They then left the beat as ordered, with only the eto had on their parsons; and hid themselves in the tall millet reeds that grow slong the banks of the river. A' violent thunderstorm which lasted upwards of two hours notan in the evening and cooled the air, but drenched them through and through tothe skin. Its only advantage wast it brought them the much-needed drinking water, for they had been the live-long days, at the hottest time of the year when our troops marching on Peking were bowled over by sunstroke, without covering, kept continuously without water of any kind.
Hitherto Me. Green hal tried to creep to the bank of the river and Indic up some of the turbid witer in the children's stron hats—no other vess: l being available—and all the members of the famished party very eagerly licked moistened straw to endeavour to assuage their thirst and obtain some moisture for their cracked and parched lips und tongues.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.