Just at break of day the landing-party were ashore and rushing the hill at the point of the bayonet, while the leading gun-boats pitched shot and shell into the fort, to cover the assault. It did not take long. The Chinamen fired a few shots; but, being overwhelmed by the fire of the gun-boats, and seeing the gallant marines close at hand, they bolted like rabbits. On went the flotilla, until one by one they grounded. The _Hong-Kong_, luckily, drew a foot or so less of water. We were highly favoured thereby, and got to pretty close quarters with the junks. As each gun-boat grounded, the tide being at low water, the boats pushed ahead and came in for a real good dressing, it being now broad daylight and the sun rising. Presently the _Hong-Kong_ stuck, and a battery, which was masked by trees and sheds, opened fire on our right flank, and caused us much annoyance. Owing to there being many trees about, they could not see our hull properly; but they made several holes in our funnel and paddle-boxes. Soon the tide began to rise. One by one we all floated and scraped on, as the depth of water permitted, in order to cover our boats, which were now in the thick of it. Keppel led them in his 6-oared galley. The fire was very heavy: it has always been a marvel to me that we did not lose more men, for the shot were ricochetting down the river as thick as hail, from junks moored across the creek in two lines at intervals. Some of these junks had eight or ten guns on board, and many of them 32-pounders, besides endless jingalls. They certainly looked very formidable, and were decidedly picturesque, being painted in various colours (generally red and green) and flying streamers and flags on all their masts. When we reached a distance of 300 yards or so of the boats, we began firing over their heads; and then, some of the other gun-boats having come up, we gave the junks goss! Beyond helping to direct the firing, I had little to do, and was all this time merely a spectator on the deck of the _Hong-Kong_: so I had the satisfaction of seeing the whole business well. Presently we grounded again. I now saw that at a distance of about 300 yards our boats had taken the first line of junks, and were setting on fire those which had not begun to move off; and these very soon began to blow up, the explosion being dangerous, as spars and timber were falling about in all directions. Having passed through the first line of junks, our boats came under fire of a second fleet, and our poor chaps were suffering severely. Whole sides of oars were shot away; many boats came to grief, and some were sunk; each crew had to take refuge in the nearest boat.