a large
junk near that of the admiral, she almost immediately blew up, pouring
forth a blaze like the rush of fire from a volcano, and destroying all
on board. This so terrified the Chinese that, after a few discharges of
round-shot had been fired into other junks, the crews of many jumped
overboard, while others cut their cables in the hopes of escaping on
shore. Some were immediately captured, others escaped up the river,
pursued by the _Nemesis_, which succeeded in bringing one down and
burning another which had grounded.

The next day Admiral Kwang sent off a boat with a flag of truce, in
which were an old man and woman, bearing proposals for the cessation of
hostilities. They came to request Captain Elliott to meet Commissioner
Keshen, who finally agreed that the island of Hong-Kong should be ceded
to the British, on condition that the Bogue Forts should be given up,
and that, on the English captives being set at liberty, Chusan should be
evacuated. To these terms Captain Elliott, the superintendent of trade,
agreed, and Hong-Kong was taken possession of on the 26th of January.
These terms having been rejected by the emperor, the fleet proceeded, on
the 26th of February, to the attack of the remainder of the Bogue Forts.
Their defenders were either put to flight or yielded themselves
prisoners, and in a short time the British colours were flying on the
whole chain of those celebrated works. The next day, the 27th, the
light squadron, consisting of the _Calliope_ and _Herald_, and the
_Alligator, Sulphur, Modeste, Madagascar_, and _Nemesis_ steamers, under
Captain Herbert, were sent up to destroy any fortifications they might
meet with. On reaching Whampoa Roads, a large armed fort, mounting 47
guns, was seen on the left bank, and extending across the river was a
line of rafts secured to sunken junks, on the other side of which were
forty large junks and the _Cambridge_, carrying the admiral's flag. The
steamer pushing on, opened a heavy fire on the Chinese fleet, as well as
on the batteries. For about an hour the Chinese held out, and when
their fire was nearly silenced, the marines and small-arm men being
landed, stormed the works, driving before them upwards of 2000 Chinese
troops, and killing nearly 300. The _Cambridge_ and some of the junks
still held out, when Lieutenant Watson, first of the _Calliope_, having
gallantly succeeded in dragging one of the boats across the raft,
launched her on the other