A Demand for Ransom: Soldiers Ambushed: an Interchange of Troops From Our Own Correspondent, Pochow, An., July 4.
The disturbed conditions in this region are not getting better. The day before yesterday one of our young teachers came to us begging us to buy land from his aunt, whose son had been kidnapped by bandits and held for ransom in the sum of $5,000. She was given until July 7 to raise this sum, and the threat was made that if it were not forthcoming her son would be killed and all their property destroyed. Land at a distance from the city can scarcely be disposed of now at any price.
I heard this morning that a few ago, some 15 li south of Liu-mounted horsemen were out looking for robbers and seeing a few ahead, began to attack, when suddenly, from out of the tall grain on both sides of the road, robbers opened fire and killed six men_and an offi capturing the officer and then tying him up and shooting him. Some of the soldiers escaped and called for other troops, who chased the robbers for some 70 from-the city and were still fighting with them when the reporter of this news left Lui-hsien.
Ten 7i to the north of our city, at seven o'clock last night an engagement took place between tufei and Hongpeichang people, in which six of the latter were killed. Such things are occurring almost daily on some side of us.
Ta Tuan-chang's three ying of troops left here recently, and three other ying from Pengpu have arrived. These came in one afternoon, just before nightfall, with 115 big cartloads of people and stuff, and many women and children among them. Some-one said that as they had their famils with them, they would probably be more permanent. It is a year since Tu Tuan-chang first brought his men here.
There was only one rain really to count in June and one, so far, in July, but it has been enough to keep crops growing. We hear that wheat in what they call the lake-ground, down the river, was almost a- failure, on account of the scorching wind when in ripening ear, and so the price of wheat is now 25 per cent. higher than a month ago. the tiniest herbs. The raw materials are used to produce all of pills.and drugs.
native doctors are employed to help advertise the medicines and herbs. "The people here have a saying that after the 20th of the 2th moon is past follow the water melon seller and he will lead you to the medicine fair at Huaiking North Gate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.