Predicted Darkness Fails To Materialize: How To Escape The Bandit's Eye From Our Own. Correspondent, Suchien, N. Ku., Sept. 28.
Suchien, - people, like many others, have' peen living in dread of the 16th of the 8th month, and the - predicted darkness. We have been having dull sunless days, but to-day, the 16th of the Chinese month, the sun rose, early in all his glory, and dispelled the fears of the fearful. So much has been talked about the "coming woes" that a few days ago, our magistrate put out a. proclamation forbidding any talk on the subject. Of course the talk went on but secretly, With the exception of the north country, the ufci have this summer given Suchien a wonderful respite. Your correspondent wonders if perhaps they have done the work so thoroughly for a good many years that there are not many wealthy families now outside the city. Coming home by water to Suchien, your correspondent only heard once, that the tufei had passed through a certain place; usually, the scare went on from start to end of journey.
The British Consul sent such instructions before us, that at Tsingkiangpu there were nob only soldiers but policemen' anxious to telegraph to Chinkiang our safe arrival.
SOARING PRICES, Prices of everything are soaring very high, and yet, in spite of this, the streets are crowded with purchasers. The general opinion is that it is no use to hoard and grow rich, only to attract the tufei; better cat and get the good of it yourself.
The autumn harvest has been good; but the carly harvest of wheat was much damaged by winds, just before it was cut. Sweet potatoes promise an extra good harvest, and as these are the main food of the very poorest one feels glad.
The large temple—on the only eminence in Suchien—that was blown up by some one stealing gunpowder stored there has been rebuilt, most of the money bein, contributed by the merchants a priests in another temple.
From all accounts, the season just passed has been a very hot one. Now we are still having hot days but beautifully cool nights. The Canal has considerably fuller water than usual at this time of. the year.
The schools are'all in full swing, and well attended.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.