, 1859-10-03

tcos. ct tbs Ph..aas.ph!a Leagtz)
OF the fsl.llo RlT-:, July 4. lsoo.
had hoped to hare written this letter from
reking, bas .he fortunes Of still detuins ut
tie mouth Of the Pei uo. We left Shanghai on
tho 18Th uls,, anchored here on the aolh. learned
tta! the Eng!!sh squadron, anchored around W,
Lad been refused permission to pass the foyta,
tnd on tue 9Th, tonk advantage Of a sssooth
day to comuNnicatc with the latter and notify
thrir commanding officers that The American
Munster was at hand and ready to proceed to
Pekin4
, The result Of Ibis advance npon our pa1t Wa.
the Information that we could not proceed to
rcking by this route, but that there was anoh.
e: lev miles further north, where, five would
proceed, we would meet the high officers. who
w1u!d talk to US about it. They, however, re-
sedan chairs for the road overland, and the un-
ascldabc inference from the Interview general
u was the conviction that re were, as usual,
being triaed with.
The position Of our minister WIS now very
simple one, and his line of action very plainly
Lid Gut The ratified treaty which he came 10
exchange only entitled him to approach Pekipg
rs acas as he then was, but its :. favored uatio1
cl1use, at the same time, secured Us whatever
vas granted any other nation. II, therefore,
during tho next day or two, the Chinese should
be prevailed upon either by diplomacy or the
caanon, to ALLOW any nation to 60 to Peking BY
tue Pei-1lo, they would be forced By the treaty
ste to allow US to 50 with the same freedom: Il, On
the contrary, they successfully keep out England
and Franco, the United Suites would be obliged
to remain out. Also, Obliged 10 exchange ihe
ratlhcations ut any limo and place which tho
Chinese should select, and owe it to Chinese
compleiaance should tho time prove short, and
tue place pcki1g: Mr. Ward, therefore, wanted
to see how the English would succeed in their
contemplated attack the next day, before start
lug to the northern port referred to, where
everyt thing would depend On Chinese complai.
sancc.
Ihe next day came and saw desperate battle
fought between thirteen gunboats on the ono
side, and eight heavy forts on the other, which
niler duration Of seyen hours, resulted in favor
Of the latter
In tLe meantime, our Minister had been pu1-
suing course which promises to take Us to Pe.
/ king by the middle Of the month. Whether it
will terminate in "Chinese promises" or not,
remains to be seen. No sooner did be see the
English beaten of, than he saw at glance that
our ris't to Peking rested entirely upon the
Chinese. In fact, be- must have seen Peking re-
codlng very far into the distance, OUT only OBJ
jec! being to exchange the treaties, which It was
in tlseir power to havs done at Canton Il well Al
the Northern Capital Imagine cur surprise,
therefore, when lie received letter from the
Tau.tai (Gorernor.) Of Teiu-Siug. which, being
translated, gaFe us certain (Chinese certainty
prospect Of being conducted in state to pekiog.
Hut before glTing this Translation, let nae show
the reader how We came to rece1yeit.
un the e9th ult., the writer Was ordered TO
the Toey.wan to net Us Pilot during trip to
the North in search Of tho other port or en-
trance 10 the pei-1o; spoken Of By 1he Chinese
at the Forts. Mr. ". ". Ward, Secretary OF
Legation, and Messrs: Williams and Martin. 1n-
terpreters, accompanied the expedition, the OBJ
jecs Of which was 10 inquire ia,o The truth Of
the Chinese assertion US to second entrance.
and to delivera letter for the Governor.Qeuerai
OF the Province, should such thing prove
practicable. We were very doubtful as to the
nature Of the reception to be expected at their
bands. as they were undoubtedly at var with
tinction between us, extreme caution was ne
cessary.
At noon We were under way, heading due
north, and gradually closing with the coast,
which here makes away to the northward and
eastward. After running SIX miles with five
fatLoms water, We discovered the masts Of
junks over the Iow land to the northward and
westward, and changed the course 50 as to head
in for them. We now began to shoal our wate.
rapidly, haying only nine feet at tlc end Of four
miles, but BY this lime things had assumed q
very different appearance. We could now see
what looked like the entrance to river or IL.
goon, guarded by heavy forts, and having q
| great number Of junks anchored inside. We
should like to have sent boat to communicate,
bnt we're four miles of. with half gallo oi
wind blowing directly of, against which ,re
could make no hcadway. 1t was also at the top
OF high water, and the steamer, drawing eight
| feet, might ground at any moment. We there.
fore contented ourselves with taking IN azi.nuth
/ and some angles BY means Of which we found
these forts to be seren miles to the north aud
east Of those Of the mouth Of the Pei-Ho.
II At1f n4r fkn .nn* -
| search Of more accessible landing, and at the
| end Of five miles arrived within ont and a.hal
miles Of town, of which some iuuks we're an.
chored. Here re stopped III nine feet Of winter
and the wind having moderated, lowereda boat
into which got Messrs. Ward, (brother Of the
| to manage her.: Then alter they lad showed
oh, VIC ran ont into deep wa!er With the steane,
anu anchored to await their return. We had
several good glasses on board, through which
we watched their movements with some an1i
ETY.. They first pulled toward the junks, and
gone half way. Then they headed for the town
and the entire population was mixing '*a.40'
time toward the back country. FiuakIy the1
:an ashore in the mud, md rolling up theii
trowsess, commenced trudging through "a hal
mile Of il toward the landing.
Several Of the least fearful Of the villager
seeing three unarned men wadiug through til,
mud towards them, now took courage and ad
vanced toward the landing, and when Mr. Mar
tln held up the letter and told them in the Slan
dnrln diulect that it was for the Gorernor~Gen
eral, they e4ttaimed-" &c speaks Mandarin =
and seemed to gain complete confidence.
Otfitf villagers LOW jone1 the pnrty, and
most interesting conversation commenced, dur
| ing which Mr. ~ tried to get the bend man t,
take tue letter, but without success. SuddeuI,
We saw them start and run for the boat in cyi
dens alarm, proceeding for which We could no
account Us the crowd had made no apparen
demonstration. They hud not got more thai
haii way through tue mud, however. when
large body Of caralry burst over neixhhorin
ridge and spurred f1riously after them. This
OF course, explained the mystery, aud readil
accounted for tue enormou. time which ou
three friends were making through the mud
Being Georgian myself, was naturally elate
Mr. Martin. and finally the MILDLY, ill doing as
tonshlngly well considering the mud. Just a
they had reached tue boat and shored of, tw
OF tile horscmen dashed into the water ate
They were wifd Ta1tars from the North, rho Gel
: tainly did not distinguish between US and th
English, and WHO would rs eertain1y have cut o
The heads, upon the moment, Of aay white pc,
sons falling into their hands. Altogether il IVA
narrow escape.
Upon arriving on board our friends had nc
| much to say, they seemed desirous to get int
dry clothes and to take on board several gIasse
Of fbFandJ and wafer, in spite Of their being anJ
thing but brandy drinkers After finding then
selves all right" once more, tley related thel
experience. It seems that the villagers wer
| friendly, but that they knew the character I
Tartar horse1ne1 50 well, that as soon as the
became aware ct their approach the head ma
took the letter, e1clalming at the same tim
!, The hoFsemen are coming. Quick! Run f
,, ried soice by Nr. Martin, Us be ran away, Ii
| hthera did mt understand {tEeir backs he;n