and distinguished some 30 or 40 soldiers armed with jingalls, swords, spears, and shields; as we entered the wood they ran away as hard as they could go, while we followed them and called to them through our interpreter not to be frightened, but come back, as we did not wish to hurt them; but they continued to run, making for another wood, where they spread the alarm, and we soon heard their gongs beating in all directions. We now saw that we were in a regular wasps' nest, and had come upon a quantity of so-called Braves who infest the 96 villages which you must often have heard of, and of which this is one. We now saw the probability of a collision taking place, and had we brought home one wounded man it would have been very awkward for us. Our great object now was to avoid this, so, after following them up to the other end of the wood, just to let them see that we were all ready for them, we decided upon getting back to the plain again, and to avoid four or five villages which lay between us and Canton. We had scarcely turned when a jingall was fired at us from another direction, but we continued our road without noticing it and got into the plain. We soon saw some men running after us waving flags; evidently these were soldiers who had picked up a little courage and intended annoying us on our way home. They soon got near enough to fire upon us with their jingalls, which we were now obliged to return, and soon sent them running away; but they returned and kept firing at us from a distance. We could not get at them, for directly we made a show of fighting they ran away and then returned as we proceeded on our way. Our great anxiety was to avoid getting any of the men wounded, and an accidental shot might have done that at any moment; however, by good luck, and thanks to their excessive bad firing, we managed, after bowling over two of their men, to get back without having a man touched; and it was lucky we did, for our little trip brought some small censure upon us for going away so far as we did into the country, but, as we had luckily brought all our party back safe and
1858] CHINESE TRICKS 205
sound, there was no great harm done. An expedition is going out in a day or two to punish these fellows for their impudence, but I am afraid we shall see nothing of them, they will all have disappeared. So much for my first picnic in China. Lord Elgin has started for the north,... he had previously sent on one of his attaches, accompanied by another from the French. They were to go to Shanghai, and then to communicate with the mandarins with a view to their forwarding for them a letter from Lord Elgin to the Emperor; but it appears that the Governor of the province had gone away inland so as to be out of the way, and they cannot get at him to have the letter forwarded. These are the kind of stupid tricks they will play to try and prevent our communicating with the Emperor. However, it is no longer an affair between France and England and China, for the Russian and American plenipotentiaries are both gone up as well, and have declared with us, so that with such a pressure upon him I do not think the Emperor can hold out long, therefore I am still of opinion that the beginning of the autumn will see us together again, and most glad I shall be, for I have no wish to remain cooped up here any longer than I can help.... I am hard at work every day from nine till five, without a single moment's interruption, and as this is all office work I do not feel much disposed for more writing when I get back to mj"room. I am sure my sisters will all feel this and not be angry at my sending this circular.... I assure you it only makes me think the more of them. When you see Susie 30 thank her for her dear letter.... I must appeal to your good nature — all — not to leave off writing because I don't answer all letters.... — Your affectionate son, Fredk. Stephenson.
To his Sister-in-Law, Mrs. Stephenson
Canton, March 28, 1858.
My dear Julia, — I have been very tardy in acknowledging the receipt of your package of books,