about an hour after they had started, three rockets that soared and burst over the village intimated that they had reached the place appointed to them.  Having witnessed this part of the proceedings I lay down on the deck with my great-coat over me; but not for long, for at half-past two, Captain Dew (my old friend)[1] arrived with the announcement that, having been on an errand to the lines of the troops, he had met a party of French soldiers who were obliging some Chinese to carry a wooden gun which they had captured in the fort, declaring that they had entered it, found it deserted, and possessed of no defences but two wooden guns.  It turned out that they had not entered first, but that an English party, headed by Mr. Parkes, had preceded them.  This rather promised to diminish the interest of the attack on the forts which had been fixed for half-past four in the morning.  But there was another fort on the opposite side of the river, perhaps there might be some resistance there.  Alas! vain hope.  Three shots were fired at it from the gunboats which had passed through during the night, and some twenty labourers walked out of it to seek a more secure field for their industry in some neighbouring village.  Afterwards our troops went in and found it empty as the other; so ended the capture of Pey-tang.

We came over the bar in the evening, and I went to see Hope Grant at the captured fort, where he has fixed his abode.  While there we discovered a strongish body of Tartar cavalry, at a distance of about four miles along the causeway which leads from this to Tientsin and Taku.  I urged the General to send out a party to see what these gentry were doing, lest they should be breaking up the causeway, or doing any other mischief; and I heard from him this morning that he had arranged with General Montauban to do so, and that a party of 2,000 men started on that errand early.  The Tartars seem to be in greater force than was supposed.  The officer in command (rightly or wrongly, I know not which) resolved to consider the expedition merely a reconnaissance, and to retire after staying on the ground a short time.  Of course the Tartars will consider this a victory, and will he elated by it; but perhaps this is a good thing, as it may induce them to face us on the open.  The ground on which they were found is firm and fit for cavalry, and is about four miles from the Peiho Forts.  This is a very nasty place.  The country around is all under water, and it is impossible to get through it except by moving along the one or two causeways that intersect it.  The military are, therefore, glad to find sound footing at no great distance.

[Sidenote:  Chinese overtures.]