Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-12-09
VOLUME X.--NO. "a.
WHOLE NUMBER, 500.


Fai-ping acony, and with the royal pro-
clamations he had issued. Lo also wrote
a friendly letter 70 his foreign brethren "
at this place, which was translated and 20
widely published that you have doubtless
seen it long before this. These we're all
given to servant who followed me to the
outer gate Of his head quarters, where was
horse saddled and bridled waiting for me,
with several Lieutepants aud several hun
drcd men, each one having lantern and
armed with swords, matcblocks and the
long spear whose polished blades cleaned
in the light of the torches aud lanterns.
With this imposing procession l was
escorted through many winding streets,
and at length through the west gate Of the
city to the bank Of the river, where was
boat waiting to convey me down to my
own. Three brave fellows, armed cap -a-pic,
got in with me- One of them was the
chief of the men from Kwei-chow, dis
trict in Kwang-si province, and be boasted
of his native tribe, the Mdu-ts=, having
been subject to the Tartar rule, and having
never adopted their customs Of shaving
the head, &c. He was a noble looking
young man, tall, straight and muscular,
with prominent cheek bones and an eye
like an eagle. He reminded me Of some
specimens of our North American Indians.
His hair was bound up with a piece Of yel-
low silk, the long ends of which hung
loosely down on his back He told me
his hair would reach the ground, its great
length being evidently to him a source Of
much pride. This is popularity, indeed,
iu which they all take great satisfaction,
and it has given them one Of their dis
tinctiye names-chong5,h,i. e. long haired.
We were proceeding slowly down the river
near the shore, and had not yet passed
beyond the stockades, when We were hailed
by sentinel. My long-haired friend re-
piled that he and two comrades were Just
going down the river little way to accom-
Pany the 6 foreign brother" to his boat
but SO strict were the orders of this sentry
and so faithful was he to them, that he said
we must come to land anG allow him to
see for himself, or he should fire into Us.
My companions protested that he must
knew who they were, but all to no avail
to the shore we had to 60, and undergo an
examination by the trusty sentinel, who
came up with his lant,rn as we landed,
and when he had the evidence of his eyes
to corrcborate that of his ears, he was sat-
isfied, and We passed on few hundred
yards till we had got beyond al, those
difficult distractions in the path enumera-
ted in my last letter. Then l insisted on
being put ashore, and walking to my boat
for | would not allow these brave, noble
fellows to risk their lives on my account,
as | knew there were Impcrialist scouts Oh {
night and day. We parted with maoy
expressions Of good feeling and urgent re.
quests on their part that would soou visit
them again The carpet-bag, fowls and
hams having been SO adjusted on stick
as to balance across my shoulders, started
on, after hearing the splash of their oars
far enough to satisfy NE that my long
haired brethren were within hail of their
own entrenchments. Ny load was 50
heavy and troublesome, that, after having
carried it half mile, an opportunity pre-
sented itself not only to relieve me, but to
bless another. 1t was now daylight, and
| had come near to one of the few mud
and straw cottages by the path-side A
poor oil man had just come out, and l,
throwing my load down on the path, beck
oned to him to come. At first he hesitated,
but as told him not to fear, and that I
had something to give him, at the same
time pointing to the hams anu fowl 1t my
feet, hc mustered sufficient courage to ap-
proach. told him to take those proyis-
ions into his house ard make the best use
of them lie could. The poor oil man,
who appeared as if he had never possessed
so much at one time in his whole life,
seemed to misunderstood me, and offered
to curry them for Inc 10 my boat. Ga be-
ing assured that they were his own, he
poured out all his VOC .buiary of gratitude
and blessing on my head. The whole
circumstance made NE feel richer than
could the posses,i Of al the hams and
chickens of China. Shouidering nv
carpet-bag | trudged along not only with
a lighter load, but with such light, glad,
happy Eeart, tha, noted not the remain-
ing mile and a half distance, but found
myself at my boat as if by few steps,
and in few moments. My boatmen were
no less rejoiced than surprised to see me-
come back with my head on my shoulders.
We then weighed anchor and in few
minutes more were on our return to Shang-
hai, which We reached safely after three
days sail down the Yang -sz kiang, -;
Yours. truly. CHARLES TAvIon