rouse against themselves the fears
and hostility of the natives.'

[Sidenote: Retrospect.]

_August 30th.--Eleven A.M._--We are again plunging into the China Sea,
and quitting the only place which I have left with any feeling of
regret since I reached this abominable East,--abominable, not so much
in itself, as because it is strewed all over with the records of our
violence and fraud, and disregard of right. The exceeding beauty
external of Japan, and its singular moral and social picturesqueness,
cannot but leave a pleasing impression on the mind. One feels as if
the position of a Daimio in Japan might not be a bad one, with two or
three millions of vassals; submissive, but not servile, because there
is no contradiction between their sense of fitness and their position.

[1] Not so, however, in the actual work of negotiating. In a despatch of
later date he writes: 'I was much struck by the business-like manner
in which they did their work; making very shrewd observations, and
putting very pertinent questions, but by no means in a captious or
cavilling spirit. Of course their criticisms were sometimes the result
of imperfect acquaintance with foreign affairs, and it was
occasionally necessary to remove their scruples by alterations in the
text which were not improvements; but on the whole, I am bound to say
that I never treated with persons who seemed to me, within the limits
of their knowledge, to be more reasonable.'--See also _infra_, p. 270.

CHAPTER XI.

FIRST MISSION TO CHINA. THE YANGTZE KIANG.

DELAYS--SUBTERFUGES DEFEATED BY FIRMNESS--REVISED TARIFF--OPIUM TRADE--UP
THE YANGTZE KIANG--SILVER ISLAND--NANKIN--REBEL WARFARE--THE HEN-BARRIER--
UNKNOWN WATERS--DIFFICULT NAVIGATION--HANKOW--THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL--RETURN--
TAKING TO THE GUNBOATS--NGANCHING--NANKIN--RETROSPECT--MORE DELAYS--
TROUBLES AT CANTON--RETURN TO HONG-KONG. MISSION COMPLETED--HOMEWARD
VOYAGE.

[Sidenote: Delays.]

Arriving at Shanghae on the 2nd of September, Lord Elgin found that the
Imperial Commissioners whom he came to meet had not yet appeared, and were
not expected for four or five weeks. All this time, therefore, he was
obliged to remain idle at Shanghae, hearing from time to time news from
Canton which made his presence there desirable, but unable to proceed
thither till the arrangements respecting the Treaty were completed.

_Shanghae.--