BURNING OF FOUR EUROPEANS IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 221, 28 July 1864, Page 6

BURNING OF FOUR EUROPEANS IN CHINA.

The first fruit of Gordon's movement against Yihshing has been the discovery of the fate of the four unfortunate Europeans who were on board the steamer Firefly at the time she was carried oft'to the rebels. The vessel was boarded during the night, as she lay at anchor in the harbour, by a number of foreigners, who made prisoners of the four officers, who only were on board, got up steam, and carried the vessel off to Howcliow, and eventually through the Taiho and up the Gi-and Canal, to Woosih. At the latter city the captain, Dolle, and three other officers, were landed and detained as prisoners, as it now appears, until the diy previous to its evacuation by the rebels. The fate of the unfortunate men remained a mystery until the 24th Feb., when Gordon marched through "Woosih on his way to lih-shing. The city itself was so ruinous that no quarters couKl be found for the troops, and, at the recommendation of the guides, they went on to a small village, called Hwei-suan-shan, at the foot of a hill, on which stands a large pagoda, known as the Paon-tai-shan. The murder was discovered here through an old woman, who, when she saw the foreign officers of the contingent, conveyed the information that four similar " barbarians" had been killed at the foot of this pagoda. She pointed out a paved yard, in which was found a coat known to be similar to one worn by Martin, the mate of the Firefly, together with the lower part of his waistcoat containing a handkerchief, marked with his name. Apenknite, several other pieecs of foreign clothing, and some fragments of burnt bone, were also lying about, and led to the grave in which were found four bodies, answering in size to those of the missing men. The old woman said thov had been burnt, and from the charred appearance of the skeletons, to' which pieces of scorched" skin were still adhering, it was evident that the horrible tale was true. The remainder of the waistcoat of which a piece had been picked up was found round the neck,of one of the bodies, and, with the long light hair still adhering to the skulls, was sufficient to remove all doubt as to identity. information could be gathered as to who ordered the execution, further than that Cantonese rebels were the perpetrators. If, however, the evidence of a Chinese servant of one of the men who was detained on board the Frelly, but has since escaped, may be trusted, the guilt of this horrible murder must be attributed to the Chung-wang. Woosih was evacuated by the rebels on the 12tli Dec., the garrison retreating on Chang-chow. lie made inquiry of the fugitives concerning the fate of his masters, and was told that Chung-wang had ordered their execution, which was carried out by tying their hands behind their backs and burning them over a fire. The discovery of tliewords "Dec. 11" written in several places on the wall of a neighbouring ruin with burnt stick corroborates this story; it was evidently a last attempt by the unhappy men to give a clue to their lite. But though the actual guilt of perpetration may rest on Chung-wang, it is on the Futai of Kiang-su that the original blame must fall. The Firelly was retaken by the Imperialists, after two or three desperate efforts, succeeded in carrying them, and burnt the hull. 'J'he machinery and guns, however, remained uninjured, and were carried off by the rebels to Changchow as soon as the Imperialists retired. It is said they are now endeavouring to build a new hull; and as tliej- have one or two good engineers among their European officers, it is not improbable that they m»}" succeed.

Cool. —A recruit in tlie Third N. H. Regiment, while the " long roll" was boating furiously, and thi* rebels expected every moment to be in camp, quiedy put his head out of liis tent and asked the colonel, who was standing near, "if they should come out with dress coats or blouses."—American J'uper. Men* ivho Mistook their Calling.—Mr. Charles Matthews made his first appearance in the character of a student of architecture. Ben Johnson was apprentice to a bricklayer, and then enlisted for a soldier, before he set up as a wit-combatant with Shakespeare, and fell out with Inigo Jones, who wis associated with him in the production of the fanciful Court masques of his day, and before he was a member of the club Sir Walter Raleigh founded, and wrote that song, " Drink to me only with thine eyes, that lies like a loose pearl among his more lengthy works. James Cook, the navigator, instead of running away to sea like another Robinson Crusoe, was apprenticed to a small country shopkeeper, wlio, however, directing the wistful glancss the lad cast towards the ocean, returned him his indentures. A 3 a reverseto thisexample, enacted within remembrance, Clarkson Stnnfield, It. A., went to sea instead o' ' 1 "? 1 " ing his steps straightway to a studio. Air. Charles Dickens and the younger Disraeli both mistook the ll roads on first setting out in life, thinking a law) ei' s ollico lay in tlieir right paths. Barry Cornwall i into the same error. Mi. Tliackery likewise lost way at first, and tarried in Rome. David Rober *, K. A., climed the ladder that led to his present tion from the level of a house-painter's apprentice, and with an interval of noviciateship spent as _ painter in Drury Lane Theatre. ATr. ■ uos coquetted with the brush before he took up the p as vigorously as Bishop Colenso attacked alg>before he distinjjuijhod hime«?lf hs 6 theologi^ ll