_DIDO_--CHINA
[Sidenote: 1842. Sept. 25.]
Read Lieutenant Horton’s commission to ship’s company. Harangued and
forgave all culprits.
[Sidenote: Sept. 26.]
Surveyed invalids on board _North Star_. Some bad cases, poor fellows!
[Sidenote: Sept. 27.]
Got under weigh; _Belleisle_ first. Fine breeze. Came to; invited Sir
E. Home, Henry Seymour, Freemantle, Horton, and Rice to dine.
[Sidenote: Sept. 28.]
Weighed at six, and passed _Belleisle_ hard and fast on the bar, at the
top, nearly, of high-water.
[Sidenote: Sept. 29.]
Arrived at Chapoo. Found Nias with his _Herald_. Not being well, he
came on board, and did me no good.
[Sidenote: Oct. 6.]
_Pelican_ arrived, bringing orders for _Dido_ to go to Chusan. Troops
to evacuate citadel.
[Sidenote: Oct. 8.]
Walked round the fortifications and over the town of Shanghai; natives
civil.
[Sidenote: Oct. 10.]
Chinamen mustering courage on the strength of peace. Hundreds of large
picturesque junks coming down the river. Chinese soldiers smart in
taking possession of citadel as our troops marched out.
[Sidenote: Chusan, Oct. 12.]
Weighed at daylight, reaching Chusan in four hours. Walk on shore with
Rundle Burges Watson, of _Modeste_, 18. Watson was a clever artist;
he came on board to breakfast, and left afterwards to take a sketch
of my _Dido_. We had been at the Naval College together. Having been
in the early part of the war, he had succeeded Captain Harry Eyres in
command of the _Modeste_.
Before storming one of the forts, Watson tried the experiment of
putting his uniform cap on the point of his sword and thrusting it
through the embrasure, at which the Chinese muskets exploded and he
took possession. I have his drawing of the _Dido_ now.[5]
[5] Page 267.
[Sidenote: Oct. 12.]
Dined with Frederick Grey. Had an attack of fever and ague.
[Sidenote: Oct. 16.]
Heard last evening of the death of my brother-in-law, Lord Leicester,
fifty-five years my senior. Admiral arrived, and _Columbine_, 16,
another of Symonds’ handsome brigs. Nias sick and growling as usual.
[Sidenote: Oct. 18.]
Plenipo arrived. Visited him. Rode into the city.
[Sidenote: Oct. 25.]
To breakfast with Frederick Grey. He, Skipwith, Henry Seymour, Hall,
and Molesworth, dined with me.
[Sidenote: Oct. 27.]
Improved weather. Sick-list reduced to twenty-five. Nice little dinner
with Bouchier; like him.
[Sidenote: Oct. 28.]
Dined with Admiral Sir William Parker. Our Master, Aylen, appointed to
_Endymion_. He sorry to leave, and we to lose him.
Heard that Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane had been at Hong Kong since
June 19. Took an early trip with Plenipotentiary (Sir Henry Pottinger)
and young Harry Parkes, on board _Queen_ steamer, breaking the monotony
of daily routine.
[Sidenote: Oct. 31.]
With Grey and Hope, _Phlegethon_ in company, across shoal; the shortest
way to the sacred island of Potoo. Some pretty sites for joss-houses
and Chinese graves. Returned to Plenipo’s steamer _Queen_ for
dinner--large party.
[Sidenote: Nov. 1.]
Returned to _Dido_ in _Phlegethon_.
[Sidenote: Nov. 2.]
_Herald_ sailed for England. Heavy job getting captured guns on board
_Forth_ transport. Brass guns good as money.
[Sidenote: Nov. 3.]
Early ride with Admiral and two Generals, with staff, etc., over a
beautiful part of Potoo Island. Good breakfast in a joss-house. Dined
with Bouchier.
[Sidenote: Nov. 4.]
Dined with the Admiral, who talked of sending me Senior Officer to the
Straits. Like the idea much. Several fatal cases of cholera on shore
and afloat.
[Sidenote: Nov. 5.]
Our sick-list under twenty. Walk in city with Grey Skipwith; had him
and other old “Childers” to dine--Rice, Coaker, and Comber.
[Sidenote: Ning Po, Nov. 8.]
On board _Phlegethon_ steamer to join Admiral and party to Ning Po.
_Blonde_ sailed for England. Got to Ning Po in five hours--one of
the largest and finest towns I have seen in China. Dined on board
steamer, slept in a joss-house. The party consisted of Fred. Grey, Sir
Hugh Gough, and some military officers from Chusan. The shops were
exceedingly pretty.
[Sidenote: Nov. 10.]
Much pleased with Ning Po and my trip. Saw more of China and the
Chinese than in any other place. Took an early ride with the Admiral,
C. Hope, F. Grey, Henry Seymour, and Skipwith. Bringing up the rear of
the party, I saw many nasty-looking snakes rise suddenly from under our
horses’ feet and dash into the bushes on either side.
[Sidenote: Nov. 15.]
Preparing to convoy transports. Grand dinner with the Admiral,
Generals, and Plenipotentiary.
[Sidenote: Nov. 17.]
Prior to our departure with transport, _Dido_ had an early visit from
Admiral, who was much pleased with the ship, as I think he ought to
have been.
[Sidenote: Hong Kong, Nov. 23.]
9.30 A.M.--Came to in Hong Kong. Saluted flag of Rear-Admiral Sir
Thomas Cochrane, flag flying on board _Agincourt_. Found _Endymion_
and transports. Hong Kong now a British possession. Counted upwards of
seventy ships in the anchorage.
[Sidenote: Nov. 26.]
Dinner with Lord Saltoun--best fellow, if not the best soldier, in the
expedition; good dinner.
[Sidenote: Nov. 28.]
Invited Grey to dine with me, but did so with him instead on board
_Endymion_; he had been inspected a good deal by Sir Thomas Cochrane
without seeming to enjoy it.
[Sidenote: Nov. 29.]
I dined with the Rear-Admiral and four Generals--dinner good--footmen
in plush breeches. Grey and I got leave to go to Macao.
[Sidenote: Dec. 1.]
Dundas taking care of Grey; I to my old quarters with Dent. Pleasant
to be in a comfortable English-furnished house after six months in the
Yang-tse-Kiang. Noticed a live Bird of Paradise in a cage eating large
grasshoppers, breaking off their long prickly legs first.
[Sidenote: Macao, Dec. 2.]
Visited the tomb of my late much-respected Chief, Lord John Churchill,
who died here June 3, 1840, while in command of _Druid_, during the
early part of the war with China.
[Sidenote: Dec. 4.]
After breakfast at Dent’s, Grey in a hurry returned to Hong Kong,
arriving there by sunset.
[Sidenote: Dec. 5.]
Visited Rear-Admiral; reported _Dido_ ready for sea. Dined again on
board _Belleisle_ with old 98th friends.
[Sidenote: Dec. 6.]
Sir Thomas Cochrane inspected _Dido_; manned yards, mustered. He
inspected every part of her--at quarters, firing at a mark, doing good
practice; he ordered us under way, making all sail, on and off the
wind, etc. Came to, re-manned yards, inspection over. Dined with Sir
Thomas; great spread.
[Sidenote: Dec. 7.]
Weighed at daylight, with several 98th good fellows on board; ran over
to Macao. Saluted Governor with 17 guns. Good dinner at Dent’s.
[Sidenote: Dec. 8.]
Left my _Dido_ for her to return to Hong Kong with officers of 98th. In
_Proserpine_ steamer with Sir Hugh Gough for Canton. Heard of riots and
burning of factories; orders for _Dido_ to come up; arrived off Canton
late at night.
[Sidenote: Dec. 9.]
Landed early; found British factories burned down; dead Lascars lying
about; encampment of Chinese soldiers round remaining residences;
populace in a state of excitement. Put up at Mr. Beale’s; loaded
firearms and prepared for defence.
[Sidenote: Dec. 10.]
Continued excitement. Visited Chinese encampment; pretty and curious.
[Sidenote: Dec. 11.]
Attended American Presbyterian Divine service, performed by Dr. Parker.
He prayed; we listened. Service not like ours. Obliged to detain
steamer by way of protection.
[Sidenote: Dec. 12.]
Returned to Hong Kong.
[Sidenote: Dec. 20.]
Weighed with _Endymion_ in charge of convoy of transports. _Wolverine_
and East India Company’s steamer _Queen_ in company. _Endymion_ leading
convoy. We remained to see the last two transports out, which took us
until after sunset.
[Sidenote: Dec. 24.]
When outside saw nothing of _Endymion_ or fleet. Nice breeze. My
transports, fast sailers, took inner and shorter passage. _Dido_ under
three topsails and jib.
[Sidenote: Dec. 26.]
Think we are ahead of the fleet.
[Sidenote: Dec. 30.]
At 4 A.M., with my part of convoys, came to in Singapore Roads.
[Sidenote: Dec. 31.]
_Endymion_ arrived with convoy, not well pleased at finding _Dido_ in
first.