On the 5th June, the whole fleet stood up towards the entrance of the river, but their progress was much delayed by the great strength of the tides, and also by fogs, so that they did not reach the appointed rendezvous off the Amherst rocks, (a little to the eastward of the mouth of the river,) until the 8th, having always been obliged to anchor at night.
A further delay now occurred, while the Modeste, with the Nemesis and Pluto steamers, were detached to intercept the communications up the river, and to reconnoitre the defences of Woosung. A large fleet of trading junks was soon espied near the latter place, and the Nemesis was ordered to give chase, and bring them to. She very soon got ahead of them, and cut them off, obliging them to anchor immediately. Some, however, persisted in holding their course, until several shots had been fired across their bows. The junkmen appeared terribly frightened, although Mr. Gutzlaff, who was on board the Nemesis, assured them that they would receive no injury, and would be allowed to depart again, as soon as their cargoes had been examined.
A great number of junks were found laden with the most beautiful fish, very carefully packed in ice, probably destined for Nankin, and for places along the imperial canal; but it is remarkable that none of these cargoes were fallen in with afterwards, higher up the river; which tended to prove that there were innumerable canals by which they could convey their produce into the interior, without proceeding up the main river beyond a certain point, thereby avoiding the delays occasioned by the currents, and the dangers of the navigation. This excellent opportunity of getting well supplied with fish and ice was not allowed to pass unheeded, but none of the junks were detained beyond a few hours. One junk, however, was always kept back, until another made its appearance; but, as it was impossible for strangers to distinguish at a distance the kind of junks which were loaded with such a welcome cargo, every captain was made to understand that he would have to supply fish and ice for the use of the steamer, until he could point out another junk coming up the river with a similar cargo, which was then to take his place, and he was to be liberated. In this way, one continued to succeed the other. This hint was quite sufficient to put the fellows in excellent humour. It was curious to observe what a sharp look-out they kept, frequently climbing up to the mast-head to see if their longed-for substitute was approaching. The one who last arrived soon reconciled himself to this fate very good-naturedly, when informed by his predecessor that no great harm would be done to him. They all, however, seemed very glad to get away, the moment permission was given to them, and refused all kind of payment when offered. Fresh fish of the best quality, and plenty of ice to cool the wine and beer, were unexpected luxuries.
At Woosung, Captain Watson, with the Modeste, which was anchored just out of range of the batteries, was occupied for several days in sounding the channel, and was assisted in this duty by the Pluto, under Lieutenant Tudor. They were ordered to reconnoitre the mouth of the Woosung river, (which empties itself into the Yangtze, about twenty-five miles up its southern branch,) preparatory to the grand attack upon the batteries.
The night of the 11th of June was particularly dark and rainy, and the opportunity appeared singularly favourable for making a close reconnoissance of the batteries. The Modeste lay some way off shore, and the tide was running so strong that it was impossible for Captain Hall, who had anchored the Nemesis much nearer in, to communicate with his senior officer, Captain Watson, concerning the plan which he proposed for reconnoitring the batteries. About two hours before midnight, the cutter of the Nemesis was ordered away, manned and armed, to make a close examination of the batteries, and of the channel leading into the Woosung river, which the former were principally designed to protect.
Having carefully sounded the channel, Captain Hall boldly pushed in as quietly as possible, towards the front of the batteries; and being favoured by the boisterous weather, he landed on the beach without being discovered. He could now distinguish the Chinese sentry quite near him; and on looking through one of the embrasures he could see one of the military mandarins on duty, going his rounds along the battery, attended by two armed soldiers, one of whom carried a large paper lantern before him, which threw a strong light in his face, and prevented him of course from seeing objects, even at a very short distance from him. It was evident, therefore, that the Chinese were upon the alert; though it would have been very easy, with the help of the boat's crew, to have made prisoners both of the mandarin and two soldiers, before the alarm could have been given.
After three hours' examination, and a heavy pull against the rapid current which prevails there, the boat of the Nemesis got back to the vessel; and on the following day she rejoined the Admiral off the Amherst rocks. It was about this time that the little Ariadne steamer, having been sent to ascertain the exact position of a rock lying off the mouth of the Yangtze, unfortunately ran directly upon it, and was bilged. A sail was immediately passed under her bottom, to cover the leak, and she was towed by the Sesostris into Chusan harbour, where, owing to some unforeseen accident, she afterwards went down in deep water, and all attempts to get her up again failed.
On the 13th, Sir William Parker, in the Cornwallis, accompanied by the Blonde, Columbine, Jupiter troop-ship, and the Phlegethon, Tenasserim, and Medusa steamers, together with twelve transports, got under weigh from the anchorage off Amherst rocks, and succeeded in reaching the mouth of the Woosung river, without any accident whatever. The Clio, Bentinck, (since called Plover,) Starling, and two transports, had been stationed as beacon-vessels, to mark the proper channel, which, however, was so shallow, that for a part of the distance there was little more water (only a few feet) than the actual draught of the Cornwallis.
On the following day, the Admiral and the General proceeded in the Medusa steamer, the smallest which was under his command since the loss of the Ariadne, and jocularly christened the Pilot Fish, to make a close reconnoissance of the whole line of defences extending along both sides of the Woosung river.