The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-15

IN Hades, It was the only escape from
.he pesttferous horde that rendered lite
In the town a nightmare. The 9anchus.
true to their instinct as to that the near
est to torture for foreign devils" had
made 1t no easy measure to secure the
privilege of the seclusion atop of the wall:
very few OF the approaches We're lett
open, none in fact except at a long distance
from the center of European settlement.
However, the "cash'' was the ticket every
where. and "a string of it soon settled
the question as to access almost any
where.
stalwart son of Indiana, six feet two,
broad shouldered nnd erect, the Colone!
carried his sixty-odd years easier than
most men forty, and his stride was that
of man in the full vigor of physical
prime. In his hand was cane, the dame
ter suggesting a cart spoke.
..For two, as well as four-leg.cd dogs.
was his explanatory ejaculation as he
significantly raped the stick on the
ground The respect paid him, in the
distance the Manchus preserved. was
indicative of q foreknowledge OF what
would happen in the event of any over
familiarity on their part. The Minister was
not of any especial Importance in their
eyes, but the cane was. Perhaps thes
knew 1t to be made Of Australian iron
wood. or if inflammation had not been def
mite as to the nature of the growth. eX-
nar;ence left no doubt that it was not far
short of a. crowbar in weight, and fully as
hard.
Odd sort of thing for an Envoy Extra
ordinary and Minister Plenipotent'nry to
arm himself with upon sallylng forth Tor
a stroll in the Capital City OF the coun-
try TO which he was duly accredited
Other unique precautions might be clteu'
,-,,t,t,
when there had not been a drop of rain
for month and the roadways foot deep
in fine black dust.
UGLY INSULTS TO FOREIGNERS.
Guards for the nostrils would have
been less dsagreenble than the result of
leaving them open to the doors Of the
public highway, while if there could have
been automa tically opening and closing
glasses Tor the eyes. such might have pre-
vented witnessing spectaclcs Of sheer ami
malism in man, as unwholesome as I'M
snvoTy.
Only in the tightly closed Sedan chair, or
heavily cushioned litter, was it possible
for European woman to pass through the
streets of Pekin Worse than verbal in
suits would gree. her. To the credit Of her
own sex among the Chinese, 1t must be
said that very rarely did the women en-
gage in the indiscrbably loathsome prnc-
tees which the men thought incumbent up
on them in showing their contempt for
foreigners. The Manchus. those who have
been centered in Pekin and are for the
most part dependent upon the bounty OF
the court, apparently did nothing. but
lounge about, wrangling among themselves
when no Europeans are in sight to Insult.
DESPICABLE COURSE.
The latter took every conceivable form
which an exposure Of the person, the per-
formance of unmentionable acts, or the dis
tortion Of the body can suggest. This, too,
in broad daylight, under the full glare
OF the sun and in the most public places.
Legation street-skirting which are most
of the habitations of the Europeans-ano
the gateway at its head were tavorite cen
tiers for the gathering of the Manchus'
whom it would sometimes appear We're reg
ularly detailed to the despicable course
thev followed. Not uncommonly whole
file Of them went through their IN
describable programme in unison and
the more fragrant the violation of
All rules of the commonest decency
the greater the encomiums OF their
roadiututors a concomitant, one that
is fitting and in accord with the
scene, was the wretched figure one had to
he in pekin but a brief time to become
most unpleasantly familiar with. 1t
was the miserable creature. who, with
basket upon his back as the repository OF
the human excrement, went among the
Manchus disputing with the dogs OF the
town for its possession. Later, such as is
collected was spread over patches OF
ground to the south of the more settled
portions of the city, and the prevailing
winds of summer being from that direc-
ton. the intolerable stencil drove the
Europeans to the distant hills, outside the
walls There is absolutely no sewerage
of any kind or description in Pekin, or are
there for native use, even trenches.
Civilized conduct, or the barest provisions
for public decorum, are unknown. Day or
night locomotion is attended by conse-
uuences which. if they cannot be de-
picted, can neither be imagined. Only
through the witnessing and experiencing.
would be the belief TINT such things could
be.
THE AMERICAN LEGATION.
Many a dirty Manchu's anatomy suffer-
ed from Colonel Denby's good old cane be-
fore it was generally comprehended that
he was not at all backward in using it. He
never went outside Of the legation without
it Within the legation walls-for it, too.