scientific nature, some details of that description will be found in the Appendix and in a chapter (Chap. XVII.) devoted to the physical geography of the region passed through. The object, equipment, and assistance rendered the "Upper Yang-tsze Expedition," are sufficiently explained in the body of the work to relieve me from trying the reader's patience by protracting the prefatory part of a production pretending only to accuracy, simplicity, and impartiality; and as no apology is required at the present time for the publication of any reliable information concerning China and its inhabitants, particularly with respect to the state of the disturbed districts, I humbly but unhesitatingly submit to the reader this record of a private expedition, which, principally by means of its own resources, ascended one of the greatest rivers in the world a distance of eighteen hundred miles, and by the care of Divine Providence was permitted to return the same distance to the coast after an absence of five months. London, October, 1862. CONTENTS. Start from Shanghai - Admiral Hope's squadron - The Centaur and Couper run ashore-A sham battery Proceed to Chin-kiang - Shooting - In- stallation of a consul - Silver Island and the city- Voyage to Nanking -Imperialist and Rebel outposts The Taipings at Nanking — The Sketch of the Taiping rebellion - Enter the Heavenly capital Misery of Taiping life- Palaces Visit to the Prince of Praise The Sacred Palace Tien-wang - Taiping religion Dinner with a king - A night in a palace - Interview with the Kan-wang - Interior of his palace -The Taipings - The Mantchous-Christianity - Commerce - and the Farewell dinner Voyage continued Commissariat arrangements A low country - The Great Bend Fleet of junks - Organization of the expedition - Description of junk — Leaving Yo-chow - Expedition not a government undertaking Our mandarin - Outlet of Tung-ting lake Huc's Reach - St. Patrick's Bend Catering and for- aging The Nan-tsuin hills - Flood Boulder shoal Low country and agriculture - Tortuosity of the river Tiau-hien range · Astro- nomical observations - Waterfowl and game - Agricultural population Level of the land and river Sha-sze and Kin-chow Interview with the prefect at Quai-chow --- Treaty of Tien-tsin not promul- gated - Antipathy to Europeans travelling by land - Return of our escort The Yang-tsze below Quai-chow described - A new flag - Exchange Cultivation - The poppy and opium Start from Quai- chow Break-down - Chinese ignorance of other nations Leaky junk Reception of a general Our pagoda of Shi-pow-chai-Roman Catholics - Islands, Mode adopted in spelling Chinese names Redoubts erected by the Departure from Fu- Our boat's crew- - An opium-smoker - Boatmen's songs - |