Tu our last issue we gave some particulars, received from an up-country correspondent, regarding the attack which had been made on the Pottinger Survey Expedition. They were necessarily brief, and did not bring out the whole state' of the case. Supplementary then Captain Pottinger, who is in Shanghai, has given to a representative of the Novth-Chinn Daily News the following star ment "Before reaching Chungking the sur-yoyers were attacked on the river and some instruments were broken; for this the Chungking Taotai paid up "Tls. 100, UT made him give me an escort of men with guns, and a guarantee that they should remain with me till a similar escort met me, when I entered other province: Needless to say other escorts were chiefly armed with spears and flags, and selecting 25 of the best men, I took them with me into Kueichou and Yunnan, contrary to all Chinese precedent. Consul Litton being away from Chungking, I could get no assistance from him. On leaving the river and entering the mountains we received threatening Letters telling us we must keep to the main road, and put up in inns, and not camp in their small villages in tents, otherwise the writers would Kill all the party, ete., ete. No notice was taken of these letters beyond handing them over to officials, and telling them to do what they thought. necessary. The two Indian surveyors, Hunter, and I, always took five of the escort with us, but one of the surveyors was openly attacked by a man with a sword, without injury, as the man bolted when the ssu yor drow his revolver, The escort clined to capture the man, so I offered s. 50 reward, and he was brought in in about two hours time. T made the local officials refund me the Tls. 50, flog him in my presence, and send him to the nearest, magistrate. "The report was then spread (how it originated I can't say) that we were digging up graves, and agitators even went so far as to dig up ight, then accuse us of having done this. Every day aurties of armed men were seen on the hill tops, and they fired continually, but as no damage was done and they kept at long range, no notice was taken of it. They gradually became bolder, and at last took up & position blocking a road where Hunter and I had to pass. There were about 100 men, half armed with ginguls, and the remainder with spears, swords, flags, ete. 'They. commenced a' fusillade when we were within 300 yards, but we went straight on, and Hunter and I drawing our revolvers charged. The natives stood till we ran within 50 yards, then bolted; the escort kept well to the rear first, bub were very good at pursuing. After this each escort was increased to ten."
For x month this sort of thing went on, and as T thought they were trying to frighten rather than damage us, Iwas exceedingly anxious to get through peacefully if possible, so not a shot was fired by my party, and we only rushed the enemy when' they actually blocked our way. All this was in Szechuan province, and as a result of Vu Man-tze's rebellion, the whole district was in a most less state; the officials had no authority and did nothing. We caught altogether six prisoners, had them flogged, and then sent to the nearest magistrate. On reaching the boundary, the Chishui River, between Szechuan and Kueichou, we found the ferry-boats removed, and about 1,000 men Tining the banks to prevent our passage. We could have fought our way across, but I preferred to await an answer from the Kueichou officials, who after 8 days arrived, and the party dispersed. During this delay Hunter used to work along the bank of the river, while I was always ready with a loaded rifle; as we went along they followed on the opposite bank and trained their guns on us (they had about 10 large qingals with 2 inch bores), I was prepared to fire at the first man' who lit a match, but they confined themselves to filthy abuses, and it was only by rear self-control that I could keep myself and party from yoing for them. Our escort, who at thst "funked," had now got to know us. They had been regularly paid, and seeing that Hunter and I went for the enemy when necessary, quite irrespecti of their numbers, they became really good men and would follow our lead anywhere. After the dispersal of this mob everything Seemed quiet for a few days, and Hunter and I went separate roads." He camped one night ina nullah and just after dark a crowd yethered and commenced rolling rocks down the hill on to his camp. He was therefore obliged to climb a hill and do picket duty with five men till daylight, Next day his route led through a gorge. Both sides were lined by men and the rock-rolling recommenced. From the bottom of the gorge ho was unable to see any one, so taking half his men, he started clearing the hills on one side, but the enemy came down the oth ide to attack the bogy 5 The escort without a European leader were useless, and to his disgust he found that only- about two of their guns would go off. He therefore camped on a commanding hill to await my arrival, Next morning I started from the opposite end of gorye to join The heights were still lined under a flag of truce. Hunter bad talk with the lender and warned them he would fire if opposed. On entering the gorge they commenced firing, ud rock-rolling, so Hunter shot one of the ders dead, the rest then retired up the hill, and we' met half an hour later. We then went to Pichieh, and I made the Tuotai pay TIs. 1,000, and gi for Tls. 3,000, payable to the Consul within two months.' This amount was a fine on the villages implicated in the flit, and to pay the expenses that had been incurred from work being continually delayed. T also made him sign a guarantee that the two leaders (Well-known caught and punished to the siti the Consul and that there should be no more trouble in his district. As there was no Consul present T did all th on my own responsibility. As w easily have been done for in the gorge, the Consul made the Governor send up 29 men with breech loders. The day fter they arri fter the ay ment was signed), both surveyors were attacked and four of their escort wounded. Hunter and I wont to the sime place the following day, havin ti ned the officials, every' preparation had been made to attack "us, women, children, Rint wes. ccowued with bands of from poultry, ete., had been cleared away, each
30 to 100. Hunter and T had 15 men with us and on reaching the first hill they commenced, so T yave command to open fire. The' first volley went over their heads (they were behind a natural barricade of rock). They, no_ doubt thinking we had muzzle loaders, jumped up to charge. We commenced independent firing and three men were shot dead. The attackers then bolted with some wounded ones, and we were not As this was a distinct Dreach of the Taotai's yuarantec and occurred in the sune province as Flemming's murder, I declined to treat further with the Taotai and the whole case was sent to the Consul.
After this we came across friendly officials who personally accompanied us through their districts, but for which there would certainly have been more fighting. In one place (the magistrate having accontpanied Hunter on another road) a. large armed party expressed their intention of Durning me out of a joss-house. My escort dispersed them, six being wounded with spors and' swords and some more prisoners were caught.
"Practically, for three months, we had to stand this sort of thing. As the mii was a peaceful one I never fired till solutely necessary, and, knowing that the people were more or less ignorant, I was very anxious to get the leaders punished and would not shoot more of the common herd than was necess The projected work was carried through, but I am now going to Peking to try and get the ringleaders properly dealt with and sce what steps can be taken to prevent next Season's work being interfered with. From the way the escort served us when once they knew us, I think they would make good soldiers. "Our great danger was being "rushed" at night, ias we could not get the Chinese to do proper sentry go."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.