they were so emaciated, and my conviction is that they were shut in
there to die. The prison authorities stated that they had escaped at
the time of the bombardment for which they had been punished as we
saw. If the statement was true, they must have been systematically
starved since their recapture. Our pretext for visiting the prisons
was to discover whether any Europeans, or persons who had been in the
service of, or had had relations with Europeans, were confined in
them. We took out some who professed to belong to the latter classes.
I went a step further, by taking out a poor boy of fifteen, whom we
found in chains, but so weak that when we took them off he was unable
to stand. I told Mr. Parkes to take him to Pehkwei from me, as a
sample of the manner in which his prisons are managed.

_February 2nd._--Pehkwei was very indignant at our visit to his
prisons, and hinted that he would make away with himself, in a letter
which he wrote to me on the subject. However, he was obliged to admit
that some of the things we found were very bad, and quite against the
Chinese law. On reviewing the whole I must admit, that, except in the
case of the one cell that I have described, it was rather neglect,
want of food, medical care, cleanliness, &c., than positive cruelty,
of which one found evidence in the prisons.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Move northwards.]

Canton the impregnable had been taken, and was in the military occupation
of the allied forces; Yeh, the Terror of Barbarians, was a captive beyond
the seas; so completely was all resistance crushed, that it was found
possible to raise the blockade of the Canton River, and to let trade return
to its usual channels. Still nothing was achieved so long as the Emperor
remained aloof, and could represent the affair as a local disturbance not
affecting the imperial power. To any permanent settlement it was essential
that he should be a party; the next step, therefore, was to move northwards
to Shanghae, and there open direct negotiations with the Court of Pekin;
and, for the success of these negotiations, it was obviously of great
importance that the envoys of England and France should have the co-
operation of the representatives of Russia and the United States.

_February 4th._--Still no letters. To-morrow, Frederick is to go to
Macao, to take to Messrs. Reed