sacrificing to an idol, which represents the God of Physic, and which
is so constructed that a stick in its hand traces figures on sand. In
the figures so traced he is supposed to read his fate.

Early on Monday the 28th the attack began; and Lord Elgin was reluctantly
compelled to witness what he had been reluctantly compelled to order--the
bombardment of an unresisting town. Happily the damage both to life and
property proved to be very much less serious than at the time he supposed
it to be.

[Sidenote: Bombardment.]

_December 28th, Noon._--We have been throwing shells, etc., into
Canton since 6 A.M., without almost any reply from the town. I hate
the whole thing so much, that I cannot trust myself to write about it.

_December 29th._--The mail was put off, and I add a line to say that I
hope the Canton affair is over, and well over.... When I say this
affair is over, perhaps I say too much. But the horrid bombardment has
ceased, and we are in occupation of Magazine Hill, at the upper part
of the city, within the walls.

[Sidenote: Capture of the city.]
[Sidenote: Looting.]

_H.M.S. 'Furious,' Canton River.--January 2nd, 1858._--The last week
has been a very eventful one: not one of unmixed satisfaction to me,
because of course there is a great deal that is painful about this
war, but on the whole the results have been successful. On Monday last
(the 28th) I was awakened at 6 A.M. by a cannon-shot, which was the
commencement of a bombardment of the city, which lasted for 27 hours.
As the fire of the shipping was either not returned at all, or
returned only by a very few shots, I confess that this proceeding gave
me great pain at the time. But I find that much less damage has been
done to the town than I expected, as the fire was confined to certain
spots. I am on the whole, therefore, disposed to think that the
measure proved to be a good one, as the terror which it has excited in
the minds of the Cantonese is more than in proportion to the injury
inflicted, and therefore it will have the effect, I trust, of
preventing any attempts on their part to dislodge or attack us, which
would entail very great calamities on themselves. At 10 A.M. on Monday
the troops landed at a point about two miles east of the city, and
marched up with very trifling resistance to Lin Fort, which they took,
the French