New-York tribune., 1900-09-25
CHASED ACROSS pESERT OF GoBI
AMERICAN MISSIONARIES REACH LONDON
AFTER THRILLING EXPERIENCES.


AFTER THRILLING EXPERIENCES.
London. Sept 24-The American missionaries
j H Roberts Mark Williams. William Sprague.
Mrs sprag and Miss Virginia Murdock. who
escaped from Kalgan. Province Of Pe-Ch-Li,
China, in June were chased across the Cobb
Desert Thence they travelled by way of
Siberia and have Just reached London. in good
health The missionaries will proceed immediate
" to the United States.
AIr Williams, who has worked IN China for
1hiTty-four years. gave an interesting story Of
his experiences. II appears that the first
sault On the mission compound at Kalgan was
made during the night Of June 10, when yelling
-ncb attempted 70 batter down the gate with
stones Seeing the usslessness Of remaining the
missionaries in the course of the night evacu-
zted the compound and proceeded 70 the rnagis-
trate's yaraen The following afternoon they
were ordered n leave. the magistrate declaring
that he feared NOT only for the missionaries
safety, but also for his oun ysmen. If he CON
1inued 70 protect them
After allowing the Americans 70 draw their
r.cncy from the native bank. the magistrate
furnished them with fifty soldiers as an escort
through the Great Gate in the wall into Mon
golia
Ts had 10 idea then Of the terrible journey
~htch awaited US" continued Mr. Williams
Siberia, and only proposed 10 remain in some
place Of safety and return after the crisis
Wherever attempted TO stop however the Of
heials ordered US TO leave forthwith declaring
the Boxers were on our heels. Finally reaching a
Eongol encampment az Harausa, we saw that
fight across the great Cobb Desert was in
e-'itab Having secured a caravan, We started
June 3. Just before starting seven Swedish
missionaries with their families who had lust
eseaped with their lives joined US One woman
had horrible experiences. She had been almost
dubbed 70 death while some Of the men were
frightfl spectacles being covered with blood
Our caravan consisted of twenty camels nine
teen horses and six camel carts for the women
ana children. For eight days we travelled over
nothing but sand. The air was like that Of an
oven and the suffering was intense The ami
mails had no grass and no water, and marching
IN the daytime was impossible At the few
Isolated wells Mongols were camped in the
vicinity. and they refused TO allow us TO draw
water. fearing we would poison the wells
After thirty-eight days Of terrible anxiety
we reached Crga. on the other side of the desert
We presented sorry spectacle. The Russian
Consul-General was most kind He gave I'D TO
Us fourteen rooms in the consulate But 70 our
oismay the Consul told US we must leave forth
with as there were 1000 8Iongol soldiers in the
ne-ghbornood. who might be hostile. He also
warned US that tens Of thousands Of Mongols
were gathering for q religious festival and that
without delay
a fortnight later August IS, we reached
klakhta. and remained there till August 27
IN the mean while MT Tower United States
Ambassador TO Russia. obtained permission
1rcrn the authorities at ST Petersburg for our
Journey over the Siberian Railway Arriving
reached st. Petersburg September 18
Il y Impossible TO speak too highly Of the