ith the
emissaries. It appears that they had a long way to go on horseback,--
some seven or eight miles--before they reached the Yamun of the chief,
who received them. They do not seem to have learnt much from him. He
professed to be third in the hierarchy of the Rebel Government of
Nankin, but was a rather commonplace person. He said that our
bombardment had killed three officers and twenty men, and that they
had beheaded the soldiers who fired at us! Arrangements were made for
the free passage of vessels communicating with the 'Furious.' They
describe their ride through Nankin as if it had been one through a
great park,--trees, and the streets wider than usual in China; but no
trade is allowed, and the place seems almost deserted. There was not
quite so much appearance of destruction, but more of desolation, than
in any town previously visited by us. The officer who guided them to
the Yamun asked Wade to take him away with us, and on being told that
was impossible, applied for opium, saying that he smoked himself, and
that about one in three of the force in Nankin did the same. Whether
the original Taiping chief, 'Hung-Seu-Cheun,' is still alive or not,
we have not been able to discover. Some say he remains shut up with
about 300 wives. At any rate he is invisible.... The only thing
remarkable which I have observed to-day is the quantity of wildfowl. I
saw one flock this morning which was several miles long. It literally
darkened the sky. I suppose the cold weather is driving them inwards
from the sea.

[Sidenote: Aground once more.]

_December 31st.--Five P.M._--I hardly expected to have to record
another grounding, but so it is. We have been going on gallantly all
day, leaving the other ships some ten miles behind us. We had passed
the Lunshan Hills, off which we spent two days, and from which I sent
you my last letter. We were abreast of Plover Point, when suddenly the
water shoaled so much that we had to drop anchor. Alas! the ebbing
tide was too strong for us, and drove us on a bank, where we are now
sticking. If we get off before morning it will not matter much; but if
the 'Retribution' comes down and finds us here, we shall look
horribly small.

[Sidenote: Reach Shanghae.]

_January 1st, 1859._--Many, many returns of the New Year! It is a
beautiful day, and we are just