While some motive gunboat sailors were carrying a keg of gunpowder on board their boat they let it fall near stove with the result that there was a terrific explosion and six men were severely burned. These threw themselves into the river, and afterwards on some advice covered themselves with ashes, In this condition they were brought to the Scotch Mission Hospital and carefully attended to. Two have already succumbed to their injuries, and it is feared one or two others may die. The men's injuries were fearful to see; some of them having hardly any skin left on their bodies. The ashes they had covered themselves with, made the cleansing of the wounds very dificult.
THE SICK LIST, A number of foreigners in the Settlement {have been on the sick list. We lack a hill resort in the near neighbourhood of Ichang. Koling is our nearest, and it is not always easy or convenient to get there. The steamer companies might with profit to themselves and good to the residents give cheap return tickets to down river ports during the summer months. We are entirely at their mercy, and if we have to down river are made to pay exorbitantly, considering the quick runs in high water.
Mr. A. J. Little, the pioneer navigator the Upper Yangtze, has left here for Chungking per native boat.
21st June.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.