The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1900-09-29
An INTERESTING STORY.
Thrilling Experiences of a Party of
American Missionaries Es-
Gaping From China.
CHASED ACROSS THE COBB DESERT
A T0f1sOme and Dangerous Journey
Beginning June 10, at kslgan
Province of Chin Lii, Across 81.
IBERIA to Irkutsk, Thence 10 1t
Petersburg and London.

London, Sept. 25.-The American
missionaries, j. II. Roberts, Mark VIII
liams, Vim. Sprague, Mrs. Sprague
and Miss Virginia Murdoch, who es~
capped 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 TntersSttsg story.
Mr.. Williams, who has worked in
China for "a years. gave II press rep
resentative 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 a yelling mob at
tempted to batter down the gate
with stones. Seeing the uselessness
If remaining, the missionaries in the
course of the night, evacuated the
compound and proceeded to- the
magistrates yamen.,
Ordered to- BeuNe..
The following afternoon they were
ordered to leave, the 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 Ameri1-
cans to draw their money from the
native bank, the magistrate furnished
them with 50 soldiers as an escort.
through the great gate in the wall
into Mongolia.
A Terrible Journey Ahead.
eve had no idea then of the terri
BILE journey which awaited u.s." con-
tinued Mr. Williams. "We had no mo-
tion of having to escape across 81.
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 GObi Desert.
Finally, reaching Mongol encamp-
ment at Harausa, we saw that flight
across the great Cobb desert was in
evitable. Having secured caravan
we started June 20. 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 Orgnnixedl.
Our caravan consisted Of 20 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 aud the suffering was intense.
The animals had no grass and no wa
ter, and marching in the daytime was
impossible. At the few isolated wells
Mongols were encamped in the vi
entity, and they refused to allow us
to- draw water, fearing we would
poison the wells.
Days Of Terrible Anxiety.
after IS days Of terrible anxiety
we reached urga, on the other side of
the desert. We presented a. sorry
spectacle. The Russian consul general
was most kind, lie gave up tonus IA
rooms in the consulate. But, to- our
dismay the consul told MS we must
leave forthwith, us there were. 1000
Mongol soldiers in the neighborhood,
who might be hostile. He also
warned us that tens OF thousands OF
Mongols were gathering for n relig-
ious festival, and that IL we valued
our safety we would better clear out
without delay.