Like locusts the Communists ate everything in their march from the south, so. any return in that direction Is not very inviting. West, across the Yangtze, "would lead them Into 'Tibetan' country, and into a land of plenty. "However, they would be faced by well-trained Lhasa troops who might give them a very uncomfortable time which might probably end in their extermination. Whatever happens, Ho, Hsiao, Chu ahd Hsu northwest of Tachienlu and they Would no doubt like to take this Jewel of Sikang but Gen, Li has the ily well-fortined,—well-garrisoned and well-provisioned.
We heard that three men were put fo death at the gold diggings, Gen, Li has a largo army under him and he is determined to maintain law and order along the frontier, Hundreds and thousands of refugees. from Mowkong, Danba, Tsonghua and Shuching came to Tachienlu seeking an asylum from the Red menace, many of them having hurriedly to Teave their possessions and flee for safety.
Some months ago someone struck gold a few miles outside the north gate and to-day hundreds of miners are engaged digging gold. A. whole is staked out which costs anything from $10 to $20 and four or five men begin to dig. "Usually some merchant on the street provides. the capital, feeds the men and collects gold. But for this gold digging Adventure we might have had very serious famine conditions in the city, followed by sickness, disease and pestilence, Now the refugees have work to do and are happy searching for gold.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.