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after remaining at Nei hai Wei a few
hours we left for Taku arriving there on
the 1st of October we meet Battle ship here
from all nations, we found the Flag ship
Admiral Seymour here & Saluted him with
15 Guns after remaining here one day we
received orders to proceed to ching huang tau
[arriving] be wighed about 7.30 pm &
proceeded followed by 2 German Cruisers &
a Russian Gun Boat this place is only about
120 Miles from Taku we arrived about 7 am
& found HMS Dido & some Russian French
& German war ship at anchor we at once
received orders to land 25 men [full] in
[illegible] marching order with 2 days provisions,
to land with the same number from
the Dido. I was in Charge of our men &
we where all in high spirits, the order was
cancelled just as we was marching
into the Boats I found out afterwards the
Cause of our not landing, it appears we
was to occupy a fort but the Russian
Gun Boat that followed us out of Taku
had slipped in during the night occupied
the fort & planted the Russian Flag we
all felt greatly disappointed but hope for
better luck next time we at once left for
Taku with dispatches from the Admiral
arriving at daylight the next morning
the 14th.