The Nevada Democrat., 1858-12-15
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.


THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.
A letter from Shanghai Of the 2nd Of August
in the Paris Monitsur, contains the following in
teresting account of visit to the Great Wall
Of China:
"The treaties of Tien-sin having been ratified
by the Emperor Hien-Fung, Baron Gros was
desirous Of visiting the Great Wall, and ofjudg-
ing from personal observation of the correct
ness of the statements representing it as COM
mencing in the sea at the entrance of the Bay
of Leotung. Att O'Clock in the morning of
the llth of July, the Ambassador, followed by
his secretaries and attaches embarked on board
the small steamer the Pregent The distance
of the wall from that place where the Auda-
cieuse frigate was at anchor was thought to be
from 80 to 40 leagues. Toward evening, the
weather not being very clear, it was thought
prudent not to approach too close the shore,
and the steamer came to an anchor in the Of
fng. AT daybreak on the following morning
she again got under way, and soon after the
wall appeared in view. 1t looked like range
of buildings of the same height, crenellated,
and traversing the plain from the sea to the
foot Of the chain of mountains which run par
allel with the coast, but more than leagne in
land. An hour after, the wall, with its crenel-
lated top, forts jetties, running out into the
bCu, hlu tue pukOud Ou Tue buOTe, NcTc pcIioCt-
ly 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 around
Seen from the Chinese side the wall resembles
an immense work in earth, crowned with cre-
nellated wall in brick, but in q very dilapidat-
ed state. On the Mantchouria sde on the con-
trary, it is built of brick on foundation of
stone. 1t has, along the whole length, square
towers at distance from each other Of about q
bowshots length, so that the enemy might be
struck from either of them. 1t runs down into
the sea by two parallel jetties the incline of
which is 20 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 tour
lists ought to land Unfortunately, we were
not then aware of this fact, aud we came to an
anchor at q spot where the landing was not
very easy. Tho shore was soon covered with
Chinese from the neighboring villages. NJ.
Marquis, the interpreter to the mission, and
count e'Ozery, the commandant OF the Pre-
gent, were the first to 90 on shore, in order to
confer with the authorities and ascertain wheth-
er any objection would be made to the landing
of the party. A mandarin mounted on q white
horse and followed by two horsemen, arrived
from the camp to inquire what these men who
come from an unknown world wanted. On re-
coiving pacific assurances from cur Interpreter,
he said no opposition would be made to the dis
embarkation. When all we're on shore, we pro-
ceeded direct toward the wall.
We had to cross several little riVulets which
run down toward the sea, and we were after
ward obliged to strike little more inland, in
order to find ground rather less moist. AS we
approached toward the wall we observed the
Tartars mounting their horses, and betraying
by their gesture considerable emotion They
separated into three bodies-one remained on
horseback in front of the tents, thus cutting of
the road to the wall; another proceeded on our
left, where they alighted among the high grass;
and the third advanced at gallop to meet u.s.
They asked whence we came, where we we're
going, and told us that they could not allow us
to advance any further. Their chief, they said,
was absent, and they could not take on them
selves the responsibility Of permitting US to ap-
proaeb. You may judge OF our astonishment
when we learned from these men, encamped as
it we're 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 Takou,
aud the peace concluded at Tiensn, they were
completely ignorant Of. After little negotia-
tion, we thought we had got over our difficulty,
and we we're allowed to advance, but we had
not proceeded more than three or four hundred
yards when some fresh horsemen advanced, and
urgently impressed on us the Dropriety Of not
going any further.
With our escort Of twelve men well armed,
and our revolvers, we might have kept of those
300 Tartar horsemen and have mounted the
wall in spite of them, but the Ambassador was
anxious to avoid any dispute, and would not
his position for the mere gratifiea-
tion of curiosity. After having taken few
sketches, purchased some fans from the Tartars,
and astOnished whole host Of Chinese byi let
ting them taste our brandy and look at our
watches and compasses, Baron Gros returned
to the boats. These Tartar horsemen had nei-
ther bows nor arrows, but they all had match
lock guns slung over their shoulders. Their
powder appeared TO be very coarse, and, in ad-
dition to ball, they had in their cartouche-boxes
small pellets Of lead. Each man carried in his
large boots his pipe and fan. Before leaving
the coast we went in the Pregent to have anoth-
er view Of the country on the other side Of the
Great Wall, opposite the plains of fMantehouria,
which were covered with the most extrasrdina-
ry verdure, only to be found in countries
where the ground, after being long buried in
snow, is vivifed by hot sun. The wall was
seen growing up as it were out Of this exurbe-
rant vegetation, and ascending the side OF the
to follow, for more than 600 leagues
the half-savage countries which extend as far
as the confines of Mongolia and the Kon-Kon-
Moor. After having for some time eontempla-
ted this magnificent scene, Baron Gros give the
signal for departure, and the Pregent steered
for the Toki Islands, where the Audacieuse
frigate was waiting for u.s."
A LAw-ABIDIEG MAN.---Milwaukie, in Wiscen-