The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1900-09-28
An INTERESTING STORY.
Thrilling Experiences Of a Party OF
American Missionaries Es-
Gaping From China.
CHASED Asaoss THE so8| DESERT
A Toilsome and Dangerous Journey
p..,rrinr June 10, mt kaigan,
Province of Cbih LII. ACROSS 81
IBERIA to Irkutsk, Thence TO st.
Petersburg and London.

London. Sept. 25.-The American
missionaries, J. II. Roberts, Mark Will
liams. VIM. sprague, Mrs. Sprague
and Miss Virginia Murdock, who es-
caped from Kalgan, Province of Chih
Iii. China. in June, were chased across
the Cobb desert. Thence they trav-
eled by way of Siberia and have just
reached London in good health. They
will proceed Immediately TO the Unit
ed States.
An Interesting story.
Mr.. Williams. who has worked in
China for 81 years, gave = press rep
resentatiye an interesting story of his
experiences. 1t appears that the first
assault on the mission compound at
Kalgan was made during the night of
June 10, when yelling mob at
tempted to batter down the gate
with stones. Seeing the uselessness
of remaining, the missionaries in the
course of the night. evacuated the
compound and proceeded to the
magistrate amen.
Ordered to Leave.
The following afternoon they were
ordered TO leave, he magistrate de
claring that he feared not only for
the missionaries safety. but also for
his own yamen if he continued to pro-
tect them. After allowing the Ameri-
cans to draw their money from the
native bank, the magistrate furnished
them with so soldiers as an escort
through the great gate in the wall
into Mongolia
A Terrible Journey Ahead.
I'VE had no idea then of the terri
bic journey which awaited u.s." con-
tinued Mr.. Williams. I'VE had no no.
ton of having to escape across Si.
IBERIA. and only purposed to remain
In some place of safety and return
after the crisis. Whenever we at.
tempted to stop, however, the officials
ordered us to leave forthwith, de.
claring the Boxers were on our heels
Across the Cobb Desert.
Finally, reaching a Mongol encamp.
ment at Harausa, we saw that fight
across the great Cobb desert was in.
eWtable. Having secured a caravan
we started June %. just before start.
ing seven Swedish missionaries. with
their families, who had Just escaped
with their lives, joined us. One lady
had horrible experiences. She had
been almost dubbed to death. while
SOME OF the males were frightful spec
tacles, being covered with blood.
The Caravan Organized.
Our caravan consisted of 90 cam.
els, 10 horses and six camel carts for
the ladies and children. For eight
days we travelled over nothing but
sand. The air was like that of an
oven and the suffering was intense
The animals had no grass and no wa.
ter and march&ng in the daytime was
impossible. AT the few isolated wells
Mongols We're encamped in the vi.
entity, and they refused to allow us
10 draw water, fearing we would
poison the wells.
Days of Terrible Anxiety.
After 3s days of terrible ANXIETY
we reached Urga, on the other side Of
the desert. We presented sorry
spectacle. The Russian consul general
was most kind. He gave I'M to ms "A
rooms in the consulate. But. to our
uiSmay the consul told us we must
leaVe forthwith, as there were > oOo
-Hohgol soldiers in the neighborhood.
VINO might be hostile. He also
warned us that tens of thousands NJ
siohsois We're gathering for relig-
iouS festival, and that if we valued
our safety we would better clear out
without delay
Safety at Last.
A fortnight later, August IA vs
$40 sened hlakhta, and remained there
al August 81.
~ The meanwhile Mr.. Tower (Mr.
enafiemagne Tower. United States
n''assador TO Russiaf obtained per.
pss'on from the authorities at ST
s;Ssourg for our journey over the
siian railway. Arriving at Irkutsk
- eihoer ?, we took a train and
81. Petersburg September IS.
French Vessel. Missing.
na Sohns' n. f., Sept. 25.-More
p;aa HiS French vessels from st.
lIe are still missing, as the result
AL, e recent gale. and much alarm Is
ars aor their safety. Many doubtless
,ha. saDied, but il is almost certain
IN o'hers have foundered.
ordsr.l french flagship Isly has been
REM. from the treaty shore, it is
cpo''ed here, to cruise over the
M ~ banks. with view of learning
si,;N'eht OF the disaster. and of as
any vessels requiring help.