The Macheng sen had, however, " mind of his own, 8" he replies in a long despatch, page 1, the gist of which is thus given in the Taotai's note attached for the Coneul he Macheng Asien petitions he has wot 5 seized any Christians, and he requests the reason he gives for his request is that the peuple were savage, and there had already been disturbances which he had pera ally gone to Sungpu to repress, and to protect the missionaries—all of which was utterly falve—and that the native Yang a removed or there would be trouble was probably true as the making of in his own hands, In the meantime the mis-ionones had got accurate particulars of what ad really happened, 0 Consul Thyen, ig their statements andthe Machénghsien's were totally opposed to each other, sends the Tantai another long despatch intimating that the missionaries proposed going to Sungpu to see for themselves, and asking for an escort if necessary. The reply to wae to ask them to wait till the Pane messenger came back from Muchéu Ultimately Messrs. Wikholm and Lind: strom goon by themselves and are most geacivusly received by the Muchéng magi trate, who sets Mesars. Li and Ho at liberty, and gives them back the money of which they had been squeezed. All parties then returned to Hokiapu where the mission. aries continued to live, having every confidence in the Macheng hsien. That gentleman gives a ling account of these transactions in a despatch to the Taotai, page 6, ending with the information that he lind explained to the missionaries how there must be no preaching place established at that place, and requesting the Taotai to get. Couaul Thyen to delay them from opening one till he had properly instructed the country people, after which they would be at liberty to come xnd carey heir work, Be follows this up with a other despatch, pave 8, intimation when the people of Sangpu had heard that the prisoners Li and Ho had been liberated they were dreadfully excited, and posted up placards calling on the 21 parishes to Gx a day for driving out the missionaries, but he had rent a couple of messengers to hinder it, and exhort the gentry not to not rashly. "Hw says Me, Wikholin had gone away, but Mr, Lindstrom still remained with the native Yang; the big feast of the fifth month was approaching and there would be trouble, ao he requests the Taotai to ask the Consul to order Messra, Lindstrom and Yang to return to Hankow immediately, which the Tanai thereupon does, THE PEOPLE NOT UOSTILE, sionaries: signs of ho lity amon st the po ple, and xs they had brough these to the attention of the jen with the names of the parties sued them, they resolved to away on pests. Meanwhile Me, Wikholm came buck to Hokinpu accompanied by Mr. Johansson, and Me. Lindstrom staried Wuchang without a thought crossing minds of any of the three of how much involved to them all in this simple exchange, THE TAOTAI'S DESPATCH, Qur next despateh, page 11, is dated 21st of the fifth moon, and is feom the Tantai to the Macheng lsien. Tt relates how on the forenoon of the previous day Consuls Thyen and Fitzvibbon, together with the missionaries Archibald and Lund, had come to hie yamen and announced that on the 18th Messrs, Wikbolm and Jhansi had dren killed bya mob at Hokiapu, They desired an escort fur the two Ixtter to yo and bring back the bodies; but on the one hayd he exhorted them not to go, and on the other requested instructions from the Viceroy, who had deputed Li, a Taotai, and x magistrate named Cheng, to go to Huangehoufa and manage the affair in concert with the prefect. Further, he hnd instructions to order the bodies to be crfiined and sent to Hankow, but on no account would missionaries be permitted to go to Sungpu again. Messrs, Wikholm and cbanason had gone there in spite of repented requests that they should not go, and though
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.