Page:Once a Week Volume V.djvu/132

27, 1861.] been established two hundred years, after overthrowing the Ming, or native Chinese dynasty, who knows but that we are about to have another dynasty? But I find I must curb my recollections, or I shall never finish this letter.

“We left Han-kow on the 18th of March, and proceeded rapidly down with the stream, only delayed at Ho-kow by losing two of our anchors, and spending nearly two days fishing for them, and after all we only found one of them. I went ashore, and had a pleasant but rather tiring walk, climbing to the top of a high hill to get a view of the Poyang Lake; and it certainly was worth the trouble. The hills are bare and sterile, but the valleys present a great contrast, being quite beautiful, and covered with the most luxuriant vegetation. I managed to get a view of the lakes which run up the country to a great extent. The ships left for survey had not been able to do much during our absence. The water was too shallow, and the work must be left to the rainy season. On the 25th we got back to Nankin; and here I had an opportunity to visit the far-famed Porcelain Tower. Our way lay between the walls of the city on one side, and a creek of the river on the other. The wall was at least forty feet thick, of solid stone and brickwork. We tried to enter one of the gates, but were turned back, not having a pass. All round there were remains of what had once been extensive suburbs, but were now only heaps of bricks. Other remains there were, by no means pleasant, in the shape of human bones, lying about. I saw no less than four almost perfect skeletons; and at two gates we passed were crowds of the most wretched human beings I ever saw—loathsome and disgusting—that almost made me faint to see them. At last we reached the Porcelain Tower, or rather, I am sorry to say, its ruins. It is still, however, a pile of forty feet high, built of common brick, and faced with porcelain three inches thick, supported inside with iron ribs; we saw segments of the circles of iron still there. Much of the porcelain lay strewed on the ground. We, of course, loaded ourselves with the best pieces we could find, and I hope some day to show you what nearly broke my back carrying down. Some others of the party, expecting to get a boat, hired Chinamen to carry their loads for them; but, being disappointed in getting one as soon as they expected, the Chinamen struck work, dropped their load, and ran off, so the gentlemen had to pick up the finest of the specimens, and let the rest go. Fortunately, about half-way back, we did manage to get a boat, or I should certainly have dropped the half if not the whole of mine.

“Next day I joined the same party to visit the tombs of the Mings, or old Chinese emperors, and had a most delightful walk in an opposite direction to our excursion of the day before: we had a walk of eight miles between the city walls and the deserted Imperialist lines I mentioned before. From some of the hills we had to cross I got a capital view of the city itself. As I before told you, the principal part is a ruin—certainly more than the principal part. The Tartar city inside is a complete desolation (the rebels are always down on the Tartars, and never spare man, woman, or child of the race when in their power). At some places I found traces of the struggle that had taken place by the number of cannon balls strewing the ground. At the top of the last hill we came in sight of colossal group of animals that form the avenue to the tombs. These figures are double the size of life, carved out of the solid stone. First there are two horses, one opposite the other; then two sitting opposite each other; then four tigers, in the same position as the horses; then four lions, ditto; then four elephants, and last, four dromedaries. This avenue led to a square building, in which was a colossal tortoise, on the back of which was placed a tomb-stone, 30 feet high, inscribed all over with Chinese characters. At right angles from the entrance of the avenue was another avenue, bordered not like the other with animals, but with groups of warriors and priests. This led to an enormous building, but in such a ruinous condition that we could neither make top nor tail of it. That it had at one time been very magnificent was evident by the painted tiles that lay strewed around, the paint of which even now looked quite fresh. There were the remains of a grand gate leading to a vast temple. Then the temple itself was completely in ruins. Part of the terrace only remained leading to a wide bridge, which again led to an enormous pile of square building, having a tunnel through it, which, being on an incline, brought us out on the top, some fifty or sixty feet from the ground, and double that in area. It would require diagrams to give you an adequate idea of the extent and vastness of the whole affair. The stone sculptures were skilfully done, but with an utter want of taste and grace; the animals were heavy and without life in them: and as for the elephants, the ones that were kneeling had their legs turned out instead of inwards, giving them a very odd appearance. The Imperialist lines I mentioned before had gone right through these tunnels, which accounts for the desolation in which we found them, for mere age would not have so destroyed them, though they evidently are of a very high antiquity. The Chinese cannot have the bump of veneration, or they would never have allowed these interesting relics of a past age to be so destroyed. I brought back a few painted tiles from these ruins also, and never did I feel so tired as in carrying them; the weight got heavier every mile, and even now my shoulders ache with the effects of the load.

“We left Nankin on the 28th of March, thoroughly disgusted with the rebels. There was nothing to be had from them, or what they had was frightfully dear; but the fact I believe is, that the poor wretches themselves are almost starving. We arrived at Shanghai on the evening of the next day, and so finished our cruise, of which I have only to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

a lady fair of face,

A witching girl who made me wise;

I was a city drone, but Grace

Made me a poet with her eyes;