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Miscellany: The English In China

Miscellany: The English In China image
Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
May
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

From Loch's f'ainpign in Chinn." ['ot 1epublished in t!i U. S.]fowards evenmg an advance wassounded. and the Commander-in-chiefmarchcd with two regiments townrds the Tartar quarter of the town, guided by some Chinese and Mr. GutzlafF. We broke into Kiany houses where we imagined soldiers were concealed, but met with no resistance, nor saw any armed Tartars. Quiet and peaco seemed to reign paramount in the still evening, while the fragrance of the flowers surrounding almost every house calmed the strong excitement that had possessed us throtighout the day. It was the prettiest Chinese town I had seen: thrt houses were all well kept, and the ïftteriors of many magnificent; the streets well paved and clean; and open grassv spaces and gardensgave a grace and air inessnot usually met with in walled cities. We were guided to a large building said to be the Governor's palace. We saw that it belonged to Government by the flying dragon painted upon the wall opposite the great entrance; but the gates had apparently been closed for some con6iderable timo: weeds were growing before them, and the only sign of life was was a wounded Tartar, of great size and Btrength, lying under the shade of the pórtico; he was dressed in the blue overshirt with yellow trimmings, said to be the uniform of the imperial guard. When we forced the house, we found it equallv dcserted, hut complelely furnished and oí great extent. Wc set fircto it and marched on.Í went wïth two soldiers of the l'8lh down a street to tho right.to a large house which I concludcd belonged to a Tartar of consequence: we burst the door and entered. Never shall I forget the sight of misery that there met our viow. Afler we had forced our wny over piles of furniture, placed to barricade the door, we entered an open court strewed with rich stüifs and covered with clotted blood; and upon thé steps leading to the "hall of ancestors" there werc two bodies of youthful Tartars, cold and sliflT, much alike. opparently brothers. Having gained ihe threshold of their nbode, they had died where they had fallen from the loss of blood. Stepping over these bodies, we entered the hall, and met, face to face, tli ree women seated, a mother and two daughiers; and at their feet lay two bodies of elderly men, with their throats cut from ear to ear, their senseless heads resting upon the feet of their relations. To the right were two young girls, beautiful and delicate, crouching over and endeavoring to conceal, a living soldier. In the heat of the action,vhen the blood s up and the struggle for life is between nan and man, the anguish of the wounded, and the sight of misery and pain, is uriheedod; humanity is partially obscured by danger; but when excitement subsides with victory, and the individual circumstance.s are recalled to mind which led to heresult, a Iieart would be hardly human that could feel unaffected by the retrospretion. But the hardest heart of the oldest man who ever liveda life of rapiñe and slaughter, could not have gazed on ihis scène of wo, unmoved. I .stopped, horror struck at what I saw. [ must have betrayed rny feelings by my countenance, as I stood spell-bound to hc spot. The expression of cold, unulerable despair, depicted on the mother's 'rtcdj changed to the violent workings of scorn and hate, which at last buist Ibrth 'n a paroxysm c f invective, after.wards in floods of tears, which, apparenlly, ifthing could,relioved lier. fehe came close 10 me, and seized me by tlie arm, and wilh clencheci teeth, and dendly frown, pointcd to llie lodie.s - to hor dauj liters - to her vol splendid house, and to hersclf; liensteppëd back r. pace, and wïth firmly closed hands, and in a hoarss and husky voice. I could sco. by her geslures, spoke of her misery - of lier líate, and. I doubt not, of rcvenge. It was a scène that one could not bear long; consolation was useless; expostulation frnm me, vain. I atïempted by signs to explain, oflercil her iny services, but was spurned. I endeavored lo mak o her comprehend ihnt, however greal her present mischr, it might be. iu herunprotected state a luindred-fold incroased; that fslie would place herself undermy guidance, I would pass her thro' the city gales in safe! y into the open country, where. doubtlcss. she would meet tn.tiiy of the fugilives; but the poor voman would not listen to me; the whole (amny were ly this time in loud lamentnlion; so all that remained for me to do I was to prevent the soldiers bayoneting the man who, since our enlrance, had attempted to escape. The Missionary.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News