that at midnight on the 18th I received a note in pencil from the General, telling me what had led to the conflict of that day.  At 3.30 A.M.  I sent an answer by Crealock, and at five set off with an escort of thirty Irregulars, to ride about twenty miles to the General’s camp.

We then agreed that the Commanders-in-Chief should send a notification to the chief mandarin of Tung-chow, to the effect that, unless our countrymen were forthwith restored, Pekin would be assaulted.  No notice was taken of this.  So on the 21st we advanced, and attacked a large body of Tartars, encamped between Tung-chow and Pekin.  I accompanied the infantry and artillery during the day’s proceedings.  We encamped after the battle, where we now are, among some trees.  We sleep in tents, but we have a house where we mess.  I am living with the General, as my establishment has not yet been brought up from Ho- see-woo.  I rode over yesterday to see the Russian Minister, who, with his sixteen Cossacks, is occupying the village, or rather town, of Chin-kia-wan, which was taken after the affair of the 18th.  It is a sad scene of desolation.  General Ignatieff was very obliging and friendly, as I have indeed found him to be throughout.  He and I entirely agree as to how the Chinese should be fought. ...  I may be very near the close of this China business, or I may be at the commencement of a new series of difficulties.  All is very uncertain at present. ...  The climate is pleasant here, were it not for the quantity of dust, which is overwhelming.  We have abundance of grapes, and some other good fruit.

September 29th.—­At midnight of the 27th I was roused by Wade, who brought me a letter from Prince Kung (the Emperor’s brother), a good deal milder than the last, but still implying that Parkes, &c., were not to be returned until the treaty, &c., was signed.  The comparative mildness of the tone of this communication was clearly attributable to the firmness of my last letter, and I therefore induced those with whom I act to agree to nay adhering to it in my reply.  I accordingly wrote to say that the army would advance unless the prisoners should return in the course of to-day; but that I do not intend to add to the Convention which I have already furnished to the Chinese Plenipotentiaries, and that I will sign that at once, and close the war, if they choose.  I hardly expect to see our friends to-day.  The Generals will not advance to-morrow, but they say they will on Monday.  Meanwhile it is raining; a sort of English rain, not tropical; and if we have not too much of it, it will do good.

October 1st.—­Yesterday morning came another letter, proposing that the army should retire to Chin-kia-wan, and that then the treaty should be signed and the prisoners restored.  This was clearly inadmissible, as the Chinese would infer from it that whenever they had a difficulty with us they had only to kidnap some of our people