Presbyterian North Honan Mission, who was amongst the passengers from Hankow by the str. Kiangyii, has, with o-her missionaries and their families, had a terrible experience in the flight from Changtéfu. He told his tale to our representative the other day and at the time was wearing a bandage round his head consequent upon a sword wound received in an attack upon his party by Chinese bandits.
Mr. Goforth said—All was quite peacoable in the city when we left on the 28th of June, but there were rumours of fighting in the North, especially amongst the Find oficial protection and the officers of the outlying market towns. We
seemed desirous of aiding us, but we had peace. We were told, t.ough, that if the Boxers came our safety could not be guaranteed, willing as they were to do 50. It was just at this time the Consul advised us fo go to Chinanfu, as there was a steamer lying there chartered to take off refugees. As soon as we heard this we asked the prefect to let us have an escort. He treated us very discourteously, leaving us waiting in an outer room and would not receive us. There were crowds of natives outside jeering at us. Only the gatekeeper showed a friendly disposition, taking our message in to the prefect. He came back saying the prefect refused to do anything fur us. We told him we know the Treaties and that he must grant us an escort and send word to the next district that, night that woe wore coming. When leaving I said, "The Foreign Powers have seized Taku end a settlement of this- trouble must come." Next day he sent over saying we could have all we wanted, but that the carte: s would not go to the N.E. He said, "If you go to the South I will give you 2 good escort, but only to Fancheng I can only send word from place to place." He sent soldiers and deputies to Weihsien fu and but for them we should have had a very hard time. When stopping at an inn, after the deputies left, the natives thiew stones over ino the inn-yard.
We got soldiers and deputies at W. hsien fu and from there to the south of the Yellow River we had perfect peace. The Hsinsze refused and sent some underlings with us instead of deputies. At the Yellow River I met Mr. Jameson, the engineer, and we had the benefit of his escort, otherwise things would have gone hard with us. This was now the Ist of July. We travelled together and when we reached Nanyang prefecture, Mr. Jameson, who was anxious for the safety of himself and us, as he had not sufficient force to protect us all, said he had heard the district was disturbed and that Ite would try to make 30 li overnight. Wo were to stay at Hsintien, a market town. Ho would go on to Nanyang, the prefect tural town, and get troops to guard both parties. We decided to divide our party taking separate roads. Mr. Jameson divided his escort to help us and said he would get another for us. In this Mr. Jameson failed, the pref-ct saying they were at war with other countries and could have nothing to do with any of us. We only heard this next morning. About two hours after arrival on the evening of the 7th, our innkeeper brought in a report that there were 70 armed men coming to take the inn and all we had. These men asked for money and were refused. Word was sent to the mayor that we held him responsible for us that night and he sent a man off with one of our men to the native magistrate and we sent a letter by the men to Mr. Jameson telling him of the state of affairs. We barricaded the inn gates with carts and all sorts of things, and collected stones, ete., for our defence inside the yard. All passed quietly that night. Our messenger came back from the prefecture saying Mr. Jameson had had no success there and we should have to make our way the same as he did there was no hope of help from him. 'The Hsien magistrate did send out a few unarmed men, after we had asked for men fully armed, and our carters refused to go on until' we guaranteed to pay them for all their losses. This delayed our start until 8.30 a.m. Then the mayor of the town ordered us to go, saying he would send an armed escort down and see us 30 li from the place. He knew he was ronding us into a trap and showed hi duplicity very clearly. When we started the streets were crowded with people and the walls were swarming with them. Outside the south gate there were at least 10,000 spectators. Presently we saw two bands of several hundreds, armed with swords, spears and guns, one lot standing in a body waiting for us to come to them and the other was along the wall ready for a rear attack. There was nothing for it but to go-on, our little band numbering 11 adults (5 men), and 5 children. We had only three revolvers amongst us. The whole crowd came on us with a rush. They began pelting stones at our covered carts, but fortunately we had them lined and covered with rugs on account, of the heat and none of the missiles came through. Failing in this, they cut our animals across the back with swords and when they were all tangled up we had defend ourselves. I got 9 wounds on ins arms and hands, the only serious one being ov the head at the back of the skull. That mocked me over for. a while; I also got 8 blows with: clubs, one partly stunning me, and I, felt pretty well all gone. They also attacked the cart where my wife and
a desperate stab at my wife, but she warded tie blow with a pillow.' Another cut was made,' but she stopped its effect with a quilt. My little boy of 9 had many narrow escapes, also my little girl of 6. Taking my wife and family aw-y from the cart we left the horde to plunder it. Some of them followed us into the open saying: "We'll not let, you go further south; we will kill you." The little girl got a' heavy blow on the breast from a large piece of dried earth. My wife pleaded to them, speaking of their usual kindness to chi dren, and that seemed to have good effect as they then left us. We next reached a village where we were a good deal better treated, the people giving us medicine for our wounds, and_also food and clothes for the children. One of my four little ones was away in another cart and these people at once said they would find her and bring her back. They were Mahommedans, these folk. They were alarmed at Our prosenec and wanted us to leave, saying we all would be killed. The men, however, said they would fight for Regarding another member of the party, Mr. Gritiiths, Mr. Goforth said He had a revolver and. it was broken in his hand by a stone at the first of the attack. Ho then got a big club and, with his back to the cart, fought like a' hero, keeping the swordsman at bay although being badly cut. Mr. McKenzie used his revolver to frighten the mob, and ho too was severely bruised. Dr. Leslie, who was most seriously injured, also had a revolver. His wife had been very ill for some time and he was guarding her when a fellow sneaked up with a sword and nearly severed his right hand, rendering it, by the way, useless for life as the main tendon was severed. He was cut, too, on the knee and the tendon of one leg was cut through making him lam for life. As for myself, I got a blow across the neck with either the back of a sword or a very blunt one. At first I thought my head was half off, and for a day or two after found it painful to speak above a whisper. Dr. Leslie's wounds are healing now, and expect my head to be well in a month. At first I thought I might have a chance to go up north with the Army as inter-prefer or chaplain, but that hope is gone, and I am going home invalided.
At one time when Dr. Leslie and his wife were going along in their cart a man come up and attacked them with a sword. The doctor had only one cartridge left, in "his revolver and, as there was nothing else for it, he shot the mau in the head, kil-him. The rest of our party, consist-of three men and three women and child of seven had gone on ahead and they were "held up" by robbers. The women put their rings and watches on strings round their necks and inside their dresses, and the ruffians tore their clothes open and wrenched the jewellery off with truly brutal force. "They actually started to tear the women's skirts off, but a remonstrance as to the shamefulness of such conduct by one of the party caused them to stop this. From the villagers on the way, they begged food and drink, but none would help them. I sent word to the Brigadier-General of one of the towns for help and he sent out 15 horsemen, but. he really did us more harm than good. He told the people in a low voice that there was war going on and that they had no right to protect us, and then he went, off to the city, leaving us to come on as best. we could. This officer was the Chantai Yin and his action might very easily hare resulted in e massacre. that the Mahommetazs, is the village I might niention, by way of
kad been at, told us they knew the trouble
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.