Numerous flower-boats belonging to wealthy mandarins were moored off the town, conspicuous by their gaudy paint, and crowded with laughing girls, who kept up an incessant chatter as they peeped out at the foreign devils!

[5] At 1 pm on 27 October, the Encounter opened fire from its stern pivot at Governor Ye Mingchen's compound (yamen) in Canton, and continued until sunset at intervals of five to ten minutes.

After blowing up one of the gates, they took possession of the city, and after inspecting the house and premises of the governor, re-embarked at sunset and retired to their respective quarters.

Seymour reported that the Chinese troops offered little resistance "beyond a scattered fire from the streets and houses", from which two British were killed and twelve wounded.

[10] The bombardment continued daily to 5 November from the Encounter, Sampson, and Dutch Folly, targeting the government buildings in the city and the forts in the rear of it.