DESCRIPTION OF A VOYAGE UP THE RIVER YANG-TSE-LIANG, AUGUST, 1861.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 129, 15 April 1862, Page 3

DESCRIPTION OF A VOYAGE UP THE RIVER YANG-TSE-LIANG, AUGUST, 1861.

The following letter is extracted from the \Eveniiig Mail, December 27, 1861 :—

The lollowing extracts from my journal, written during a voyage up the river Yang-tse-KiangJ may prove interesting to some of your readers.

The voyage was from Shangliac to Hankow (which is the extreme point on this river to which Europeans are allowed to proceed at present) and back. I landed both among Imperialists and rebels, and will now endeavor to give you an account of some of tiie scenes witnessed by me on this wonderful expanse of waters, for river it cannot be called during this season of the year, "it being more like an immense lake. The other day I saw the sun set on the water in the distance.

The Fernandez sailed from Shanghae on the Ist of August at 5 p.m., and as no ship had yet been up the Yang-tse-Kiung without grounding, added to which uews had just been received of the total loss of tho steamship Manilla on her first voyage, and also that the steamship Rnjah was on shore in a paddy ield, it was with no sligVt feelings of anxiety that I saw Shangliac gradually disappear in the distance, as we swiftly proceeded on our voyage to cope with the dangers and difficulties ofthe mighty waters ofthe Yang-tse-Kiang. Anchored for the night off Wobsung.

" August 2.—At about 8 o'clock in the morning had the first intimation that we were not to visit this portion of the territory of his Imperial Highness, brother to tiie Sun, Moon, &c, without having to experience the same difficulties as our predecessors, for at that time we touched on the Dove's Nest shoal. "We were only detained by this mishap about a quarter of an hour ; but this check at our starting and the imperfect state ofthe survey, or, more properly speaking, from the great changes that are constantly taking place in the river, was a fair precursor of what we had to expect. At noon got rather too close to the Flamer bank to be pleasant, and, as the river was so swollen, that Plover Point could not be made out with any degree of certainty, the only means by wliich we could proceed was to go very easy, and feel our way along the edge of the shoals (which are here abundant) by the lead. When we anchored in the evening a distance of 66 miles had been passed over.

"August 3rd.—Proceeded at daylight, and at 3 o'clock passed within a mile of the wreck of the steamship Manilla-, her mainmast being now all that is left above water. The Chinese had been up and stripped all the gear, &c, from the mastheads, with the exception of the wire rigging, which I expect our Celestial friends found too tough to yield to their endeavors to remove.

" August 4th. —Touched the ground twice today, once on a new shoal, not laid down in the chart, and once on a shoal that has extended in each instance. We only lost fifteen minutes.

" August sth.—To-day we arrived at that part of the river where for miles, through the rising of the waters, the country was all inundated. However I may try I am confident my pen is quite inadequate to give your readers even a faint idea of the nppcarauce that was presented to my view. If they can imagine themselves on the deck of this ship, with a chart upon before them and the river laid down some two or three miles from bank to bank, and then cast their eye from side to side to look at the expanse of water, where no banks are visible, but junks and boats of all sizes and description sailing over what in the chart is dry land, they may conceive my, astonishment. The river between this and Hankow in many places exceeds 20 miles in breadth, and sometimes the land cannot be seen on cither side from the deck excepting the hills far inland, The houses up to tho very roofs are under water, which adds very much to the strangeness of the scene. For many miles nothing but tops of houses aud trees are visible. As for the banks of the river, they are just as imaginary to us as your readers being here. The most unaccountable thing is that many villages might be built (above the level to which the river rises) at the foot of hills, that in some places are situated close to the bank ; but no ! even their own Celestial brethren prefer to build on the low ground, although the hills ure so near, and they must nt the' same time be perfectly aware that their houses will all disappear, or, if not washed away, be quite untenable for many months in the year. So soon as the water begins to rise the villagers put all their chattels iuto a boat (ons is to be found at nearly every hut for some miles inland) and pull for the nearest hill, where they remain encamped in small mat hovels ; when the water subsides they return and rebuild or repair their former habitation, whichever is necessary, and commence tilling the land, wliich is all along the river most fertile, yielding abundant crops. We now entered the rebel territory.

" Having this day,. August 28, just read the London and China Express of June 26, I quite agree with the editor when he states, ' That the rebellion is an intolerable obstruction to legitimate trade.' It is not only so among our merchants, but also among the Chinese themselves. I am now writing only at a distance ot some 35 miles from the rebel capital of Nankin, having seen, close too, other large cities in their posses sion—Wuhu, Nganking, &c. —having also landed at some of their villages. However, we may sympathise with them as the ancient and legitimate owners ofthe soil, that must not prevent travellers from speaking of them as they find them. The difference between all cities in the hands of the Imperialists is most striking—magnificent pagodas, fine houses, beautiful gardens, everything -thriving—showing evident signs of an industrious and prosperous people ; in fact it requires the pen of a Russell, or some other illustrious writer of modern times, to describe an imperial city for it to receive justice ; but the pen of an humble individual like your present correspondent can describe not only the rebel cities seen by him, but also all the villages held by them on tha banks of this river hy four words— mud, bricks, ruin, and desolation., Nankin, their capital, is one mass of rains. One night, when anchored near it, it appeared like ' a city of the dead ;' no light, not even a sound proceeded from it. What a contrast to one of the Imperial cities, where the thousands of lights vie with the very stars themselves in brilliancy! And the Chin-Chin joss of the inhabitants during their festivals, just now on, however edifying to them, and although net disagreeable to us, could be dispensed with, bo far as we are personally concerned, with some comfort to ourselves ; but our Imperial friends are as indefatigable in this as in the more serious avocations of life.

August 10. —Boarded this morning by a Chinese! priest about four miles above Pwanpienshan ; he: is said to be the head of a ruined monastery close : by here ; he boards every steamer that passes, both going up and coming down, and as he generally gets 100 cash from each (about 4£d.), the opening of the river has proved of infinite advantage to him, as formerly he had only the charity of the peasants to exist by. He is an aged man, of an intellectual cast of countenance, and of a stalwart form. He well deserves the small pittance he receives, for he boards the 'Ship while she is going full speed, 'a most frightful current running at the place where he comes off. A steamer coming down will pass at the rate of 13 to 14 knots an hour. This makes no difference to this enthusiastic alms-seeker ;he is always on the lookout, and immediately you heave in sight he pulls to the middle of the stream, when, as you near his sanpan, one desperate sweep of his oars lays him alongside ; the next instant he is on board, book in hand, for your donations. " Arrived at Hankow Sunday August 11, having stopped one day at Kewkiang.. We accomplished the distance (about 730 geographical miles) in nine days, having at times a tide of 7 to 8 knots against us. Hankow is in lat. 30 ° 33' N., and long. 114° 20' E. Tho trade here is growing up fast; ten steamers, running hard, cannot take the teas and other produce down ■ many junks, somo of 600 to 700 tons, are employed also, being towed or convoyed by the steamers. There can be no doubt from the depth and volume of water in the river at Hankow that it is navigable some hundreds of miles more inland, which I expect European enterprise will not be long in opening out. The water has risen this year at Hankow 38 feet; it fell a few days since 2 t feet 3 inches, but on August 15, when welcft.it had again risen, a foot. I had this information from an officer in Her Majesty's ship Snake, . stationed here, and on board which a register is kept. Steamers for this river must be powerful, and we must not be too proud to take a lesson I rom ©ur Celestial friends, To insure a small

draught of water steamers should be perfectly fiatliottoined, with a slight keel and two sister kelsons ; then, if the ground is touched, little or no damage will be sustained ; added to which great advantage may be reaped, when the river is swollen, by steaming near the banks and keeping out of thu ride. Ijjft Hankow August the 15th with six loaded junks to convoy. "August 16.—Landed at Wuhuitsgu, a large Imperial town on the left ban it, the ship being nt tiiehor about her own length from the shore in seven fathoms. I fancy I must have been the lirst European that h id landed, tor I was immediately surrounded by some 300 to 400 men, women, and children, the women keeping a little in the back ground, although not at all bashful or timid; and oh, such feet; I was not likely to see a female thus far in the interior with such an ugly appendage as a large foot. The feet oftiiese beauties must have been capable of pleasing the most fastidious, love-sick Chiuese swain, as they did not exceed four inches, shoe, stocking, and foot as well. My clothes were all examined with great minuteness, even to the taking off my hat, teeling my shoes, and the texture of my other garments, as well as smelling them as well as myself. The eagerness of all to have a sight of and to touch me was so great that I was in anything but ah enviable position ; being surrounded on nil sides, and the . day very hot, I could scarcely breathe. Making my way close down to the water, I managed to keep my inquisitive friends at bay on one side. A cram at the opera for admittance did not beat our Celestial friends in their anxiety to catch a glimpse at me; they -were civil, though, with all their curiosity. When I got into the boat I made a sign fbr them to come on board : from that time till dusk we had hundreds of them backwards and forwards, and their eagerness to exame everything was so great that it was only by placing sentries we could keep them out of the engine-room and other forbidden places. But withal, tlieir behaviour was good, and in no instance did they endeavour to purloin anything. We take our meals on the poop, and when we sat down to dinner we had an admiring crowd w;atching our every movement. A sightseer, after paying Od. to see wild beasts feed, never enjoyed the scene more than our Celestial visitors, and were you to land them in the remotest part of the United Kingdom, the natives could not be more amused with them and their chop-sticks than our visitors were to see us using knives, forks, spoons and glasses. '

"August 19.—Passed close to the steamship Rajah; she has three feet of water under her bows, and seven fathoms from amidships. right aft; she will most likely float off when the river rises next year. Steamed up and down while our convoy passed the rebel city of Nganking, which is closely besieged by land and water by the Imderialists, and which it has been, I hear, for two or three years. The besiegers are now again exerting themselves to take the place.

"August 20. —Landed at daylight on the left bank among the rebels, at a village opposite Niaug-shan-ki, and walked about two niiles along the bank of the river. The appeavauee presented by the people and all round was most pitiable ; they had just migrated from the hills ; the water had fallen about seven feet, and the land was now about two to three feet uncovered. The people had nothing but fish and herbs to live on, all their last year's rice being exhausted. Cultivation had just commenced. These people were not at nil inquisitive, and looked upon my landing as a matter of course; they did just suspend operations for a a minute or so to look at me, and then resumed their work.

". August 21. —Dropped anchor and landed nt Nankitig. Her Majesty's ship Centaur and gunboats 90 and 95 at anchor. Landed and had an interview with the rebel King, to obtain permission to pass through a creek adjacent to the city, and which shortens the distance very materially ; he granted the request. Shortly afterwards he paid a visit to the Centaur, and the crew were exercised at gun exercise, long range, shelling, &c. At 6 o'clock this evening the ship grounded off the north-east point of Tsaouha Island, but this was a more serious affair than any of the previous ones, as the ship was hard and fast. By dint of great exertion, blowing off boilers, &c, wo floated off into deep water at 11 o' clock that night, close to land 10 and 12 fathoms, and then 18 fathoms water.

" August 22.—Passed the extent of rebel tcrri- • tory, and anchored at Chin Keang Eo. Here is • stationed the ' Imperial -Custom-house,' being a • ship at anchor, named the Swallow. All steamers, ; junks, &c, have to send their clearances to be ' examined, whether proceeding.up or down. The i Custom-hou^e officers are all English or Scotch. : There is an English consul stationed on shore (Mr. Adkins). This is a very picturesque part of the river. Chin Keang Eo, on the right bank, is a 1 large walled city, with the usual amount of -■ pagodas, houses, gardens, &c. Ahead we have i Gold Island (having a fine pagoda on it) and ■ astern is Silver Island. Both these islands are ■ high rocks rising out of the bed of the stream, covered with trees and foliage, and having several » very pretty buildings on them. I do not know ' from what they derive their name. Lots of game here, pheasants, partridges, snipe, &c, as there is I also along the river. Eish is abundant and of ' very good quality ; pears, peaches, apples, and ■ vegetables of every description ; fowls, 1 dollar per dozen. This ie applicable to all towns on the banks of the river, excepting where the rebels : hold possession. " August 23.—Left Chin,Keang Eo, came into the dangerous part of the river again to-day, passed wreck of Manilla at 3"40 p.m.—she is stranded on a shoal north of Starling Island, with Chooshan Pagoda N.W. by W. Anchored for tho night off Kyang Yin. "August 25.—Proceeded at daylight and anchored about 30 miles lower down, the wind being ahead, and our convoy being somo miles astern, and unable to make headway. " August 26.—Still at anchor, our convoy not being in sight. Since the survey of 1858 many and great changes have taken place in this river. What were shoals then have now formed up into islands, in some instances covered with houses and brushwood, and in a high state of cultivation; channels then in existence are now filled up, while others then unnavigable have now water sufficient for a line-of-battle-ship; many new banks and shoals have grown up. At the Langshan crossing and other places where beacons and buoys have been placed to facilitate the navigation, the tide runs so strong that several have' already disappeared, and it will auly be by constant case and watching that they cau be kept in their ■ proper positions. On the passage up to Hankow ■ the thermometer ranged from 86 deg. during the i night to 102 deg. to 105 deg. during the day, and , this under double awnings. This last day or two i the thermometer has been at times to 82 deg. , Notwithstanding the thermometer beingat 105deg., ■ I personally have felt the heat in the Red Sea, ' with the thermometer at 98 deg. much more opl pressive and unbearable. f "August 28.—Weighed. Proceeded as far as ■ Plover Point. ! "August 29.—Steamer Williamette passed ifc -at noon on her way from Hankow to Shanghae. ■ At 12 30 p.m she ran ashore on the Actaion Shoal, 1 but as the tide was rising she got off in half s an hour. i " August 30.—Weighed anchor at daylight. i Found two of the beacons gone, that on the S.W. i point of Bush Island, and the other not far from !it on the western side of the channel. We have i not yet been able to discover whether the beacons are removed by some interested' Celestials or-if , they are washed away. Arrived at Shanghae •at 1 p.m.

Supkestition.—A very interesting intercepted letter has been shown to me from the Empress to Buonaparte, in which, after expressing great affection she states the effect which his late victories had produced at Paris, and ending by ananedote ofthe king of Rome having had a dream, in which he cried bitterly, calling frequently on his papa. When he awoke and was questioned as to -the cause, no .entreaty or threat could induce him to giyp the smallest explanation or reveal the nature of his dream. This made the child very melancholy, and the Empress partook of it, though Bhe rode daily to tho Bois de Boulogne. Sir Charles Stewart to Lord Castlereagh, March 27, 18i4.— Lives of Lord Castelreagh and Sir Charles Stewart. By Sir Archibald Alison, Bart.,D. C.L.. L.L.D. '

in 1342, Yarmouth and Hull sent out a piratical fleet against London and Bristol; and ports as near each other as Lyme and Dartmouth, in the adjoining counties of Dorset and Devon, waged deadly feud and strove to capture each other's vessels.— Lives of Ihf \Enginsces. By SamaelSm, il es.