The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-02
MARCH OF SOWERBY PARTY
To- RESCUE OF MISSIONARIES

letter we mentioned the fact that a
party of nine foreigners, headed by A.
De c. Sowerby, set out from Taiyuan-
fu early in December in order to res
cue the foreigners who had been cut
off from communication with the out
side world by the disorders arising
out of the revolution. 1t now gives
us great pleasure to chronicle the safe
arrival in Pekin of this heroic party
and the foreigners whom they res
cued.
Whenever an opportunity has been
given us during the last few days we
have listened with rapt attention to
the thrilling story of their adventur-
Gus journey on horseback, first to ST.
anfu and thence in company with the
rescued missionaries to Honanfu.
There are few things in this world
more delightful to the ear than stories
of brave deeds told in modest and
simple way by the heroes themselves.
1t was very difficult to induce any of
the members of the Sowerby party to
talk about their trip. They did not
seem to be conscious that they had
done anything remarkable or out of
the way. 1t was only by patient ques-
tioning that we could get them to talk
about their adventures.
Famed as Fist Fighter.
The leader of the party, A. De c.
Sowerby, is an Englishman, who has
for some time been employed by the
Smithsonian Institution to collect nat
ural history specimens in North Chi
ma. Most of his work has been done
in the province of Shansi, where he
is famous among the Chinese as the
man who quelled riot with his bare
fists The Chinese never fight with
their fists. Such a mode of fighting
is entirely unknown to them. The
Chinese who make any pretensions of
being gentlemen never fight at all.
Others either wrestle, or fight with
some sort of weapon. When they are
very angry they pick up a spade or
anything handy and try to strike the
legs of their opponent so as to fell
him to the ground. Once they get
MIN down they hack away at him until
ne is either unconscious or dead.
Mr. Sowerby was once attacked in
a small WALLACE in Shansi by a band of
hoodlums armed with spades and
poles. Seeing that they were ready
to strike him down he found it nee
essary to give them a little exhibition
in the gentle art of self-defense as
practised by western peoples. He
struck out vigorously to the right and
lett with the result that four or five
Chinese were soon stretched on the
ground and the rest fled precipitately
Fearing an attack by the whole vii
lage he got his guns out and barri,
caded the house where he was stay.
ing, but the people did not attack him.
They reasoned that if he could fell
men with his bare hands he could
probably kill them all with his terri.
BILE foreign guns.
Even with such leader it was new.
ertheless courageous on the part of
the little hand to set out in such trou.
bled times to journey the enormous
distance from Taiyana to Sianful. The
revolution had completely broken
down all law and order in that part of
China. The whole region through
which they travelled was infested with
robbers and undisciplined revolution.
airy guerillas.
Travelled on Ponies.
The little party was we'll armed
each having a Winchester, a revolver
and plenty of ammunition. Their
mounts were Chinese ponies, tough
little animals well Injured to cold and
surefooted as donkeys. These ponies
proved very serviceable in the noun
tain passes, which the party had to
cross a few days after their depar
ture. The narrow ice-covered path
which they followed across the noun
tains often wound it's way along the
edge of high precipices where a single
misstep would have meant the death
of both horse and rider
The walled city of Suitechou was
reached December II. The inhabi
tants of this city had several days
before been attacked by large band
of robbers, but had succeeded in re
polling them. Being suspicious o.
strangers they closed the city gates
in the face of Sowerby and his party
1t was only after a great deal of par
leying that they were allowed to enter
the city. Here they found the mission
aries, Mr.. and Mrs. Watson and theil
children, and Mr.. Cummerford, who
were very grateful to them for coming
to their rescue. The missionaries
were just on the point of setting ou
alone and unarmed toward Yennanfu
when the Sowerby party arrived. Had