Camp near Pekin.—­October 26th.—­This will be one of the shortest letters which you have received from me since we parted, and yet perhaps it will not be the one which you will welcome the least, because it will convey to you the news that I have signed my treaty, and that the specific object for which I came out is therefore accomplished.  I have not written my daily journal lately, because it would have been filled with my difficulties. ...  However, I have succeeded at last in a sort of way.  Loch is going home with the treaty, and will make a point of seeing you, and giving you all our news. ...  I cannot decide as to my own return until I see Frederick. ...  The deaths of poor Bowlby and the others who were with him were very sad!  Loch’s escape was most providential.  With 5,000 men led on without delay, as ought to be done in China, nothing of this kind would have occurred.  I told Palmerston so before I started; but the delays incident to conveying so large an army as ours without risking anything, have nearly made the whole thing break down.

    October 27th.—­Nine A.M.—­Loch tells me he must be off, so I must
    end my brief epistle.  I take up my abode in Pekin to-day, in the
    palace of the Prince of I., who played me false at Tung-chow.

Pekin, Prince of I.’s Palace.—­October 30th.—­I have been in bed for two days with an attack of influenza, but I am better to-day, though not by way of going out.  Here we (the General and I) are occupying a great enclosure containing a series of one-storied wooden buildings with covered passages and verandahs.  There is a good deal of aristocratic seclusion about the place, as it is surrounded by walls, and entirely cut off from the world without; but there is little appearance of luxury and comfort about it.  It rained yesterday and the day before, and I had considerable difficulty in reading in my bed, as my paper windows, which keep out the cold pretty well, keep out also a good deal of light.  They are not transparent, so the view through them is not lively.  To-day there is a beautiful sunshine, and I have been walking about a little in the court before my room door.  The present arrangement is that we remain here till the 8th.  I had some difficulty in obtaining this; but it is of great importance that, before the army goes, I should get a decree from the Emperor sanctioning the publication of the Treaty all over the empire. ...  The French General will not, however, consent to remain.

[Sidenote:  Funeral of the murdered captives.]

October 31st.—­Another fine day, but I have not left the house, partly from consideration for the remains of my cold, and partly because I have had letters to finish.  I have had visits from both my colleagues, Gros and Ignatieff.  The latter and I are always very good friends.  Perhaps he takes advantage of my simplicity; but at any rate we always seem