Two P.M.—­Hope Grant has teen on board.  He tells me that the mouth of the Pey-tang is not staked, and that the ‘Actaeon’s’ boat went three miles up the river.  This river is seven or eight miles from the Peiho, and the Chinese have had a year to prepare to resist us.  It appears that there is nothing to prevent the gunboats from going up that river.

July 28th—­Eleven A.M.—­The earlier part of last night was very hot, ... and I got feverish and could not sleep.  Towards morning the good luck of the leaders in this expedition came again into play; a breeze sprang up from the right quarter, so that the whole of the sailing ships have been helped marvellously on their way.  When I went on deck the whole line of the French fleet—­it consists almost exclusively of steamers—­was coming gallantly on, Gros at the head.  He is quite cutting me out this time.  The farther distance was filled by our sailing transports scudding before the wind.  They have been filing past us ever since, dropping into their places, which are rather difficult to find, as the Admiral has changed all his dispositions since his arrival here.  The captain of the ‘Actaeon’ dined here yesterday.  He told me he had gone a mile or two up the Pey-tang river, been allowed to land, seen the fort, which is quite open behind, and contains about a hundred men.  Thirty thousand English (fleet and army) and ten thousand French ought to be a match for so far-sighted an enemy.  However, I suppose we must not crow till we see what the Tartar warriors are. Three P.M.—­The French Admiral has just been here.  He tells me that we are to move from the anchorage to a place nearer Pey- tang on Monday, and that on Tuesday a reconnaissance in force is to be made on that place, with the intention, I presume, of taking it.

[1] Vide supra, p. 226.

[2] Colonel Crealock, military secretary to the Embassy.

[3] ’The absence of any panic was very creditable to the passengers.  It,
    however, was mainly due to the conduct of the two Ambassadors, who,
    during the whole time, remained quietly seated on the poop conversing
    together, as if no danger ’impended.’—­Personal Narrative of
    Occurrences during Lord Elgin’s Second Embassy to China, by H.B.  Loch
    Private Secretary.

[4] The Honourable T.J.  Hovell Thurlow, attache to the Embassy.

[5] His birthday.

[6] The reference apparently is to the uneasiness produced in Europe by the
    annexation of Savoy to France.

CHAPTER XIII.

SECOND MISSION TO CHINA.  PEKIN.

THE LANDING—­CHINESE OVERTURES—­TAKING OF THE FORTS—­THE PEN TIENTSIN—­ NEGOTIATIONS BROKEN OFF—­NEW PLENIPOTENTIARIES—­AGREEMENT MADE—­AGREEMENT BROKEN—­TREACHEROUS SEIZURE OF MR. PARKES AND OTHERS—­ADVANCE ON PEKIN--RETURN OF SOME OF THE CAPTIVES—­FATE OF THE REST—­BURNING OF THE SUMMER PALACE—­CONVENTION SIGNED—­FUNERAL OF THE MURDERED CAPTIVES—­IMPERIAL PALACE—­PRINCE KUNG—­ARRIVAL OF MR. BRUCE—­RESULTS OF THE MISSION.