and re-captured by the Imperialists.  I could hardly have imagined such a scene of desolation.  I do not think there is a house that is not a ruin.  I believe the population used to be about 300,000, but now I suppose it cannot exceed a few hundreds.  The people are really, I believe, glad to see us.  They hope we may give them free trade and protection from the Rebels.  A commodore and post-captain in the Chinese navy came off to us this afternoon.  They were very civil, offering to do anything for us they could.  They tell us we can go in this ship to Hankow and the Poyang Lake.  We have found another rock beside us, and only think that this should not have been known by our Navy!

[Sidenote:  Afloat again.]

November 18th.—­Eight P.M.—­At about 6 P.M.  I was crossing on a plank over a gully, on my return from an expedition to Golden Island, when three rounds of cheers from the ‘Furious,’ about a mile off, struck my ear.  Three rounds of cheers, followed by as many from the other ships.  She was off the rock!  Some 250 tons were taken out, and when the tide rose she came off—­nothing the worse! and our time has not been quite lost, for this is an interesting place, if only because of the insight which it gives into the proceedings of the Rebels.  Golden Island is about five miles from here.  It was a famous Buddhist sanctuary, and contained their most valuable library.  Its temples are now a ruin.

November 20th.—­Noon.—­Yesterday I took a long walk, not marked by any noteworthy incidents.  We went into some of the cottages of the small farmers.  In one we found some men smoking opium.  They said that they smoked about 80 cash (fourpence) worth a day:  that their wages when they worked for hire were 120 cash (sixpence).  The opium was foreign (Indian):  the native was not good.  I asked how they could provide for their wives and families if they spent so much on opium.  They said they had land, generally from two to three acres apiece.  They paid about a tenth of the produce as a tax.  They were very good- humoured, and delighted to talk to Wade and Lay.  They appear to welcome us more here than in other places I have visited in China.

[Sidenote:  Fired on from Nankin.]

Eight P.M.—­We have been under fire.  The orders given on our approach to Nankin were, that the ‘Lee’ should go in advance; that if fired on, she should hoist a flag of truce; if the flag of truce was fired on, she was not to return the fire until ordered to do so.  It was a lovely evening, and the sun was sinking rapidly as we approached Nankin, the ‘Lee’ about a mile in advance.  I was watching her, and saw her pass the greater part of the batteries in front of the town.  I was just making up my mind that all was to go off quietly, when a puff of smoke appeared from a fort, followed by the booming of a cannon.  The ‘Lee’ on this hoisted her white flag in vain; seven more