Travellers report that recently it has been impossible to get transport in Honan to the railway, as the country is in ai very disturbed state. The rumour here is to the effect that robber bands are massing to the number: of several thousands in West Honan, towards the Shensi border. Largely composed of soldiers of the late Governor,—these forces are wel] trained, officered and armed, and among the populace there are many taking advantage of the present disorder to start independent brigandage.
We are told that a number of these ruffians managed by sundry ways to get over the Yellow River into Shansi, notwithstanding the rigid military precautions at public ferries. On reaching the appointed rendezvous in Pingluhsien, the local official gave them ample entertainment, persuaded them that any raids in this province would certainly be disastrous to the invaders and sent them back into the war zone. At the same time, while the Shansi troops guarding the river can easily prevent: the landing of any large body of men, it is not so easy to prevent small parties punting across in out-of-the-way places and causing trouble in villages, or to travellers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.