Our misfortunes had not come to an end. The morning was fine. We got under way with the prospects of a good day before us; I had been calculating with our American pilot whether we should not be close on our galley at Hankow. We were coming to a part of the river where there are a succession of islands a-wash, and we ought to have crossed to the opposite or right bank of the river. _Salamis_ awkward to handle. The only way the rudder would act was the wrong one; the American pilot recommended to warp across. The stocks of both bower anchors had broken. In trying to cross, the ship grounded on the upper side of the first of the above-named islands. Our hope was in the rise of the river, while it was possible that the island might rise too! We were in a fix. Twelve long days were spent getting the ship afloat and to rights. The bank shifting occasionally, moved the position. On the 14th the house-boat _Fanny_ arrived from Hankow. Risk and ourselves went down in her to Hankow, arriving on the 18th. The _Salamis_ followed three days later, when the flag was rehoisted. On the 25th the French man-of-war _Flamon_ arrived, saluted us, and also, with three guns, the late Viceroy’s wife and son on their departure. Weighed and arrived at Shanghai on the 27th. [Sidenote: Apr. 30.] _Salamis_ paid off: recommissioned by Commander Miller. [Sidenote: May 11.] Transferred wife and children with Flag-Lieutenant to the care of my kind friend Raby in the _Adventure_, and steamed down the Woosung. [Sidenote: May 15.] Came to off Chefoo, a pretty port with red cliffs and good beaches. Found Lord Charles Scott in the _Icarus_. Went on in the afternoon and arrived off Taku in time to pick up our old pilot Bandi. Crossed the bar of the Peiho with the flood-tide, which we carried for 40 miles, making with three boilers, for one hour, over 30 miles. Started again at daylight and got to Tientsin at 9.30, having fouled but one junk and only touching the bottom once. [Sidenote: May. 17.] Mr. Morgan, the Consul, lost no time in making arrangements for our start for Peking. Our party consisted of Charlie Scott, Miller, Risk, and Dob Crosbie, my nephew. We had six boats, covered in and convenient for sleeping, another for cooking, one for servants. A Commander-in-Chief could not travel without a mandarin, who arranged everything and saved much trouble and annoyance. Mandarin Chaing Lao (the fifth of the brothers Chaing) arrived about 6 P.M., and we then spent the next forty-eight hours going up the Peiho, carried by the flood through the crowds of junks which nearly block up the river. The crew were willing enough as long as time was allowed them for “chow-chow” and smoke. We travelled all night. [Sidenote: May. 19.] We might have reached Tung-Chow this evening, but as the gates of Peking are closed at 6 P.M., we enjoyed a quiet night by stopping short of the town. [Sidenote: Peking, May 20.]