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Article A VISIT TO CANTON. ← Page 9 of 14 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Visit To Canton.
sition to submit to the vexations exactions of the authorities . In the numerous villages scattered around Canton , the resistance of the municipalities has more than once triumphed over the power of the mandarins . During the last opium war , the inhabitants of these villages ventured to take up arms ; and the apparent success they obtained at times over the English
contributed to increase their turbulence and arrogance . At the moment when the Tartar troops had been repulsed , and forced to shut themselves up in the town , and a part of the ransom of Canton was already on board the English vessels , the rabble formed into threatening masses , and planted their standards in front of the hei ghts which Sir Hugh Gough
commanded . A vigorous fire dispersed these irregular bands , who were pursued by a few companies of foot from village to village ; but towards sunset a fearful thunder-storm succeeded the oppressive heat of the day , and changed the face of things . The English had only flint-locks , which the rain had rendered perfectly useless . Sir H . Gough was obliged to fall back toward his positions ; the Chinese rallied , and followed the English column in their retreat . These hordes exhibited a boldness which was little to be expected of them : more than
once , when the ranks of the retreating column were broken , in crossing a river , or defiling through the narrow streets of a village , the English soldiers were met in single combat , hand to hand . In the midst of a- thick fog , which covered the whole country , a company of sepoys became separated from the body of the column , ancl was obliged to form in square , to
prevent being cut off by the enemy . It was pitch dark , and the fury of the storm increased . This small detachment , harrowed by their numerous enemy , could only oppose them with the butt-end of their muskets ; whilst the Chinese succeeded in dragging a small field-piece to the top of a hill near at hand , which would have told with fatal effect upon this square
of troops . The sepoys believed themselves lost , when fortunately two companies of marines , armed with percussionguns , came to their relief . On the second morning after this , the English evacuated the heights of Canton , and the Chinese probably attributed the precipitate retreat of the " barbarians " to the terror inspired btheir braveryPlacards were posted
y . about—up to the very walls of the factories—alluding to this pretended triumph ; and proclamations addressed to the rural population adverted to it with pride . This presumption must naturall y have emboldened the hostility of the people of Canton , and impeded the pacific task which the Viceroy Ki-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Visit To Canton.
sition to submit to the vexations exactions of the authorities . In the numerous villages scattered around Canton , the resistance of the municipalities has more than once triumphed over the power of the mandarins . During the last opium war , the inhabitants of these villages ventured to take up arms ; and the apparent success they obtained at times over the English
contributed to increase their turbulence and arrogance . At the moment when the Tartar troops had been repulsed , and forced to shut themselves up in the town , and a part of the ransom of Canton was already on board the English vessels , the rabble formed into threatening masses , and planted their standards in front of the hei ghts which Sir Hugh Gough
commanded . A vigorous fire dispersed these irregular bands , who were pursued by a few companies of foot from village to village ; but towards sunset a fearful thunder-storm succeeded the oppressive heat of the day , and changed the face of things . The English had only flint-locks , which the rain had rendered perfectly useless . Sir H . Gough was obliged to fall back toward his positions ; the Chinese rallied , and followed the English column in their retreat . These hordes exhibited a boldness which was little to be expected of them : more than
once , when the ranks of the retreating column were broken , in crossing a river , or defiling through the narrow streets of a village , the English soldiers were met in single combat , hand to hand . In the midst of a- thick fog , which covered the whole country , a company of sepoys became separated from the body of the column , ancl was obliged to form in square , to
prevent being cut off by the enemy . It was pitch dark , and the fury of the storm increased . This small detachment , harrowed by their numerous enemy , could only oppose them with the butt-end of their muskets ; whilst the Chinese succeeded in dragging a small field-piece to the top of a hill near at hand , which would have told with fatal effect upon this square
of troops . The sepoys believed themselves lost , when fortunately two companies of marines , armed with percussionguns , came to their relief . On the second morning after this , the English evacuated the heights of Canton , and the Chinese probably attributed the precipitate retreat of the " barbarians " to the terror inspired btheir braveryPlacards were posted
y . about—up to the very walls of the factories—alluding to this pretended triumph ; and proclamations addressed to the rural population adverted to it with pride . This presumption must naturall y have emboldened the hostility of the people of Canton , and impeded the pacific task which the Viceroy Ki-