We arrived early off Swatow, but having to wait for water over the bar came to outside. It was 9 P.M. before we brought up off the Consul’s house, on the right bank and opposite side to the town. These Swatow Chinese are a turbulent and troublesome set, hardly yet accustomed to the sojourn among them of the hated barbarian. An attempt made by a Mr. Richardson to establish in a house he had built and furnished a few miles up the river was opposed by the natives, over whom the authorities appear to have little or no control. They damaged the house, carried off the furniture, and ill-treated Mr. Richardson’s servants. The gunboat _Drake_ had gone up to look after other matters. The Consul, Mr. Caine, was absent, and the duty done by his Vice, Mr. Cooper, who hailed from Norfolk, and had a pretty wife and a boy nearly as fine as my Colin. We exchanged visits, the Consul getting his salute. Swatow is an uninteresting place to the visitor, but an extensive trade is carried on from a large city some distance up, Ch’ao-Chow-fu. In the month of March last the U.S. barque _Rover_ sailed from Swatow, got into a gale off Formosa, struck on a rock, made more water than the pumps could keep under, when the captain and crew took to the boats and saw their ship founder. The captain had his wife and first mate with him and a Chinese crew, in another boat was a mate and also a Chinese crew. The boats separated, and after a while the captain landed on the southern coast of Formosa, and while preparing a meal was attacked. They retreated to hide themselves in the jungle, and all were supposed to have been murdered with the exception of one Chinaman, who hid himself until dark and then found his way to a China village some twelve miles off. He subsequently reached Amoy, where he found no American man-of-war, so went to the _Cormorant_ and stated the above facts to Commander Broad, who lost no time in proceeding to the spot; he found the _Rover’s_ boat where her captain had left her, but on attempting a further examination he was fired on from the jungle. His boat was shot through and one man wounded. Unable to see his foe, after sending a few rounds into the jungle he wisely withdrew. The United States Admiral sent a small vessel, which could get no satisfaction, and consequently could give none to the friends of the missing captain and his wife. [Sidenote: Swatow, May 29.]