to bring us to terms.  So we have again handed the matter over to the Generals, from whose hands indeed it would not now have been taken if they had not urged me to make this last overture to Prince Kung.  I do not know when they will advance.

October 3rd.—­We have moved about two miles, and are now lodged in a mosque—­a nice building, a good deal ornamented—­which is for the nonce turned to profane uses.  The army was to have advanced to attack Sang-ko-lin-sin’s force to-morrow, but now I am told the French are not ready. ...  These delays give the Chinese fresh heart, and they are beginning to send people to fire on our convoys, &c., coming up from Tientsin. ...  There was a letter sent to me yesterday by Prince Kung, signed by Loch and Parkes.  Loch managed in his signature to convey to us in Hindostanee that the letter was written under compulsion.  As it was in Chinese the information was hardly necessary.  It said that they two were well treated, complimented Prince Kung, and asked for some clothes.  We have heard nothing about the others who are missing.

[Sidenote:  Advance on Pekin.]

October 5th.—­We left our mosque this morning at about seven.  The whole army was drawn up in contiguous columns of regiments, and had a good appearance.  The cavalry on the right, then the artillery, and then the infantry.  The French were on our left.  In this way we advanced about four miles, when we reached a place from which we saw one of the gates of Pekin at about a mile and a half distance.  We met with no enemy, but we heard of him about three miles farther on.  However, the French declined to go any farther; so here we remain for the night, and we have got into a joss-house, which is lucky, for we have no tents with us—­only a very light kit and three days’ provisions for each person.  We hear that the Emperor has left for Tartary, which is very probable.  We might have stopped him if we had marched on immediately after the 21st ultimo; but that was, in the judgment of the Generals, impossible.

[Sidenote:  Suburbs.]

October 6th.—­Five P.M.—­We are lodged in a Lamaserie in the north-west suburb of Pekin.  Our move began at seven.  We streamed along narrow roads in a long line.  I got a scolding from the General for outflanking the skirmishers, which I did to get out of the dust.  At about nine we reached a brick-kiln, from whence we had a view of Pekin, and of a mound, behind which, as we were assured, Sang-ko-lin- sin and his army were encamped.  We halted for some time and then advanced; we on the right, the French on the left, towards these supposed camps.  The French were to attack in front, we were to take the enemy in flank.  I was with the second division of our force.  When we arrived abreast of the entrenchment we could see nothing of an enemy.  After a while I rode to the top of the mound at the corner of the entrenchment, and found the French