We are indebted to the Chins Toland Mission for the following letter Fongsiangfu, Shensi, 20th November, 1900.
To the Secretary of the China Inland Mission, Shanghai.
Dear'Sir,—I take the liberty to inform you that a very severe famine is ravaging the Hsian Plain, Some compare it with the Great Famine, and find in the latter some redeeming features which are absent in the present famine—notably the impossibility to-day to raise money by sale of property or otherwise. Government aid, you are aware, can only reach the sufferers in a very reduced form. I thought it my duty to write this letter, as some of your Shensi missionaries would and not be the sight of starving multitudes, whom they might, to a certain extent, have relieved, if forewarned, Would' you also kindly inform Mr. Evans Morgan, of the Baptist Mission We have been living these six months with the sword of Damocles suspended over our heads; but by the energy of our noble Acting-Governor, Tuan, it was prevented from descending. In Hanchang an Italian and 24 Christians were done to death by Kolao Hui. Fifteen missionaries, refugees from Mong Shansi and Shensi, were besieged during 40 days by Mongolians and Boxers in Inchiaoliang, in the Yiilingfu district, just outside the Great Wall. By the retirement of the besiegers, they escaped, having lost a priest and two Christains shot. In the sine prefecture, a Cvinese priest and_three Christians having fled across the Yellow River, pursued by Boxers, met their death by being shut up ina cave and smothered by smoke. The Governor's cavalry thearttempts of Boxers to attack our iss'ons; the Christians in Luton, 70 li east of Hsian, beat off a body of rebels, taking four prisoners.
Ths arrival of the Empress and cohort was confidently regarded by the Pagans ay destined to be fatal to Christians. Ca the contrary, it has restored peace and security. No Boxers appeared and they are supposed to have been dispersed, which accords with the previously issued proclamations for the suppression of that murderous sect. The bulk of troops urn, the Emperor and Empress entering Hsianfu with, it is said, 3,000 soldiers, on the 20th October. She took up her quarters with her household in the neighbourhood of the Tartar city, the Court officials being accommodated in the different yamens. It is further stated that their Pagan Majesties entered in open chairs, looking sad and broken-hearted. Princes Tuan and Chuang, deprived of all ceateye aid are acid for beeve, fled. the titles and possessions, were forbidden the
following night, to Kansu. Tung Fu-hsiang though still in command, was likewise shut out. Yd Hsien, Governor of Shansi, is supposed to have swallowed poise attempt by Tung Fu-hsiang's sok occupy our Northern church premises was, on our complaining, frustrated by the outgoing Acting-Governor, the noble Toan, with a warning to the soldiers that molestation of Christians would not be tolerated. The new Governor, to our congratulatory letter on his accession to office, replied that from his heart and soul he desired to protect foreigners and Christians and would leave nothing undone to that effect. Ho immediately issued a strongly worded protective edict, engaging the res-Pagans gushed their teeth, but bent their ponsibility of the local' Mandarins. The
heads, as on account of the presence of the Imperial Court, they could no longer impugn the edict as unauthorised and venal.
The latest news is that Tung Fu-hsisng's legions are being disbanded, at least so say the groups of men returning by Fungsiang to Kansu.
Excuse this lengthy epistle, but I thought some particulars would interest our friends of Shensi.
Yours faithfully.
(Signed) Hvon. far as Lam nara, has everyetore Veen Allow me to add that your property, as
respected. A robbery was effected in Lungeheo, but by the energy of the Mandarin' everything, I believe, was recovered. The missionaries from that locality, who passed my residence at Paohsien unknown to me, and who, as the superior race, elicited no small admiration from our Christians, were said to have been butchered later in Hanchong; but it was evidently a misstatement referring to the Italian priest and Christians. They were said later to be hiding away in Cheo-chih, and finally all your missionaries were maid' to be congregated in Sanyuan, near Kaolin.
After their passage, the mountain route, said to be guarded by Hungshang brigands against Europeans, became very dangerous, so that the Belgians of Huaishien (Kansu) ordered by the Mandarin to quit, dared not expose themselves to what they considered a trap, By procrastinating, they inmaged to huid on, as the decree of expulsion according to the Tribunalists refereed more to the English and not so much to the Belgians, who had aided the Chinese to beat the Bnylish, a reference perhaps to Admiral Seymour's heroic expedition and an explanation perhaps of the supposition that there were some captured Europems among the Chinese gunners, Another little item—At the commencement of the trouble, shea it was necessary to reassure the people, a proclamation appeared that it was only a Jocal incident, a falling out in Peking between English Protestants and Vegetatians, that the latter, in the heat of the dispute had gone beyond the limits of legality by burning down houses of loyal subjects, an exuberance on their part, which her Imperial Majesty had readily condoned,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.