I have a printed copy of a letter addressed by the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce to W. H. Medhurst, Esq., in reply to an application from our Minister at Peking, in which they enumerate the different ports they think desirable should be opened. Among them is Wu-hu. Wu-hu is situated about two miles above the mouth of a tributary stream, on the right bank of the Yang-tse, about sixty miles above Nankin. [Sidenote: Mar. 12.] We anchored off this for a couple of hours on the afternoon of the 12th, when I proceeded up the creek with Swinhoe, Dob Crosbie, and the pilot, and landed near the walled town. The whole right bank, and part of the left, had trading junks thickly stowed side by side with ends on to the shore, which gave proof of a vast amount of commerce; while, judging from the buildings in progress, both city and suburbs were gradually recovering from the effects of the late Civil War. It is curious to note that early travellers in China have described the country as either a “vast plain” or “an enormous fertile valley.” More variation of surface, perhaps, does not appear in any country, and where we should be most inclined to look for such features, namely on its great artery, it is diversified enough to please the most exacting of tourists. Commencing at the mouth of the Yang-tse-kiang, there is naturally a considerable extent of flat alluvial land, the delta of the river, where once, no doubt the ocean held its sway. But soon we come to hills and high lands, and at Chin-kiang the eye is delighted with the steep and rugged cliffs. About Nankin the country is prettily broken into ridges and hills, and before reaching far above this, mountains shut in the river on either side. [Sidenote: Mar. 13.] On the afternoon of the 13th we passed close to Nankin (pronounced and spelt Bankin by our civil and communicative pilot, with a strong nasal twang), such as might be found in the United States, and to which I have ceased to object. He had often passed up here during the wars in 1861, in a vessel that was always ready to supply with “munitions” the side that could pay best. He pointed out the fort close to the river bank on the east side of the Pagoda, once in possession of the Imperialists, while the rebels held the city, the nearest wall of which was not a quarter of a mile distant. There were also the stern posts to which two rebel chiefs had been chained until released by death. The city subsequently surrendered, when every living soul was put to death, and for weeks after, decapitated bodies infested the river for miles. It was on passing these batteries that Lord Elgin was fired at, on which occasion young Birch, who had been one of my youngsters in the _Raleigh_, lost an arm. Our pilot not being quite as much at home as those who work the trading steamers, we always came to in the evening; besides, our hurry was not such as to prevent one seeing what was to be seen during daylight. [Sidenote: Mar. 14.]