It
Became, Therefore, Of The Greatest Importance To Communicate The Actual
State Of Affairs To Him, And To Place At His Disposal The Invaluable
Information Which The Englishmen Returning From Tungchow Had In Their
Possession.
But Mr. Parkes had still more to do.
It was his duty to bring
before the Chinese imperial commissioners at the earliest possible moment
the knowledge of this flagrant breach of the convention he had concluded
the day before, to demand its meaning, and to point out the grave
consequences that must ensue from such treacherous hostility; and in that
supreme moment, as he had done on the many other critical occasions of his
career in China - at Canton and Taku in particular - the one thought in the
mind of Mr. Parkes was how best to perform his duty. He did not forget
also that, while he was almost in a place of safety near the limits of the
Chinese pickets, and not far distant from the advancing columns of Sir
Hope Grant, there were other Englishmen in his rear possibly in imminent
peril of their lives amid the Celestials at Tungchow.
Mr. Parkes rode back, therefore, to that town, and with him went one
English dragoon, named Phipps, and one Sikh sowar carrying a flag of truce
on his spear-point. We must leave them for the moment to follow the
movements of the others. To Mr. Loch was intrusted the task of
communicating with Sir Hope Grant; while the remainder of the party were
to remain stationary, in order to show the Chinese that they did not
suspect anything, and that they were full of confidence. Mr. Loch,
accompanied by two Sikhs, rode at a hard canter away from the Chinese
lines. He passed through one body of Tartar cavalry without opposition,
and reached the advanced guard of the English force in safety. To tell his
news was but the work of a minute. It confirmed the suspicions which
General Grant had begun to feel at the movements of some bodies of cavalry
on the flank of his line of march. Mr. Loch had performed his share of the
arrangement. He had warned Sir Hope Grant. But to the chivalrous mind duty
is but half-performed if aid is withheld from those engaged in fulfilling
theirs. What he had done had proved unexpectedly easy; it remained for him
to assist those whose share was more arduous and perilous. So Mr. Loch
rode back to the Chinese lines, Captain Brabazon insisting on following
him, again accompanied by two Sikhs but not the same who had ridden with
him before.
Sir Hope Grant had given him the assurance that unless absolutely forced
to engage he would postpone the action for two hours. This small party of
four men rode without hesitation, and at a rapid pace, through the
skirmishers of the Chinese army. The rapidity of their movements
disconcerted the Chinese, who allowed them to pass without opposition and
almost without notice. They rode through the Streets of Chan-chia-wan
without meeting with any molestation, although they were crowded with the
mustering men of the imperial army.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 253 of 366
Words from 132139 to 132661
of 191255