In this section, I might say within a large region, stretching north over a hundred miles, and to the east and west perhaps as far, the conditions are quite the reverse. As a result, within a radius of thirty miles, local bands of robbers are rising all over the country. To the west there are places being "pillaged every night. (This is the region where the Boxer business got a start two years ago.) Highwayman, mounted, frequently attack trave ellers on the roads, seizing their bundles and galloping off. Within the last few nights the soldiers have turned out to guard the mission premises. As they have done this unrequested, it shows both ther determination to protect and that they have reason to fear an attack on our premises. Your average Chinese official does not put himself to extra trouble and expense without good reason therefor!
On the evening of the 12th, a missionary and family coming from the south stopped at a market town, 25 miles from here. Their inn yard was soon filled with a reckless mob, yelling and reviling. They attempted repeatedly to force their way into the rooms of the mother and children, breaking down the door, ete. The sionary remonstrated until he saw that Temonstrances were of no avail, when he pulled a revolver and threatened to shoot the leader if he advanced another step. The crowd "read shoot in his eye" and fel! back, but made up in vile language and expectorations for their failure to loot and injure the foreigners. There was encampment of soldiers only short distance off, but although corta ly aware of all that had happened, o ally the commander could be said to now nothing about the affair, ud did nothing.
The writer knows the place well—as a noted encampnrent of Boxers. That there were Boxers in the crowd which made the above attack, is as certain as anything in China which everyone knows is xo, and which cannot be proved. It is also certain that the possession of a loaded revolver and the determination to use it, if necessary, alone saved this gentleman and his family from being looted and outraged, if not murdered.
Mth May.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.