The squadron being reassembled at Nanking, 200 geographical miles from the sea, Admiral Hope left that place to continue his progress up the river on the 2nd of March, with the ‘Coromandel,’ ‘Couper,’ ‘Snake,’ ‘Havoc,’ and ‘Attalante;’ the ‘Centaur’ and ‘Bouncer’ (gun-boat) being left at anchor off the suburb. The same evening, being favoured by the wind and deep water–for we were now beyond tidal influence–we reached Wu-hoo, a town, or rather the remains of one, in possession of the Rebels. The day's run was fifty-six miles on a S.S.W. course, the average width of the river being about that of the Thames at Woolwich. On the way, a little above the town of Taiping, we passed between the East and West Pillars, but I am not able to endorse the pleasing description given of them by the historian of Lord Elgin's Mission; and as to this being the gate of the Yang-tsze, one might as well suppose a gate half-way up a carriage-drive. On this day, too, we passed from the province of Kiang-su into its inland neighbour, An-hoei; and the next few days showed us in it, and the little corner of Kiang-si, some of the finest scenery on the lower river.

Why China should ever have been called a “vast plain,” or “enormous fertile valley,” is to me inexplicable.