The Portland daily press., 1900-08-20
THRILLING STORY.
Maine Woman Writes OF Her Ex-
Perlences Ia China.

Foo, July l. 1t had been feared that
Miss Durham was dead. She describes
a Journey with party or A soldiers fur
nished by the governor of Gilman Fe
down the canal from P'Ang Cn'wang
to the coast, where after two lays en-
forced delay, in q villsge swarming with
bioodthirsty Boxers, they wore taken on
board a Japanese steamer and carried to
Che Foo. She expresses great anxiety
for those missionaries left behind, and
concludes with the statement that the
war will stop missionary work for at
least year, while entailing great loss to
the cause OF Christianity by the dessruo-
ton property.
In her letter, Miss Burnham says:
dear Friends IN the Homeland:
when 1 started for China was told
that was going to land where history
was to be made. This seems very real
to Us now, as we sit in Chez Foo, refu.
gees from the homes that have become so
dear to US.
Il wrote you about going to P'ang
Ch'wang to take canal boat there for
the north, where I planned to have
quiet vacation at Pei Raj He. Dr. Por-
ter from what he heard of the condition
of the country because of the Boxers,
would not let me either go alone or re-
turn to Chinanfu. There I waited four
weeks, until finally we were ordered out
of the interior by cur consul. With a
party of SO we started from P'ang
Ch'wang by way of Chinanfu. It was
very quiet about Chinanfu owing to the
fact that the governor there, Yuann Shi
Kai, has maintained a friendly attitude
to the foreigners, and enforced it by his
army Of well-trained soldiers. Forty-four
welI-equipped men We're sent as a guard
to our boats. We went down the little
canal that I came up three years ago
when came to China. The boats are
fat-Dottomed with straw mating for
covering. We were very comfortable go
ing down canal, but as we approached
the little port reports of Boxers met us.
''We were glad to be met by Mr.. Corn
wall of our mission at Che Foo, who
had been sent to us by the American
consul. lie told us that the japanese
steamer which had been chartered for
refugees was about 20 miles down the
bay, so we We're transferred to heavier
boats and put to sea. A heavy sea came
on, and we pitched and tossed in our
cramped quarters. There was not room
for sleeping. The waves rolled over our
little decks, and we were in the utmost
danger. The sailors, fearing the sea,
refused to go on. We, fearing the Boxe S,
refused to let them go back. Everyone
was seasick.
FINALLY we sighted the steamer, ran
up the white flag and red blanket,
fired our guns and waited. The steamer
did not see US and we began to fear our
fate was death at sea. How wonderfully
cool felt then seemed strange to me
now. was hanging on top of the
boards reaching across the hold where
pile of sick women were tangled up
in knot. One foot braced against the
side prevented me from rolling in the
sea as the boat rolled from side to side.
The boatmen were angry and the sold
iers so seasick that when they wanted
distress signals fired no one was able to
hold a gun Finally the steamer S lighted
us, but stopped because of the sea. 1t was
impossible for the two boats to come
together there, so two brave sailors with
life lines, brought us the great tow lines,
which were attached to our old junk.
Gin the midst Of the confusion man
was washed overheard, but was fished out.
The sailors We're enraged because we
could not explain what was being done.
W only knew the resouing steamer evt 4
IDENTIFY intended towing us away-but
where? The sea was too rough for our
boat, and the sailors refused to lift the
anchor. Mr. Cornwall rose to the occa-
sion and cut the rope. The angry sailors
tried to prevent it by cutting the tow
lines with an other knife, but we'll
aimed blow from a good missionary near
dislodged the offending instrument and
at the same time cowed the man.
Imagine the situation. A lot of sea-
sick missionaries and soldiers in thu
hands of boatmen who, so far as we knew,
might be Boxers towed out to sea by
Japanese steamer, every inch disputed
by our boatman who begged and angrily
declared he would cut the tow lines, for
our boat conld not stand the sea. So we
were borne along our Japanese frien DIS
hoping to find smoother sea, Finally
theidea was abandoned and they told us
to go back to the place we left two
days before while they returned to Che
Foo for water and a launch.
1.-THE journey shore ward was simple
but what was at the endY We went back
in four hours and q fierce looking crowd
greeted u.s. We wanted to get to an inn
but no fnn-keeper wouId keep us The
red handed Boxers could be seen from the
shore. The gentlemen went to the yamen
ana the inn-keeper was made to take us
in An additional guard was placed OFT
side beside the A faithful men sent by
Yuan
'tHere we remained two days when we
were reiOiced to hear that our steamer
was back again They had put to sea but
the missionaries on board had prevailed
upon the captain to try getting water
~ Gonna If fba rnawpr vflIaUas and re-