Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-11-16
VISIT of Baron Gros to the Great Wall OF
f.f China. ff-iffI.f

=
China.
A letter from Shanghai, of the 2nd August, il
the Moniteur, contains the following interesting
account of visit to the great wall OF Ohina
'The treaties of Tien-tin having been ratlned o.
the Emperor Hien-Foung, Baron Gros was de
sirous OF visiting the great wall, and OF judging
from personal observation, of the correctness o
the statements representing it as commencing
in the sea at the entrance Ut the Bay OF Leo
/ Toung. at seven o'clock in the morning OF the
l11th July, the ambassador, followed by his sec.
retaries and attaches, embarked on board the
small steamer, the Pregent. The distance OF the
wall from the place were the Audacieuse frlgate
was at anchor was thought to be from thirty
to forty leagues. Towards evening, the wealth
er not very clear, it was thought prudent not
to approach too close the shore and the steamer
came to an anchor in the ofing At day break
on the following morning she again got under
weigh, and soon after the wall appeared in view.
1t looked like q long range OF buildings OF tue
same height, crenellated, and traverslng the
plain from the sea to the foot of the chain OF
mountains which run parallel with the coast,
but at more than league inland. An honr af-
ter, the WALL with its crenellated top, forts, jet
ties running ont from 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
buried in trees and at the back horizon OF
lofty mountains.
At the foot of the wall, on the side of China,
were seen the white tents of two Tartar camps,
with their horses grazing at liberty. Seen from
the Chinese side the wall resembles an i'm
mense work In earth, crowned with crenella.
ted wall in brick, but in very dilaPidated
state. On the Mantchouria side, on the contra.
ry. it is built of brick on foundation OF stone
| It has along the whole length square towers at
distance from each other of about two bow
shots length, so that the enemy might be struck
from either of them. 1t runs down into the sea
from two parallel jetties the incline OF which is
so slight that persons landing from boat may
easily walk up them. The largest vessels may
approach to within about two miles OF this spot,
which is the place the future tourists ought to-
land. Unfortunately we were not then aware
of the fact, and we came to anchor at q spot
where the landing was difficult. The shore was
soon covered with Chinese from the neighbor-
ing villages. NJ. Marques, the interpreter to the
mission, and Count D'Oze-y, the commandant
of the Pregent were the first to 60 on shore, IN
order to confer with the authorities, and ascer-
tain whether any objection would be made
to the landing of the party. A mandarin,
mounted on white horse, and followed by two
horsemen, arrived from the camp to inquire
what these men, come from an unknown world,
wanted On receiving specific assurance from
our interpreter he said no opposition would be
made to Decentralization. When all were on
shore, we proceeded direct towards the WALL
We had to cross several little rivnlets which
ran down towards the sea, and We were after
wards obliged to strike little more inland, IN
order to find ground rather less moist. AS we
approached towards the wall, we observed the
Tartars mounting their horses, and betraying by
their gestures considerable emotion. They sep
arated into three bodes-one remained on horse
back in front of the tents, thus cutting OH the
road to the wall another proceeded on our LETT
where they alighted among the high grass; and
the third advanced at hand gallop to meet Us.
They asked whence we came, where we were
going. and told as that they could not allDw us
to advance any further. Their chief, they said,
was absent and they could not take upon them
selves the responsibility Of permitting US to ap.
proach.
You may Judge of our astonisfment when We
learned from these men, encamped as it were at
the very gates of the capital, that they had
heard nothing of their country having been at
war with France and England. The taking of
Canton, the bombardment of Takon, and the
peace concluded at Tien-tsin, they were COM
pletely ignorant of. After little negotiation
we thought we had got over our difficulty, and
we were allowed to advance; but we had not
proceeded more than 800 or 400 yards when
some fresh horsemen advanced and urgently inn
pressed on US the propriety of not going any fur.
tber. With our escort of twelve men, well
armed, and our revolvers, we might have kept
off those 800 Tartar horselnen, and have mount
ed the wall in spite of them, but the ambassador
was anxious to avoid any dispute, and would
not compromise his position for the mere grati-
fcation of curiosity. After having taken few
sketches, purchased some fans from the Tartars,
and astonished whole host of Chinese by let
ting them taste our brandy, and look at our
watches and compasses, Baron Gros returned to
the boats. These Tartar horsemen had neither
bows nor arrows, but they all had matchbox
guns slung over their shoulders. Their powder
appeared to be very coarse, and, in addition to
bail. they had in their cartouch boxes small pei
lets 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 other side of the great wall,
opposite the plains of Mantchouris, which were
covered with the most extraordinary verduree,
only to be found in countries where the ground,
after being long buried in snow, is yivifed by q
hot sun. The wall was seen growing up, as 1t
were, out of this exuberant vegetation, and as
cendipg the side OF the mountain to follow, for
more than six hundred leagues, the half.sayage
countries which extend as far as the confines OF
Mongolia and the Kou- Kou-Noor. After hav'
ing for some time contemplated this magnificent
scene, Baron Gros gave the signal for departure
and the Pregent steered for the Toki Islands
where the Audscieuse frigate was waiting for US
4 A STRICT TEMPERANCE MAN.-We were ao
costed the other evening, says the editor OF
Boston paper, by gentemanly looking man
evidently balancing clever sized brick in hi;
J castor.
\ 81 say, mis.mster, will you be kind enough tt
tell me the way to Broadway"
mo Broadway here, sir; this is not Ne"
York" =
'Ohl ah yes, that's fact. Well, | beg YOU
pardou-your pardon-pardon; show Inc tt
Fourth street -Mil-Miller's Hotel"
"Now you're in Philadelphia, old boy. Wron'
again." .,