I had 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 with a good heart (i.e. without hostile intentions); that nevertheless we had been scandalously fired at, &c. &c.  They at once, in the manner of Chinamen, confessed their error, and said that the firing had been a mistake; that it was the act of some of the local men, who did not know the ships of ’your great nation:’  that it should not happen again, &c.  Wade told them that the same thing had occurred at Nankin, and that we had destroyed the peccant forts.  They answered that they were aware of what had then happened.  He added, that we did not wish to interfere in their internal disputes, but that they must know, if