When the late and lamented Sir Harry Parkes returned from Peking in 1858, I had the pleasure of long conversation wi him. On inquiring as fo his experience in the matter of the new treaty, if nothing more could have been secured than what hi had mentioned, he replied that on going to Peking for the purpose of making it, they had no ideas as to whom or what manner of men they would meet. In various points, he remarked, they foun they lind advanced to the very edge of the precipice, and if they had taken another p, they would have toppled orer.
len he explained as meaning that if they had demanded anything more, the whole country would have fallen into their hands and they fled from it. What could we he said, with China, when India [was still unsettled from the mutiny? If we want more we must wait awhile and may get it bye and bye, Has a more convenient season come fur this purpose? Certainly it is in our power to make such claims as may be reasonably needed when the time for settlement comes. In every department changes may well be called for, yet we hope they will be made the breaking up of the country, but in its more perfect consolidation, and in the better government and social condition of the people.
On one occasion Sir Thomas Wade was discussing some particular point with Prince Kung, and it would seem the latter said that foreigners and their ways were an injury to the country and deserved to be expelled. "Yes," said sir Thomas, "you could easily drive us all into the sea, but the next year would see such soldiers in Chinn as you have never dreamed of." Is thia being Verified now, as a consequence of the rebel government, the Boxers and others threatening and attempting to do this very thing—drive us into the sea?
W. M. care not to rouse their anger. Shortly afterwards the soldiers came rushing into our house also. Some had come through from our western neighbour's house while "others broke in by the front gate. The intruders numbered over twenty in all, armed each one with a rifle, and seemed to be in a most savage mood. TI and my cousin, with my little son and with my seal of office in hand, met the soldiers outside our guest hall and told them that this was the residence of a metropolitan official. I said: "If you all are determined on under you are welcome to what we ave, but I pray that you will not maltreat and frighten our little ones." No one replied, but they began dragging out the whole contents of our residence into the courtyard. They there broke open all our trunks and boxes, poured out their contents and having taken away of the best—~ valuable fur clothes, jewellery and money—of these, the party: left, without further words. Soon after these had left, a second party of soldiers arrived, and having taken the best of what had been left by the first party, left us unmolested. Then a third party came and having also taken of the best of the remnants, quietly left, and so on until the 7th or 8th party had come cleaning up everything we had. All our clothes had been taken and even the banknotes I had secreted on my person were taken by a man who searched me. When we had been cleaned out, the soldiers began knocking at our eastern neighbour, Ir. Ma's house. But Ma appeared to have decided to resist the soldiers. This enraged the soldiers who began to assault the place, climbing the walls and roof tops near by and firing into the house. Bullets fell about plentifully and, during the commotion, taking my little son with me, I escaped to my Jandlord's house for temporary safety. The cries and shouts had now become more furious and the fusillade j more fierce—Mr. Ma's house was now surrounded by a large crowd of soldiers and shrieks and cries for help sounded far and near. A bullet penetrated a window of the room we all were in, and we looked at one another with pale and scared faces. At this moment Mr. Ma's house was set fire to and began to burn fiercely; soldiers were thick in front, rear, tight, and left of our street, all intent on pillage; I dared not leave our place as already three corpses were lying about at the front door.
saw a dead body lying just outside of my lgndlord's outer guest hal) and on
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.