officers and men. Together they splashed and waded for upwards of half
a mile through a horrible black mud. The French brigade landed on the
left, and in the same manner in the neighbourhood, but finding somewhat
harder ground, were the first to reach the causeway. A cavalry picquet
now appeared on a drawbridge across the causeway, watching the movements
of the allies, but they also, as the troops floundered on, mounted their
horses and rode at a dignified pace southward towards Taka. The whole
day was occupied in landing troops.

In the evening it was ascertained that the forts of Pehtang were
abandoned. It was intended at once to march in and take possession, but
private information was obtained from some of the Chinese that the
garrison had left numerous infernal machines so placed with long fuses
that they would explode among the troops on entering. The Chinaman who
had given the information was at once compelled to point out where these
horrible engines of destruction were hidden, and they were removed by
some men sent forward for that purpose. The army which had now landed,
if so it could be called, had to pass the night on the mud flats and
causeway, destitute of water and food, without tents, and wet ground
alone on which the men could stretch themselves. It was not a pleasant
commencement of a campaign. Jack and Desmond agreed that they had
reason to be thankful for having their own comfortable ship to sleep in.

The next morning at daybreak the gun-boats entered the river, and the
troops advancing from their position occupied the town, the unhappy
inhabitants being ejected to make room for them. It was one of the sad
necessities of warfare that they were compelled to turn out the poor
people. Children in arms, old men and women, who had not for years left
their homes, were forced to seek for shelter, which was not to be found;
and many of the men destroyed themselves and their families rather than
expose them to the perils they would have to meet with. The English
took up their quarters in one part of the town, the French in the other.
It was said to have contained 20,000 inhabitants, but when it was
abandoned by the army scarcely any were to be found. Among those who
thus destroyed themselves was the man who had given the important
information respecting the infernal machines, he and his whole family
having put themselves to death. Although, except as volunteers, the
blue-jackets and their off