ning sands, as they have often and erroneously been called. also, at Keen ho, cattle and sheep were obtained. These vessels having been joined by the Wellesley, they all together regained their former anchorage, off the mouth of the Pei ho, on the 27th.

On the 28th, no reply having been received from Keshen, a strong boat-force, in hostile array, carrying a menacing letter for the cabinet minister, was proceeding towards the shore, when, lo, it was ascertained that the reply had been sent off on the 24th and 25th, but no foreigner was found at the anchorage to receive it!

On the 30th, a conference was held on shore between H. B. M.'s plenipotentiary, capt. Elliot, and H. I. M.'s cabinet minister, Keshen. Near the mouth of the Pei ho, on the southern side of the channel, a plat of ground in the form of a parallelogram was marked off by a light fence of cloth, stretched on poles and cords, like a Tartar encampment. In this were two large tents, one for the plenipotentiary and suit, and the other for the cabinet minister, with several smaller ones for their attendants and servants. The conference was held in Keshen's tent, where captain Elliot was attended by Mr. Morrison and another young gentleman both as interpreters: the cabinet minister also had but one or two confidential attendants present on the occasion. All Chinese assumption of superiority was laid aside, and the utmost degree of urbanity exhibited-this however was done apparently without manifesting any readiness to meet the demands of her majesty's government, or even to give definite answers thereto. Thus, this and the next day both passed, without any satisfactory results. At length, reference to Peking was again desired by Keshen, which was granted, and six days, dating from the 3d of September, were allowed for a reply.

On the 4th, a party went northward in the steamer, and approached the coast at the point where the Great Wall terminates, in latitude 40° 04′ N., longitude 120° 02′ E. Judging from a sketch, which was taken of it by one of the party, the wall, after descending from the highlands, which are remarkably precipitous and very rugged in their aspect, stretches northward two or three miles across a narrow plain to a ledge of rocks, with which it seems to unite, and there loses itself in the waters of the gulf of Leaoutung.

What answer was returned on the 9th, or whether indeed any came or not, we are unable to state. Among the Chinese, a rumor has obtained that twenty-six propositions were brought forward by the plenipotentiary, of which ten were at once set aside, the others were to be considered. No confidence can be placed in this rumor; nor, so far as we know, are any parties (except those immediately concerned) at all aware what may be the contents of lord Palmerston's letter, or the nature of the answer to it, if indeed it has been answered.

On the 15th-and, we are told, contrary to the wishes of the Chinese-the squadron took its departure; and after spending a few more days north of the promontory, late in September arrived again at Chusan.

3. Tinghae, having in due form been declared to be the right and lawful possession of queen Victoria, the following appointment of governor was made. The notice we quote from the Singapore Free Press, 17th September.

NOTICE.

The chief city of Chusan having fallen to H. M.'s arms, I have deemed it necessary, during H. M.'s pleasure, to empower brigadier Burrell, in command of the troops of the eastern expedition, to provide for the civil, fiscal, and judicial administration of the government of the island, and any other towns or districts which may be hereafter reduced; and I have therefore to direct and require that the authority aforesaid may be duly respected.

66

(Signed) GEORGE ELLIOT, rear-admiral and commissioner in chief."

So contradictory are the reports respecting the state of affairs at Tinghae, that for the present we shall restrict our remarks to a few particulars; and first, regarding the island itself; a correspondent

there thus writes:

Of

"The Chusan islands seem to be an extremity of the chain of mountains, supposed to branch off from the Himalayas, which runs through Yunnan and Kwangse, on the north of Kwangtung, and so into Fuhkeën, ending in Formosa, and into Chekeäng ending here. The principal Chusan island is in itself a miniature system; from the central heights, little streamlets flow between hills for some distances, till the hills, separating wide apart, leave a plain open to the sea. such vallies, ending in level flats on the coast, and embraced on three sides by heights, there are perhaps a dozen or more. The plain of Chusan is the largest, and several little vallies lead from the hills into it. (No, there is one on the northeast, I am disposed to think, somewhat larger, but its port is too shallow for any but very small boats.) In each of these plains are some villages, and pretty little hamlets in the lovely vallies, by which from the centre they are approached. Here, after a little time, one will be able to live in perfect security. *** The people are very talkative, thievish, troublesome, but tame-wanting little to hold them in subjection,-and inquisitive."

Great as the mortality has been among the troops-and by latest accounts more than 300 had died, and more than 1500 were in the hospitals-nothing that we know of the islands, as regards their situation, climate, &c., lead us to suppose they are unhealthy. A sketch which we have seen, of the harbor of Tinghae, of the landing place, the hills beyond, (on one of which stands the josshouse where troops are quartered,) and of the highlands which rise in the distance, indicates a rich and beautiful country. Surveys of the island and of the waters around it, some of which have been already made, will afford erelong better means of judging accurately of the capabilities and advantages of Chusan. On a chart, kindly handed us a few hours by H. M. Clarke, esq. one of the party who visited the Great Wall, we observe that a great many corrections have already been made by the officers of the blockading squadrons. A deep and safe channel has been found for large ships into the Yangtsze keäng. These surveys will ultimately prove of great advantage.

Captain Anstruther of the artillery was seized by the Chinese near the city of Tinghae, on the evening of the 16th of September; and though a thousand bayonets went speedily in pursuit of him, his

rescue was not effected.

The capture of the Kite and her crew, with the murder of captain Noble, are equally untoward events, of which, at present, we are un

able to lay before our readers any satisfactory accounts. They and captain Anstruther, with one or two others, were, according to latest reports, all detained at Ningpo, as prisoners of war, the demands for them by capt. Elliot having been refused.

The Indian Oak, which had been dispatched to Singapore, was wrecked on one of the Lewchew islands; her crew were all saved, and returned to Chusan by the natives in a junk built for that purpose. 4. An armistice appears to have been agreed on between the plenipotentiaries, admiral and captain Elliot, and the cabinet minister Keshen. See the imperial edict, page 412.

4. Negotiations, which were commenced at the mouth of the Pei ho, are to be renewed in this neighborhood: the exact time, place, &c., at which the high contracting parties are to meet have not yet transpired. By many of the Chinese in Canton it is confidently affirmed that these negotiations will lead to a speedy and satisfactory issue, and commerce will again be resumed. Many foreigners entertain a different opinion. Is the emperor prepared to grant all that the British government have asked and will insist on? Partial concessions will be made, and these for a time may satisfy the demands. As yet we see no sufficient reasons to warrant any strong expectations of a speedy and permanent settlement of the existing difficulties.

6. Keshen, who has been appointed high commissioner, to settle all differences internal and external at Canton, is expected to arrive in the provincial city at or before the middle of November.

7. Lin T'sihseu, late imperial commissioner and governor of these two provinces, it is now confidently affirmed, will await Keshen's arrival, and not, as the edicts on a preceding page declare, proceed immediately to Peking. Täng Tingching, Han Shaouhing, and some others, late of this government, are likewise at Canton to meet Keshen, by whom an examination of their conduct is to be made. Lin, though now menaced by his august master, still stands high in the estimation of those over whom he was lately governor; and even his bitterest enemies confess that his hands are pure from bribes. Just before he resigned his seals to the lieut.-governor, he paid a visit to the shipping at Whampoa, having had occasion to go to that neighborhood to witness the destruction of opium.

8. The hoppo, Wăn, having been summoned to Peking, has also delivered over the seals of his office to the It.-governor. We have not heard who is to be his successor.

9. The gracious examination has gone off with the usual éclat; the degree of sewtsae, alias A. M., was in regular order conferred on 74 young literati, and on 14 fuhpang, or secondaries. Among the successful candidates were two, the sons of hong merchants. This degree is the first direct step in the high road to civil and state honors.

10. The winter caps, or bonnets, were on the 25th, by special edict, ordered to be put on in exchange for those worn in summer. Admonitions to guard against fires are also published by the local magistrates. These are mere matters of form.

11. The prisons in Nanhae have recently excited the attention of

the provincial government- -an attempt to release some of the prisoners having been discovered. The leader and some of the accom

plices have been executed.

12. War in Nipál seems to be more and more certain, and the state of affairs in China will most likely be regarded as additional reason for prosecuting it vigorously.

13. A new map of Eastern Asia is announced by Mr. Tassin of Calcutta: it embraces Bengal, the Indo-Chinese states, China, Corea, and Japan, with the whole of the Eastern Archipelago, delineated with the utmost accuracy, and according to the most recent authorities.' Some of these maps we hope will be sent on to China.

14. The Siamese, by recent accounts from Bangkok, were endeavoring to augment their war-establishment--designed, it was supposed by some, either to resist any hostile visit from the English (who were expected to fail in China), or, as it was believed by others, to renew hostilities on Cochinchina. The king and his ministerss were continuing their measures both against the traffic in opium and the use of the drug.

15. From Borneo we have lying before us, by the kindness of a friend, two letters, one dated Sambas Aug. 1st, and the other Pontiana August 10th, 1840, both brought by Chinese junks. It is generally known that there are many Chinese settlements in Borneo, and that intercourse is kept up between some of these and their friends in the celestial empire. For the benefit of the Chinese and other inhabitants of Sambas and Pontiana, the Dutch government is giving its sanction to the establishment there of Christian missions. These, by means of schools, the promulgation of divine truth, and the diffusion of a knowledge of useful arts and sciences, will, if prudently conducted, erelong make the great wilderness which Borneo now is, become physically and morally a well-cultivated field, and in its villas and hamlets, its towns and its cities, its private and public institutions, comparable with the fairest portions of Christendom. The furtherance of objects so noble, the Netherlands' government may justly view with mingled feelings of approbation and satisfaction; but the labor of carrying them on will be long and arduous, requirting energies and virtues of the highest order. One of the letters before us mentions a very pressing invitation from the kungse, or chief, of the Chinese at Pamangket, for Mr. Doty, the writer of one of the letters, to come and settle in his village. Two tours had recently been made from Pontiana on one of these, the travelers ascended Sangaur,the largest branch of the Pontiana river, abont 200 miles, visiting the principal settlements, and gathering information concerning the Dayaks; the other tour was up a northern branch of the same river, a distance of about 70 miles to Kumandor, a place visited by Messrs. Doty and Pohlman in 1838.

16. Monsieur Charles Alexandre Challaye, attaché au consulat général de Manila gérant de consulat de France en Chine, arrived in China on the 20th ult., per the La Rose, captain Costey. A French commissioner, it is said, is on his way to China.

THE

CHINESE REPOSITORY.

VOL. IX.-NOVEMBER, 1840.- No. 7.

.

ART. I. Confessions of an English opium-eater. Fourth edition. London: printed for John Taylor, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall. 1826. pp. 206. From a Correspondent.

THE following remarkable confessions of an English opium eater are carefully condensed and arranged into a continuous narrative from the book bearing this title. The work, from its peculiar style and extraordinary contents, has been regarded by some persons, as fictitious and incredible. But to any one who has studied it, and has any knowledge of the properties of opium, it presents the strongest evidences of its authenticity. The book is its own witness; for who could have written such an one, but an opium eater? No criticism will be offered upon the volume as a whole, the historical detail of the early history of the writer, &c., being quite distinct from the confessions. These are highly valuable, inasmuch as they come from one, who had experienced himself, the effects of opium on the largest scale; and also from his education, very competent to describe what he knew and felt. To those interested in the inquiry, it will prove useful to have such a standard of comparison.

When he first commenced taking opium and the cause of it. He first took opium in the autumn of 1804, to relieve excruciating rheumatic pains of the head and face, from which he had hardly any respite for about twenty days; and which arose, from imprudently plunging his head into a basin of cold water, and with hair thus wetted going to sleep.

The effect of the first dose. Having arrived at his lodgings after the purchase of the drug, it may be supposed he says, that I lost