We arrived at Hankow just one month after our departure from Shanghai. Hankow is 588 geographical or 676 statute miles from Shanghai.

On the following day, at a visit of ceremony which Sir James Hope paid to the Viceroy of Hoo-peh, our expedition was duly represented; and when Mr. Parkes intimated to His Excellency that our little party had the intention of penetrating into the interior, and that it might be as well for us, as the first Europeans travelling under the new treaty-rights, to be accompanied by some one having authority, the Viceroy at once nominated a military mandarin to accompany us to the limits of his jurisdiction. He, moreover, countersigned our passports, which we had obtained from H. M. Consul at Shanghai, and promised to inform the Viceroy of the next province — Sz'chuan — concerning us, by letter to be sent overland.

The Admiral now decided on continuing his voyage with only one gun-boat, besides his own vessel the ‘Coromandel,’ but offered to take us in tow. We therefore hired a passageboat capable of accommodating our party comfortably, making an agreement for forty-five dollars to I-chang.

It was some time before those who negociated the hire of the junk could bring the skipper to realize the fact that she must be alongside the steamer the same day, in order that we might shift our baggage into her; such a rapid proceeding was altogether beyond his Celestial comprehension.