truce was
fired on, she was not to return the fire until ordered to do so. It
was a lovely evening, and the sun was sinking rapidly as we approached
Nankin, the 'Lee' about a mile in advance. I was watching her, and saw
her pass the greater part of the batteries in front of the town. I was
just making up my mind that all was to go off quietly, when a puff of
smoke appeared from a fort, followed by the booming of a cannon. The
'Lee' on this hoisted her white flag in vain; seven more shots were
fired from the forts at her before she returned them. Then, to be
sure, we began all along the line, all the forts firing at us as we
came within their range. I was on the paddlebox-bridge till a shot
passed very nearly over our heads, and Captain Osborn advised me to go
down. We were struck seven times; one of the balls making its way into
my cabin. In our ship nobody was hit; but there was one killed and two
badly wounded in the 'Retribution.' We have passed the town; but I
quite agree with the naval authorities, that we cannot leave the
matter as it now stands. If we were to do so, the Chinese would
certainly say they had had the best of it, and on our return we might
be still more seriously attacked. It is determined, therefore, that
to-morrow we shall set to work and demolish some of the forts that
have insulted us. I hope the Rebels will make some communication, and
enable us to explain that we mean them no harm; but it is impossible
to anticipate what these stupid Chinamen will do.

[Sidenote: Retribution.]

_November 21st.--Eleven A.M._--We had about an hour and a half of it
this morning. We began at 6 A.M. at the nearest fort, and went on to
two or three others. We pounded them pretty severely, and very few
shots were fired in return. They seemed to have exhausted themselves
in last night's attack. As soon as my naval chiefs thought that we had
done enough for our honour, I begged them to go on, as I did not want
to have to hand over the town to the Imperialists, who are hemming it
round on every side. I am sorry that we should have been forced to do
what we have done; but I do not think we could have acted with greater
circumspection.... A set of Imperialist junks set to work to fire at
the town as we were leaving off, throwing their shot from a most
wonderfully safe distance.

[Sideno