Peiho

During the 22nd and 23rd she was over the Gulf of Pechelee, and on the 24th she was ascending the valley of the Peiho on her way to the capital of the Celestial Empire.

Robur the Conqueror 2003

But being still as arrogant as ever, they dragged their heels about signing, and when we sent a fleet up the Peiho to persuade 'em, damned if they didn't have a sudden burst of martial valour, and handed us a splendid licking at the Taku Forts.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

The mouth of the Peiho was guarded by the famous Taku Forts, from which we had been bloodily repulsed the previous year, when the Yankees, watching on the touchline, had thrown their neutrality overboard in the crisis and weighed in to help pull Cousin John Bull out of the soup21.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

"With the fleet lying off Peiho — oh, and this gang of Fred Ward's for what it's worth —"

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

That was the time it took from the Yangtse to the mouth of the Peiho, the great waterway to Pekin, and you must take a squint at the map if you're to follow what happened to me next.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

But no; Bruce said I must take the fast steam-sloop for the Peiho that very morning, because Elgin would be in a sweat to have me on hand, and mustn't be kept waiting.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

From the Peiho mouth to the Pehtang the sea was covered with our squadrons; to the south, guarded by fighting ships, were the river transports waiting to enter the Peiho when the Forts had been silenced; for the moment they lay safe out of range.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

We were about half-way between Peiho and Pehtang, in the middle of the fleet, but over on the coast itself there seemed to be one or two flat-bottoms putting in, landing horses on the beach.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

Fifteen thousand horse, foot and guns rolling up the Peiho, not to fight or to hold or to conquer, but just so that the Big Barbarian could stand before the Son of Heaven and watch him put his mark on paper.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985

Fortunately the road was so crowded with troops that he couldn't go above a trot; we must have been about a mile beyond the town, and more artillery was booming close at hand, when we came in view of an enormous bridge built of great marble blocks; it must have been thirty yards wide by three hundred long, spanning the muddy yellow Peiho.

Flashman and the Dragon Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1985