shots were fired from the forts at her before she returned them.  Then, to be sure, we began all along the line, all the forts firing at us as we came within their range.  I was on the paddlebox-bridge till a shot passed very nearly over our heads, and Captain Osborn advised me to go down.  We were struck seven times; one of the balls making its way into my cabin.  In our ship nobody was hit; but there was one killed and two badly wounded in the ‘Retribution.’  We have passed the town; but I quite agree with the naval authorities, that we cannot leave the matter as it now stands.  If we were to do so, the Chinese would certainly say they had had the best of it, and on our return we might be still more seriously attacked.  It is determined, therefore, that to-morrow we shall set to work and demolish some of the forts that have insulted us.  I hope the Rebels will make some communication, and enable us to explain that we mean them no harm; but it is impossible to anticipate what these stupid Chinamen will do.

[Sidenote:  Retribution.]

November 21st.—­Eleven A.M.—­We had about an hour and a half of it this morning.  We began at 6 A.M. at the nearest fort, and went on to two or three others.  We pounded them pretty severely, and very few shots were fired in return.  They seemed to have exhausted themselves in last night’s attack.  As soon as my naval chiefs thought that we had done enough for our honour, I begged them to go on, as I did not want to have to hand over the town to the Imperialists, who are hemming it round on every side.  I am sorry that we should have been forced to do what we have done; but I do not think we could have acted with greater circumspection....  A set of Imperialist junks set to work to fire at the town as we were leaving off, throwing their shot from a most wonderfully safe distance.

[Sidenote:  Apologies.]

November 22nd.—­Last night a letter came off from our ’humble younger brother’ (the Rebel chief), praying us to join them in annihilating the ‘demons’ (Imperialists).  I sent them in reply a sort of proclamation which I had prepared in the morning, intimating that we had come up the river pacifically; had punished the Nankin forts for having insulted us, from which persons repeating the experiment would learn what they had to expect.  Later at night a present of twelve fowls and two pieces of red bunting came to the river bank, from some villagers, I believe.  When Captain Ward was on shore surveying, two Chinamen came to him, stating that an express had come from Nankin to say that the attack on us was a mistake, and we were taken for Imperialists, &c. &c.  I hope, therefore, that we shall have no more trouble of this description.

[Sidenote:  Woohoo.]