The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-08-04
THE GAELIC'S PASSENGERS FROM
CHINA.
Missionaries From the Interior With
Their Families-One of the Last Mrl,
to Leave Peking.

The steamship Gaelic arrived from
China to-day with more returning mis-
sionaries and others driven out of the
country by the Boxer uprisings. They
report that there is not a missionary or
business man left in the interior OF
China, all having either left in haste
upon calls sent out by the consuls or
else having fallen victims to the Box
ers.
/ The Rev. c. w Pruitt and the Rev.
| George Worth are two missionaries on
| board who managed to escape with
| their wives and children in time to
reach port of safety before the coun-
try behind them became inhamed so
that travel was impossible. Each has
three children. Mr.. Prutt left Shan
tung as late as July S, while Mr.. Worth
and family made their way from a post
up the Yang-tse, between Shanghai and
Chin Kin. Urgent messages from the
American consuls started both families
on their perilous journeys
"Shantung, where l was posted is
sixty six miles from Chefoo, which is its
seaport" said Mr.. Pruitt. THE district
had been more or less disturbed for
some time but we stayed till the Sth
of last MONTH when there came a mes
sage from Consul Fowler at Chefoo
warning us of worse danger, and tell
ing us to fly for our lives. We began
the journey without losing a moments
time, and before we reached ChefoO had
| plenty of evidences of the danger VT.
were in. Had Mr.. Fowler delayed noti-
flying us a bit longer we should have
been among the missing.
The Boxers were organizing all over
the district we passed through, and we
lost no time on the way. The station Of
Wei Hsn was in ashes before we got
away from it, Boxers having attacked
! it and destroyed the place. After reach
ing ChefOo we got safety, and took the
first opportunity of booking for home.
There is no more missionary work to be
done in China for the present. l have
been in China for nineteen years with
my wife, working under the Southern
Baptist Board, and have never left the
country during that time, except for a
brief period. The situation now IS ap-
! palling, and everyone expects great
trouble.
I'm passing through Shanghai and
| HOngkong l heard of no one who had
any hope for the Peking Ministers and
other people. At Shanghai there is
much excitement over an expected at
| tack from the Boxers. 1t is reported
| that a great army is about to attack
the place, but the authorities think they
| can defend it. ! think it is well pre-
pared to resist attack, though not well
| situated"
The Rev. George Worth's home was In
strong Chinese military post on the
| Yang-tse river. He likewise received an
urgent call to get out of the country.
and lost no time in fleeing with his
wife and three children.
THE warning received stated" said
| Mr.. Pruitt that the soldiers of the en-
| pire were as much to be feared as the
| Boxers, and DR.. Worth was undOubt-
edly not bit too early to get away"
J. NJ. Dickinson, an American busi-
ness man of Tientsin, is another passen-
ger on the Gaelic leaving China on ac-
count of the Boxers. Mr.. Dickinson S
residence in Tientsin was burned and
| his place of business shelled by the
Boxers. He was in the city during the
recent heavy fighting.
w. b. Field, an American miner, is
another man who had a very narrow
escape. He was north of Peking, in the
most dangerous part of the empire but
succeeded in getting to Tientsin before
the whole country became impossible
He left Peking at the last moment get
ting away so quickly that he was com.
PEELED to leave his belongings behind in
the Chinese capital. Mr.. Field was
among the last Europeans to leave the
city which is believed to have been tn,
scene of a horrible massacre on July
and I. ---A