A gallant affair took place a few days ago between two English
men-of-war's boats and a Chinese market junk, which was taken after a
resolute defence on the part of the Chinaman and his wife, who kept up a
vigorous fire of pumpkins and water-melons upon our boats, until their
supply was exhausted, when they were forced to surrender to British
valour. The captured junk has since been cut up for the use of the forces.
Though this unpleasant state of affairs has interrupted all formal
intercourse between the Chinese and English, Captain Elliot has given a
succession of balls to the occupants of a small mud fort near the shore,
which I fear they did not relish, as several of them appeared exceedingly
hurt, and removed with remarkable celerity out of reach of the Captain's
civilities. Thus, instead of opening the trade, this proceeding has only
served to open the breach. The Emperor, I hear, is enraged at our
successes, and has ordered the head and tail of the mandarin, Keshin, to
be sent in pickle to the imperial court at Pekin. A new mandarin has
arrived, who has presented a chop to Captain Elliott, but I hope, where
there is so much at stake, that he will not be put off with a chop. There
is no description of tea to be had in the market now but gunpowder, which,
by the last reports, is going off briskly.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64