Yuan has proved himself wonderfully efficient, and a-call on him revealed a most pleasing personality. The soldiers under his orders are a marvel in comparison with the ordinary Chinese levies. Well-dressed, well-fed, well-behaved, quiet, strong-limbed, guns in perfect order—ivhat contrast to the slipshod, brawling, opium-smoking rabble one has been accustomed to see. With skilful and courageous officers these men impress one as likely to give a good account of themselves. One little incident on the way from Chivanfu was quite significant. The writer had the misfortune to have a finger quite painfully smashed in the overturn ofa cart on which he was riding, A soldier of the escort proved himself quite handy in dressing the wound. The contrast to the ordinary callousness and bungling of the Chinese was pleasing, and shows that much more than ordinary care as been taken in their training,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.