Meitan reached Ichang from Chungking about 5.30 p.m., having on board as passengers Mr. and Mrs. Leonard of the Canadian Methodist Mission, with their five children. After taking supper at the China Inland Mission, Mr. Leonard returned to the str. Meitan to fetch his steamer trunks, being accompanied by Messrs. Olesen and Squire of the-C.I.M.
iving back at the Mission landing stage, the two C.I.M. men went up ta the house for a lantern, leaving Mr. Leonard on the boat in charge of the eight steamer trunks No sooner had Mr, Olesen returned with the lantern and the coolies had lifted two steamer trunks on to the shore, when severa) soldiers appeared and demanded that the box: should be opened for inspection. The two missionaries protested that they had nothing contraband, but as the soldiers were persistent, they were told the keys would he fetched from the house The soldiers then held a short con sultation, and some of them disappeared, soon reappearing with forceements armed with clubs, with which they at once began to batter open the trunks. Mr, Olesen attempted to make his way to the Mission house, but was roughly six ed and struck in the back, one man drawing a knife and threatening to stab him if he offered any resistance, while another brandished a club over him and dared him to move. As the lids of the trunks cave way. the soldiers excitedly gathered round. and Mr. Oh took the chance and slipped into the darkness, and reaching the Mission house, ghvo the alarm. He with Mr. Sauire intended setting off at once to the Consulate. but on reaching the front; gate found: a cordon of soldiers drawn vu harring their exit. These soon retired, however. and the two missionaries went to the Consulate. The Consul promptly went off to the military camp and after a little delay received a gnard of about a dozen soldiers. and all proceeded to the O.1.M. landing state.
Meanwhile the soldiers had decamped, carving off two large trunks with them. Seeing the condition of things. as soon as the looting began. Mr. Leonard got his boat with the remaining six trunks on board. unshed out into the river and took them back to the str. Meitan.
Next morning one of the trunks was found a short distance away, smaehed beyond repair and completely empty, and near it were two soldiers' cans and an identification tag of a soldier named Chang P'eihsin of the 13th brigade.
Retey or TERROR.
A reign of terror now exists in Ichang and the soldiers seem to have it all their own way. Bands of them
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.