Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-02-07
RULER OF THE BLACK FLAGS.
sudden Growth ofIhe People.Now at
War with France.
shanghai shennas.

Liu Yueu Fou was originally lead
er of a remnant of the Canton rebels
(the Taepings). He is now over sixty
years of age. He has a full face and
manly figure His beard and hair
are like silver His character is of
the heroic order, combining in fair
proportion sagacity and courage, and
T he possesses great administrative and
organizing ability, by which he has
gathered around him, adventurous
spirits from all quarters Over
tweRty years ago, when tho Imperial
troops defeated the Canton rebels,
Liu, driven to Qxtremities, took re-
fuge in the northern borders of An
nam. The King of AMMAN was
feeble, and could not drive Liu and
his gang out by force, so he sent a
messenger to offer them protection.
This Liu accepted.
AT that time the Black Flag follow
ers did not amount TO more than a
few thousands, and they made a
treaty with the King of Annam by
which they were allowed to cultivate
the wild contry among the noun
tains of Chang on the under
standing that they and the natives
were not to modest each other. After
three years of cultivation of the land
they obtained still further recogni-
ton Liu succeeded in gaining the
favor of the King, who supplied him
with oxen and seeds for cultivation.
| Liu made it his object to draw people
to join him by kindness and liberality.
His good name was published from
mouth to mouth everywhere, and
multitudes gathered to his standard
The Yellow Flags and the White
Flags came in close succession, and
natives also gladly placed themselves
under his protection. Liu made allot-
ments of land to them all, that they
might support themselves by farm
ing. Thus the population grew and
| the extent of cultivated land increas-
ed. For more than 700li 600 niles,
east and west, there were continuous
fields and farm-houses and agrlcul-
tural towns of growing Importance.
The expense Of maintaining such q
large population was very great, and
they were burdened by the taxation
of the AMMAN Government; so, after
a period of seven years, they took it
upon themselves to refuse further
payment Of taxes, and the King of
AMMAN could not help himself
After this Lila undertook the govern
ment of bis own territory. All matters
of instruction and maintenance, all
agricultural military affairs, admins
traton of justice and public appoint
ments were duly arranged by himself.
Punishments were strict and severe.
They had beheading, hanging, rattan.
ing and beating, but no Punishment
or Imprisonment. Each town had q
civil and a military chief appointed
over it, who superintendent the agri.
cultural operations and military drill
of certain number of men. The
youths were taught to read, but not
to any great extent only enough to
enable them to distinguish surnames
and names, or to explain in q rough OF
general way.
The country they occupied consisted
of forest and jungle, with deep ra-
vines and watercourses. The hills
were infested by tigers and wolves
Wood-galherers never venture to 60
out except in companies But no other
kind of a wild beast is so abundant as
| the monkey. In the stiffness of eve
lning, when not a sound is heard but
the purling of brooks, the monkeys
icome out in scores and hundreds,
! screeching and jumping and playing
and chasing each other without end
There is tree called the monkeys
provision tree, about ten feet high,
growing all about the hills. It's fruit
looks like a pomegranate, but il is
hard and harsh, not eatahle by men.
The monkeys, however, eat it with
great avidity. When the Black Flags
| went there first their chief article of
cultivation was maize, and in late
autumn, when the maize was ripe. each
monkey would go to the field and
pldck head and put it under his arm,
! then, with Unsuitable greed, pluck an
other and let the first drop, and so on
for a score Of times, always dropping
the last in It's eagerness to take anoth-
err. Acres of maize would be spoiled
in this way in one night, until the
people took measures to brighten the
monkeys away.
Oflate years the colony has enjoyed
greater prosperity The number Of
Black Flag people is over $4,000, of
the Yellow Flag over $4,000, and
those of the White Flag over 30, 600.
There are also natives of the place
numbering more than 10000. The
whole population can not be less
than 200, 900 The young men from
seventeen to twenty years Of age.
amounting TO 10000. are all swarthy,
stalwart fellows, accustomed to scour
the forests and spring the gorges with
the agility of monkeys. Therefore,
they are fierce and daring in the ex-
IRENE, nothing can stand before
them, and, moreover, they are Won
derfully smart and dexterous. These
young men make a formidable army.
4 At present the old Black Flags occupy
the mountain pass which forms, as
it were, their inner stronghold To
approach this IL is necessary to pass
over a succession of fine PERCEPTIONS
mountain ranges, which stand up
I l.