PRIVATE LETTER FROM A YOUNG OFFICER AT THE ENGLISH FACTORY, CANTON, TO HIS
BROTHER IN ENGLAND.
DEAR TOM,--Everything is going on gloriously--the British arms are
triumphant--and we now only require the Emperor of China's consent to our
taking possession of his territory, which I am sorry to say there is at
present no likelihood of obtaining. However, there is little doubt, if we
be not all swept off by ague and cholera, that we shall be able to
maintain our present position a few months longer. Our situation here
would be very comfortable if we had anything to eat, except bad beef and
worse biscuit; these, however, are but trifling inconveniences; and though
we have no fresh meat, we have plenty of fish in the river. One of our men
caught a fine one the other day, which was bought and cooked for the
officers' mess, by which means we were all nearly destroyed--the fish
unfortunately happening to be of a poisonous nature; in consequence of
which a general order was issued the next day, forbidding the troops to
catch or eat any more fish. The country around the factory is beautiful;
but we deem it prudent to keep within the walls, as the Chinese are very
expert at picking up stragglers, whom they usually strangle. Beyond this
we cannot complain of our situation; fowls are extremely abundant, but I
have not seen any, the inhabitants having carried them up the country
along with their cattle and provisions of every description. The water
here is so brackish that it is almost impossible to drink it; there are,
however some wells of delicious water in the neighbourhood, which would be
a real treasure to us if the Chinese had not poisoned them.
Notwithstanding these unavoidable privations, the courage of our troops is
indomitable; a detachment of the ----th regiment succeeded last week in
taking possession of an island in the river, nearly half an acre in
extent; it has, however, since been deemed advisable to relinquish this
important conquest, owing to the muddy nature of the soil, into which
several of our brave fellows sank to the middle, and were with difficulty
extricated. 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. Our amusements are not very
numerous, being chiefly confined to yawning and sleeping; of this latter
recreation I must confess that we enjoy but little, owing to the
mosquitos, who are remarkably active and persevering in their attacks upon
us. But with the exception of these tormenting insects, and a rather
alarming variety of centipedes, scorpions, and spiders, we have no
venomous creatures to disturb us. The weather is extremely hot, and the
advantages of the river for bathing would be very great if it were not so
full of sharks. I have much more to relate of our present cheering
prospects and enviable situation, but a ship is on the point of sailing
for England, so must conclude in haste.
Ever, dear Tom, yours,