all the ship's company of the 'Furious' on deck, and made a short
farewell speech to them, which was well received by a sympathetic
audience. The whole Mission is on board this gunboat, pretty closely
packed as you may suppose: the servants in a Chinese boat astern, and
the effects in another, astern of the 'Dove.' The 'Dove' leads, and we
follow. It is raining and blowing unpleasantly. I am very sorry to
have left the 'Furious.'... If the Rebels let us pass them unattacked,
it will be well; if they do not, we shall be obliged in self-defence
to force a passage through their lines, in order to carry supplies to
our ships. Either way, the object of opening the Yangtze will be
attained. Yesterday the Prefect of Kew-kiang came on board the
'Furious.' He was very civil, and undertook to supply Captain Osborn
with all he wanted.... In the little cabin where I am now writing,
five of us are to sleep!

_Christmas Day._--Many happy returns of it to you and the children!...
It is the second since we parted.... We are now (3 P.M.) approaching
Nganching. I have resolved to communicate with the authorities to
express my indignation at what happened when we passed up the river,
and tell them that if it is repeated I shall be obliged reluctantly to
take the town. This may seem rather audacious language, considering
that my whole force now consists of two gunboats. However, I think it
is the proper tone to take with the Chinese.

[Sidenote: Ngan-ching.]

_December 26th.--One P.M._--It grew so dark before we anchored near
Nganching last night, that we abandoned the idea of communicating till
this morning, and found, when day broke, that we were nearer the town
than we had anticipated. It was raining heavily, with a slight
admixture of sleet, and some of the heights in rear of the town were
covered with snow. We heaved anchor at about seven, and dropped it
again at about half a mile from the wall of the city. Wade went off in
a boat. He steered to a point where there was an officer waving a flag
somewhat ominously, and a crowd behind him, generally armed with red
umbrellas. When he got to the shore, he was informed that the officer
was third in command, and a Canton man, as the other chiefs also
appeared to be. He told them that it was our intention to pass up and
down the river; that I had come wit