ofing. At daybreak on the
following morning she again got under
way, and soon after the wall appeared IN
view. It looked like a range OF build
iugs of the same height crenallated, and
trayer5ing ths plain from the sea to the
foot of the chain of mountains which run
parallel with the coast. but at more than
q league inland. An hour after the wall,
with his creaallated top forts, %jetties run
ming OUT into the sea, and the pagoda
on the shore, were perfectly distinct in
all their details. We had before US the
most picturesque prospect that can be
imagined along the sea coast the vast
plain is covered with the most luxuriant
vegetation, with numerous villages bur
led in trees and at the back a horizon of
lofty mountains.
At the foot Of the wall on the side of
China were seer the tents of two Tartar
camps, with their horses grazing at liber,
ty around. Seen from the Chinese. side
the wall resembles an immense work in
earth, crowned with a crenellated wall in
brick, but in a very dilapidated state
On the Mautchouria side, on the contra.
stone. 1t has, along the whole length,
square towers, at q distance from each
other of about two bowshot's length, SO
that the enemy might be struck from
either of them. 1t runs down into the
sea by two parallel j%etties, the incline Of
which is 80 slight that persons landing
from a boat may easily walk up them.-
The largest vessels may approach to
within two miles Of this spot, which is the
place where future tourists ought to land.
Unfortunately we were not then aware
of the fact, and we came to anchor where
the landing was not very easy. The
shore was soon covered with Chinese
from the neighboring villages. NJ. Mar
quis, the interpreter to the mission, and
Count de Ozery, the commandant of the
Pregent, were the first to go on shore,
in order to confer with the authorities,
and ascertain whether any objection
would be made to landing of the party.
A mandarian mounted on a white horse,
and followed by two horsemen, arrived
from the camp to inquire what these men
como from an unknown world, wanted
On receiving pacific assurances from our
interpreter, he said no opposition would
be made to the disembarcation. When
all were on shore, we proceeded direct
toward the wall.
We had to cross several little r~ivulets
which run down toward the sea, and we
were afterward obliged to strike a little
inland, in order to find ground a little
less moist. As We approached toward
the wall we observed the Tartars mount
ing their horses, and betraying by their
gestures considerable emotion. They
separated into three bodies-one remain
ed on horseback in front of the tents, thus
cutting off the road to the wall, another
proceeded on our left, where they alight-
ed among the high grass and the third
n Il ro noo1 of % hand ~~oiloD 70 n,aaf ~
Taey asked whence we came, where we
were going, and told US that they could
not allow US to advance any further
Their chief, they said, was absent, aud
thai they could not take on themselves
the responsibility of permitting US to APP
proach. You may judge of our astonish-
ment, when we learned from these men,
encamped as it were at che very gates Of
the capital, that they had heard nothing
OF their country having been at wal with
France and England. The taking of
Canton, the bombardment of Takon, the
peace concluded at Tiensien, they we're
totally ignorant of. After a little nego-
tiation we thought we had got oyer our
difficulty, and we were allowed to ad-
vance, but we had not proceeded more
than three or four hundred yards when
fresh horsemen advanced, and ur-
gently impressed on US the propriety Of
going any further.
With our escort Of IL men, we'll armed
with r%evolvers, we might have kept off
300 Tartar horsemen and have mounted
the wall in spite Of them, but the Am
bassador was anxious to avoid any dis
! ute, and would not compromise his pc
for the mere qualification of curios-
ity. After having taken a few sketches,
purchased some fans from the Tartars,
and astonished a whole host of Chinese
by letting them taste our brandy, and
look at our watches and compasses, Baron
Gros returned to the boats. These Tar
tar horsemen had neither bows nor ar
rows, but they all had matchbox guns
slung over their shoulders. Their pow
der appeared to be very coarse, and in
addition to ball, they had in their car
touche boxes small pellts of lead. Each
man carried in his large boots his pipe
and fan. Before leaving the coast, we
went in the Pregent to have another view
Of the country on the opposite side of the
Great Wall, neal the plains of Mautchou-
ria, which were covered with the most
extraordinary verdure, only to be found
in countries where the ground, after be
ing long buried il snow, is viviied by a
hot sun. The wall was seen growing up
it were out of this exuberant vegeta-
tion. and ascending the side Of the noun
tain, to follow, for more than 600 leagues.