Tamsui, 4th February.
One of the four ships outside left in the morning, and one arrived, supposed to be the dtalante, In the afternoon, La Galissoniére, Admiral Lespé:' fingehip, got up steam and went round to Kelung.
'7th February, Nothing but rain the greater part of the dey; @ north-oaster brewing. Another French vessel arrived. They all anchor further north now. It is said the French have lost a good many anchors outside since the block"de, Three ships out 9th Febru:
Cloudy, ould dey. Chinese out in fores this morning, on the the hill leading from the Ta-tem hill to Kautao, some four to five miles up the river, After leaving Piatao, which iso mile up the river from the Custom House, the river widens considerably for the next three miles or more, and then it gradually narrows at Kantao forming a sort of pass, on the northern shore and of @ spur on the southern side rum down from the South Hill. Ji Kantao, the river enters what is Banca plain. The pass of Kantao half way up the river, between Hibei and Twatutia. In the neighbourhood of Kxntao and Siatao (pronounced Si there are, on the sputa of hills running down to the pass on both sides of the river, several small atone fortifications, and on the northern or Kautao side there isa large entrenched camp. This mornit the troops left this camp and march:
country, extending their line for a across towards the North fig! after Ha-defence, there
i " especially if the Chinese fortify this part of the country, which to be doing. The Chinese are come into possession of several Gatling guns, but this is a more rumour.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.