At the end of the third day on the way back to Yencheng, we reached the village where the week previously, our had been entertained, 10 welcome wns afforded us, but instead, the gates were closed as the people actually feared harm from soldier protectors of their district. Our worthy Braves were 80 righteously indignant, that they threatened to bombard the place if the doors were not opened to us. Eventually this was done, and same night the soldiers' insisted that for the sake of adequate protection we should mest in the village and not on the boat, 'The next day we learnt the rea son why of such forethought, We were to stay in the village to give them more freedom to help themselves to whatever they desired of the villagers' possessions. Some of the loot found its way on to our boat, Tt awas with great relief that the next day before noon the whistle of train engine was heard, and the Indies and school girls' with us, were eager for the first sight of the railway bridge. We were allowed to go without one more difficulty however, for on arrival, the Captain came' along and with his followers around him asked for compensation their 60. 1 of escort. I told that, of cour they should be allowed their living, but I pointed our that I had areas suffered the loss of home, and that tens of thousands were ' involved, and so argued that the matter of compensation must be specially considered before paid. This in the end caused them to think that it was better to go without. In Chowkiakow Chinese persistently. told me that some 600 men of the same Division had helped in the bandit raid on Chowkiakow where of course we had suffered, If this indeed be true it is no wonder that our men refrained from pressing for escort payment,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.