the Imperialist soldiers and the rebels, or Taipings. Both of these
parties were ravaging, devastating, and destroying all before them, and
the poor peasants had a very hard time. We could not help these poor
creatures, and had to pass on our way.

On the third day we passed a city called Taiping Foo, "foo" meaning
"city" in Chinese. We afterwards learned that for some months the
inhabitants of the city had withstood a siege from both belligerents,
and one day the Imperialist general conferred with the Taotai, or mayor,
and said that it was well known that the inhabitants had been very good
and had not favored the rebels, and now if they would open their gates
to the Imperial soldiers, he would promise them kind treatment; and the
people were weak enough to believe him and opened the city gates, and in
a few hours nearly the whole population was butchered and thrown into
the river, and those were they whom we had seen floating in clusters a
few days before.



Conclusion.



In the course of my journey through life I have been in many strange
places, and have met many strange people. I have seen many strange
sights - some grave, some gay. For many years I was on
passenger-carrying ships, and have carried many travellers, amongst whom
some strong and enduring attachments have been made.

Although I have been in some bad places, and met some "hard characters,"