The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-11

ing words and gestures whenever we stopped. Our only safety lay in con stantly shifting our ground, galloping hither and thither before any individual member of the crowd should have ccur- age to begin the attack. But now it vas high time to be gone, and we started se- riously to try and make our way across the i've mile plain, and just at this mo- ment we were rejoined by MT. Loch, who had generously returned, at Sir Ii Grants request, to urge our immediate departure. Sir Hope was unwilling to attack assured of our safety but the Chinese, numbering some 40 GOO, were so excited at the sight of our } GOO that their cavalry could not be restrained, and so it came to pass that the battle had already begun. and before we had gone very far we were surrounded and virtually made prisoners.
 In vain demonstrated and explained that we were messengers of peace; that in detaining us they were committing a fatal mistake. l insisted on being con- ducted to their general, and this much, at length, they conceded. Loch and |, accompanied by Sikh, were directed toward elump of trees where their gem eral, Sangolinsin, was stationed. On en- tering the woods we came upon a group of men who started up and pointed their rifles at us, desiring us instantly to dismount. Resistance was useless, so we obeyed. In a moment we were seized, stripped almost naked, insulted, beaten and thrown on our faces before the general, who rated us soundly in not measured terms and desired us at once to stop the bat tle.' Whereby we concluded that, in spite of their numer;cs, superiority, .As Chinese were getting the worst of it Great was Sangolinsin's disgust when I explained that 1 was but Lord Elgin's secretary, had no power to stop the battle and that, were to send such an order, it would simply not be attended to. After some further ill-usage, we were hastily thrown into cart and driven to another part ofthe battlefield, where we were again dragged out and interrogated by another general, who ended his examination by giving summary orders that we should be at once beheaded. In a moment our hands were drawn sharply behind our backs and tightly bound together l; we were forced upon our knees the exc cutioner stood by with uplifted sword, ready to strike and Loch and I hastily bade each other 'Farewell,' when sud- denly a rush of flying men came tum- bling, whirling past upsetting us. upset ting our executioner, sweeping everything before them.
 "We had been so near death that we were almost upnerved, bewildered at this sudden and most unexpected reprieve. Once more we were flung into the cart, which wen: jolting and pumping across country, causing us terrible suffering, for with our hands bound tightly behind our backs, beaten, battered, and bruised, we were unable to protect ourselves, or guard against the frequent concussions to which we were exposed-thankful, however, to have escaped thus far from that death which we had looked SO nearly in the face.
 Here l may mention that poor Bra- bazon and his friend were actually be- headed en the battlefield, and all the rest of our little band, with scarcely one exception, died after great agony, not from any active torture, but simply be- cause their hands were bound so tightly behind them that modification ensued.
 "At last we got into the road leading to Pekin, which road was so blocked by fugitives that we could move at foot's pace only. We had had DO food all day, the sun beating down on our half-naked bodies devoured by burning thirst, in vain we implored for water. If we did stop for a minute, it was only that our guards might examine our bonds, and draw them even tighter, and we could see each others hands beginning already to swell and turn black where the cords cut into our flesh.
 "The crowd of fugitives, too, as may be imagined, bore us no good will, and constantly surrounded the cart, abusing and ill-treating us, as 1t pressed slowly on, SO that every moment we expected to be our last. And so slowly did we move that the gate of Pekin was not reached until ten o'clock at night. Under the gate and along the street of Pekin we passed, then turned into an immense court crowded with people and lanterns. An inscription on the wall was not en- couraging-' The Court of Punishments , -(alias torturel. Here we were left for some time, till at last was ordered to 0CS\SA0s SohC0SCo t00k WC Gilknt pOt be separated, but in vain 1; SO once more bade Loch farewell. It was worse for him than for me, as he could not speak Chinese; but begged him to try and keep up his spirits, for l would do my best to rejoin him. was led down a dark passage to a spot where the ground seemed to open before me. It was, in fact, a sort of pit or underground room, full of human beings. Thrust into this, was laid on sort of wooden pallet, about foot above the ground my arms unbound, and an iron band was fastened round my body, secured by chains to great beam immediately overhead. Heavy chains were placed on both hands and feet, but my arms were, at least, no longer fastened behind me; and the re- lief was so un.peakably great that to this l attribute the preservation of my life.
 Il suppose then became ipsensible, for remember nothing more until, afcr A 9horf interval I Hax eoain rnrk aimed