What a novelty to me was China--people, customs, costumes, and eccentricity of the women! I am afraid we treated China very badly. I remember landing at low water on one occasion at Hong-Kong in company with several other officers. We had to be carried ashore through the soft mud on the boatmen’s backs. We were all in nice clean white clothes. To our horror, on landing we found ourselves besmeared with cocoa-nut oil. The boatmen had rubbed oil all over their naked hides, to keep the flies and other insects off. We were a dirty sight; and retaliated by thrashing the poor wretches with our sticks and umbrellas. They bore our abuse without a murmur. On the 30th of May, the attacking force was pushed up the river to a point where various creeks debouched from the main stream. Up one of these creeks we were to fight our battle of Fatshan on the 1st of June. The boats were all towed up by the gun-boats, presenting a very long string: they were an imposing sight. The _Hong-Kong_, on which vessel I was serving, flew Commodore Keppel’s broad pennant. We had a good reconnoitre of the Chinese war-junks on the 31st, while the finishing touches were being made among our gun-boats and attacking forces. At sunset we returned to the flotilla, and the last orders for the morrow’s fight were given out. We anticipated a hard tussle. We were right. The Chinese had placed stakes in the river at certain ranges, which we must pass, and all their guns were beautifully laid for those marks. There was a fort also on a commanding hill on our left front, which must be taken before the boats could advance to capture the junks; and this was to be the first operation. After supper on the night of the 31st we all lay down in our boats, or on the decks of the gun-boats, to get some sleep. The gun-boats were anchored, with boats all lying in single file astern. It was a lovely calm night, and pretty hot; and beyond the noise of frogs on the banks, and a few night birds parading about, there was little sound to be heard. We did ourselves as well as we could: some snoozing; others smoking, spinning yarns, discussing eventualities; and no doubt many minds with their thoughts far away. Those who have gone through the eve of an action know too well the many things that run in the mind. Those who have not I wish well through it when their time comes; and to all who may happen to read these pages, luck. Soon after 3.30 A.M., and before daylight had dawned, the boats were ordered to be manned; the landing-party told off to assault the fort were sent on ahead; the rest of the forces followed slowly, with orders to move on when the fort was carried.