Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-27

| 20. Hundreds were allowed to come on
hoard in an orderly manner, the chiefs only be-
ing allowed to 60 aft the mainmast. 1t was a
curious crowd to sec in China. Imagine a
crowd OF Chinese, with long hair, no pipes and
no hatS dressed. as it for Carnival, in silks and
satins OF the bightest hue Such arc the rebels,
and one can judge that the stores of Nankin
must have been well supplied to furnish such
maltitudds with rich gowns and furs, distribu-
I'D apparently indiscriminately. I have not
been able to go on shore, but those who have
been through Nankin say that it presents
scene Of desolation painful to witness, and it is
true, what has been said, that they have every
thing in common. One can see that the houses
have no longer careful owners, for the doors and
windows which had been broken, suppose, in
the pi lage of the place, are patched up with
mating, or with boards of any kind, merely to
keep out the cold, which, by the way. is very
severe here. Altogether this trip has been most
interesting, with enough of danger and lnconnu
in it to make it piquant. The revolution is
stupendous affair, but so far as I am able to
Judge, sayors morcof Mahomedanism than Chris
tianity, in this sense, that it is the Tae-ping
who is the Messiah of these fanatics ,and it is in
him they believe, rather than in the crucifcd
Saviour. They have no organized church or
ministry, and their worship altogether seems
composed of the repetition Of certain prayers
three times a-day.
"When Tae-ping himself attends to his devo-
tions ten guns are fired each time to announce
the great event to his enthusiastic followers
When his excellency, NJ Bourbillon, went on
shore to have an interview with some of the au-
thorities, he was accompanied by Father Clave-
lin, who afterwards remained with them two
days, and he was able thus to cellect IL great
deal of information about them. He says they
seem perfectly confident Of their ultimate sue
cess, and speak of Heen-fung and all the Tar
tars Us devils. One of the most curious facts
he heard was, that in Nankin were assembled
together all the women belonging to Tae-ping's
followers, amounting to the almost incredible
number Of foar hundred and eighty thousand
but whom one considers what large and popu-
lous towns they have taken possession of in their
progress 70 N3nkin, and that these women are
collected. from all these places, the rebels fearing
to leave their families behind them, the number
is not much exaggerated. They are divided into
brigades of thirteen thousand each, over which
female authorities are placed; the least impor-
tant having one hundred under command -
These women bear the baton of Office in the
shape Of flexible cane tied together with red
silk, and forming sort Of switch, which doubt
less comes into play pretty often. The chief of
the brigade is applied to in case of need, and
those holding authority have the privilege of
corresponding directly with the princes in any
question of moment. They have also female
soldiers, and there are places where they have
been left as the only garrison in towns of which
the rebels have taken possession. Of course
this separation of familes-wives taken from
their husbands, and children from their parents
-causesa good deal of discomfort among them,
who are probably less enthusiastic in Tae-ping
cause but it is certain such a state of things
cannot last long, and if in u year or two they
have not conquered the empire, there will be
discussions and divisions among them. One
cannot but feel interested in the denoue-
ment but in case of final triumph, whether
foreigners will be benefited by the change of
masters in China, is question which time alone
can solve"