The high authorities of Szechuan report the completion of a most successful campaign against the aboriginal tribes of the Lei district whose risings have been frequently noticed in the Gazette during the past two or three years. Most of these tribes had Fecently shown a disposition to tender their allegiance to the Imperial authorities, but two of them, the Hsiao-kou and the Yii-ku, obstinately clung to their old evil behaviour and refused submission, Their number which comprised 2,000 men and the inaccessible nature of their country which had not been penetrated by Chinese for more than two centuries added great weight to their opposition. It was felt that nothing short of an onslaught upon their fastnesses would ever bring them to terms. 'A formidable expedition having been organised, the haunt of the tribes was at Inst, reached after passing through a dense jungle where a foothold was only maintained by holding on to the brambles and wild vegetation. "The movement was completely successful. Some 200 of the wild men, both black and white, were killed and over 20 prisoners were made. One of the aboriginal chiefs was wounded in action and the other made his escape by flight. The whole population of the two tribes threw themselves before the Imperial Commanders and sued for mercy. They promised to deliver up all their captives within three days and to take an oath that they would never again rebel against the Imperial authority. The district of Leipo contains altogether 26 clans of these wild men whose headmen, numbering about 500 persons, presented themselves some days later at the Prefectural town and received a sharp lecture on the rebel hous character of their past behaviour. They all showed a penitent spirit, and begged that they might be leniently dealt with. A day was fixed for a grand military demonstration at which they were to receive an object lesson in the expediency of making no further attempts at rebellion and were, according to savage custom, to drink blood in token of their submission. Presents of cloth, wine, salt, embroidery, and silver medals were distributed amongst them and were received with rapturous delight. Two of the headmen were retained as hostages and the remainder were allowed to return to their haunts. The memorialists dwell at considerable length upon the results attained by these expeditions. In all some ten fought; over 2,000 of the savages were killed and seventy of their strongholds Were cai Now that the most tur-bu lent clans have been completely subdued, the submission of the others is likely to prove permanent, The memorial concludes with a list of the officers for whom rewards are solicited in recognition of their. services against the aboriginal tribes Decree already published.
24th March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.