National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-03-25
CHINESE BLACK MILITIA.


on board my trim little shooting. boat to break.
fast.
The Lily was lying moored to the quay, so
stepped right on to her deck and stamped of the
mud-the famous Shanghai mud-from
the soles Of my long shooting boots. 1 felt q
great though subdued pleasure in doing SO, for I
was OF on 9 weeks shooting excursion, and OK.
perienoed . grim satisfaction as we'll In leaving
TINT tenacious mud to other foreign residences not
so fortunate as myself
poor wretches," thought I, show they will
slip, stick and founder about the bund In day
or two when tho thaw comes on,"
The mud Of Shanghai 10 unlimited in quantity
able. No wonder therefore that my spirits felt
elate at the glorious prospect OF an escape from
the dirty, unhealthy city and run into the open
Nature, I fancy, must have intended mo for an
adventurer, but fate made mistake In thrusting
II s%P sps
exuberant were my sensations OF delight upon
sbouldering q gun, DOMINIC strange wearing ap-
civilization, and so very distasteful to my feel.
inRs were the atrocious and monotonous calcula-
tons Of long ellis. gray shirtings, chests of tea
Although the scarcity OF game reduced me TO
crows, enjoyed the combined cruise and ramble
IN. Lily took me wherever wished TO 70, South.
ern and Central China being most minuteiy inter-
seeted by vast labyrinth OF creeks and canals,
so lnelined, I shouidered my gun and took stroll
ashore. The pantry was we'll stocked-as Junior
partner in the iiru had charge Of the stores IS.
cabin Of the little Lily was fitted up with every
comfort and convenience; so. all things consid-
Al that time the great civil War Was raging Its
nercest In the neighborhood Of Shanghai, and the
whole country had been desolatod by the alter
nate passage Of Imperial and revolutionary ar
mics. The lncorrigisie Taeplng rebels had lately
captured the treaty port Ningpo, and had followed
city would also have fallen 10 their victorious
arms had not the British authorities commenced
. most reprehensible and unjustihable interven-
the Tnepines were drawn back from Shanghai
and the Imperialists, with their English allies,
held all thu country for radius OF about twenty
miles round, though the line was very Irregular
or the other had been for months lying intrenched
party Upon either side Of the HRI
radius line stretched deDatable ground-that Is
to say, sort Of 'no mans land, held BY neither
banditti-those lively and particularly unscru.
pulous gentry who had received the euphonivus
The evening Of the second day of my cruise
found the little Lily at very lonely, Wild and
desolate part Of tho country, near the destroyed
village Of Loo-chee. Small lakes, broad lagoOns,
creeks and canals, like very eccentric SPIDERS
web made in the dark, Joined and intersected one
another in every direction in the most bswilder.
habitsd and thickly strewn with bleached white
skulls and CHASTITY decaying skeletons, glea ming
out here and there from amidst the tall rank
thickets stretched over the country, and In many
places quite covered in the sluggishly. running
streams, NAL king dark and outrageous canopy
ofvegetAtion overhead. Here the remains of a
rotten boat, there the blackened rafters OF a
ruined house, and there glimpse Of some poor
remnant Of mortality gave forclble little touches
to the weird and dismal scene OF desolation and
destruction.
During half the day we had been making our
through thia strange WilleFneA-nOW aail-
ing slowly along the weedcovered surface OF q
lake, where the twining tendrils OF aquatic
moving the BOAT no easy feat, anon forcing back
the dense mass Of clustering reeds and brambles
interviewer over some silent little creek, and
the bottom with the oars. At length, as tho
shades Of evening became deeper, dampor and
place, had the pleasing satisfaction OF knowing
that we had lost ourselves.
As the evening air was SO chilly, and everything
aguish moisture. had retired to my cabin to
enjoy a omfortable stretch and q fragrant che
,as
consultation with the rest Of the crew, four In
! boy A.yo1-hsd, in considefation, 1 suppose, q
his superior knowledge 81 the ang,auit1os," q
foreixners-nnd their tongue, been appointed
sort Of president Of the council.
The situation was pulling. Tho Lily was rest
namesaEes, dense barrier 81 brambie and os lie
stopped all further advance, whilst strong reedy
! stems and large dank flags were pressing tizhtly
around In q vain struggle to close up the avenue
into which the sturdy arms Of the vessels pig
tailed mariners had cunningly oontrived to wedge
her.
OF o stagnAnt creek, because here and ther'
through openings amid the surrounding mass o
seen. But ahead, astern, ali around, the giganti
growth Of bramble, bush, tree, with strange un
known creeping and twning Chinese 9luatl
peded our further progress.
Observing my appearance A.yow came an
making his way through the wiry parasites an'
well, boy, said 1, where the deuce have W
got to now 2"
know. Nj tinkee that fools piecee Lowde
have makeo forget which way walkee."
.ConfOund the rascal! Come hero, II iOh L
Meekiy advanced that model sailor, with rattle
downcast eyes, from which came sly Chances a
Intervals : evidently he dreaded Anglo-Saxo
thews and knuckles, and was ready TO jump gu
of the way.
Lowder could not speak English, so told Ago,
! to ask him whether he had lost his way.
After a long eoilOquy, enlivened by considerable
"bi-yaing" and gesliculation, my boy said
He too muchee foolo! He taikee numbah on
go Qunsan-hs askee mi which way 60"
| knowing by experience the obtuse nature OF tn
Lowders faculties, did not feel inclined e d9ue
feel strongly tempted to try the effect OF my CON
patriots argumsnium ad hominem abroad. Blu
| then cmembered that he had tried hard i
| Shangha to make me engage second Lowder-
! native OF the parts to be yisted-and that ha
refused to do so, not perceivlng the necessity, a
sisted In the assertion that he was himself az
quainted with the inland navigation. nigh
have known that his natural pride forbade an
admission OF ignorance TO "foreiQn devil" an
that he confessed as much as hisSdiBnity woul
permit when he asked for any assistant.
sio to Quinsanl" roared In Chinese.
GOOD ! Heavenly goodr CALCULATED tn
Lowder.
'sBe quick, you dogr' added, hercely, exhaus
ing my Chinese vocabulary
Good Heavenly good"' returned the fmper
turbable wretch, as he went forward to the crew,
momentary illumination OF intelligence appeal
ing upon his broad fiat features; and then he erie
to the astonished mariners: "Row, row
Ounsan ~
Quinsan was a walled city on the twenty. mil
radius-line, and formed tho headquarters OF "a
disciplined and fOregn-ohicered lmperialii
legions was anxious TO get there IN ORDER
spend jolly evening with some OF the oficei
who were friends OF mine:
Once more the Lowder's apathetic countenanC
beamed vacantly from his station at tho helm
whilst the crew made q great show OF workin
hard to pull the Lily ahead. The opening OF
larger creek presently appeared, and into 1t y
plunged, though had vague suspicion that !
the advice OF the crew the Lowder merely cho
II in desperation, without possessing the slghte
knowledge as TO whittier II might lead. Ho'
ever, he had declared that Quinsan was only
I returned to the cabin satished-satlshed that
could only "grin and bear II"
Not long afterwards l felt the motion OF u
vessel cease again. and then A-yow came In