For some 10 days after the capture of the two ladies, the band was surrounded on several occasions, but each time escaped, the chief concern of the pursuing soldiers apparently being to gather in loot abandoned! by the retreating brigands, and in this way they considerably enriched themselves. Official arrangements to prevent their crossing the railway were sufficiently late to enable the bandits to get over without difficulty, and they then proceeded in a westerly direction and made a five-days' journey to the foot-hills without being seriously menaced by the soldiers. They met with a severe reverse when were about 30 i west of Lushan, being there ambushed by a strong force of village militia. The villagers put up a_ great fight and were rewarded with the capture of a large number of horses and carts, a big sum of money and a quantity of misceltaneous loot, and there seems to be little doubt that had the military ce-operated! with the village ers the bandits would practically have been wiped out, for they were short of ammunition and did not return the fire against them. The villagers were greatly annoyed when they received the Governor's warning, Late as usual, as to the approach of the bandits, and offering a reward! of $10,000 for the release of the ladies. One can appreciate their sincere expressions of regret that this news reached them too late to induce a little more enterprise in attack.
The bandits thus safely reached their rest camp, where they had ample supplies of ammunition, etc. The soldiers did! not. reach Lushan until eight days after the band had entered the hills, and several days' delay ensued before active preparations for the attack were taken in hand. Through the British Vice-Consul, the Governor authorized Mr. Joyce to negotiate with the brigands, the terms to be offered being a pardon and ransom upon the ladies' immediate release. My. Joyce visited their camp on October 23, and found the brigand chief impervious to any other offer than that of enrolment in the army.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.