“As soon as the tide served next morning, after daybreak, we weighed in company with the fleet, and continued all day beating to windward. For some time these vessels held very good way with us; but when the breeze freshened we left them to leeward, though not by any means so fast as we had been led to expect we should have done. During the day we often crossed one another, on opposite tacks, sometimes to windward, Sometimes to leeward, and often so close as almost to touch, making a very amusing and spirited sailing-match.
“As the night closed in I let go my anchor, not being willing to incur the risk of running upon the shoals. The Chinese commodore and two of his next best sailers were just in sight at sunset, far to leeward, but being well acquainted with the river they had no occasion to anchor, and before midnight, they were once more clustered round their little charge. We were now at Chuen Pee, where Captain Maxwell had anchored previous to entering the Bogne, and I could observe from the lights in the batteries, and an occasional rocket, that the garrison were no less upon the alert than they had been upon that occasion.
“By the first peep of dawn next morning we were again under weigh, and about breakfast-time steered for the narrow neck, or Bogue, the scene of action on the 12th. The flags were hoisted at all the signal-posts, and the batteries every where crowded with people. I went as close as possible to Annanhoy, in order to see what damage had been done. Thirty-nine pieces of cannon were counted, none of them less than twenty-four pounders, and all within five or six feet of the level of the water; and so judiciously arranged, that if properly served, they might repulse a considerable force. The face of the wall, blown down by the Alceste’s broadside, had been built up again, and the Chinese must have worked night and day to conceal their disaster. From the new appearance, however, of the works, and the marks of shot on the sleep face of the rock immediately behind the guns, I should think that most, if not all the guns, must have been dismounted, and the embrasures beaten together. As the Alceste passed considerably within her own length of the buttery, and the water was perfectly smooth, every shot must have told.
“We were greeted very differently; for as we passed, a boat with four large skulls, and dressed up with long streamers reaching to the water, came from the fort with an officer, who hailed us, and said he was sent by the governor to ask if we wanted a pilot or any other assistance. But he did not come close alongside, having probably heard from the admiral, whose boat we saw lying at the sally-port of the battery, that we were not very civil to our visitors. I hesitated a moment whether or not I should take a pilot, but upon considering the matter a little, declined his offer, and he rowed back again, after making the most respectful salams as he took his leave. I refused this offer not only from feeling confident that we could do without assistance, but also because I thought it likely that Captain Maxwell, who had himself taken the frigate up, might wish to demonstrate to