THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11924, 24 December 1900, Page 2

THE CRISIS IN CHINA.

THE PAO-TING-FU EXPEDI-

TION.

(Fnoit Oun Special Cor.REsroxnKNT.)

TIENTSIN, November 2.

At the China Inland Mission in 1100-Ju, in the prefecture of Pao-ting-fu, in the metropolitan province of Chih-lh, some 100 miles distant south-west from Peking, and 120 miles from Tientsin, were stationed Mr and Mrs Green and Miss .1. Gregg. Mr and Mrs Green had a girl of five and a. boy of three. When the Boxer sedition came to a. head the missionaries left their quarters on Friday, July 6. and passed the night in a temple near' the hills. The rustics, under fear of Boxer vengeance, turned them out of this retreat after three days, when a friendly native showed them a cave in the hillside. Hero, for two days and three nights, they spent an uncomfortable time. Tho owner was well-disposed, and proved more than the proverbial friend in need. The refugees left their cave at night. They remained with the new friend, who found them'in food and drink for a whole month, slaying under cover all day, and only venturing out for fresh air and exercise at night and twilight.

AH this month Yu-Hsiou's followers were scouring tlio hills in the hopes of discovering the Greens and other foreign refugees. Oiie day, August 9, they heard an angry mob in the farmer's steading threatening the life of their benefactor. .Sortie villain had betrayed thorn. The searchers said they were about to burn down tho premise?, unless the farmer at once produced the foreign devil?. Mr Green, to prevent the sacrifice of his protector, at once crept out of the hole, and was promptly shot in the back, head, and legs by a Boxer, at fire yards' range. The weapon was a sporting gun, and the charge was buckshot. Of course, he fell, wounded in many rlac.es, and streaming with blood. The brutes then dragged the two ladies and the little children out, and inarched them off in a terrible scene, with every mark of scorn, ignominy, and obscene insult to the Yamen at Hoo-lu. The courtyard was crowded with a seething, yelling pack of fiends, howling for tlipir instant death, and using every expression of contumely and ribald profanity. The mandarin began raging at them for not seeking his protection in the first place. This was sheer hypocrisy on his port; for Mr Green had done so only to meet with rude refusal. All,the man now did was to order them to be taken to Pao-ling-fu to the Provincial Treasurer, now acting as Viceroy, the notorious anti-foreigner and arch-trimmer .Tung Ting, pro torn. He sent them to the llonian Catholic mission premises at Chang Tung-fu. On their arrival at this city the people refused to open the. gates, not that they objected to Mr Green's party, but he-, cause they distrusted his Boxer escort. Tho Chong-lung-fn people had learned to appreciate the patriots at their intrinsic merit, and resolutely r?fu*ed to let them in. much to Mr Green's dismay. There was nothing for it but a return to Hoo-lu, where, on arrival, they were ordered to Pao-ting. Mr Green guesses that some occult friendly influence was exercised in their favour, possibly that of the Rib-prefect; but probably the news that a large foreign army was now rushing- on Peking, had some instigating influence. The journey was made under conditions of excessive discomfort. At Pno-tins-fu. the mob surrounded them again, and threatened their lives. The official, after some delay, received them, professed sympathy, and promised help. 'Air Green, however, was put in the common gaol, and the ladies treated very scurvily. They stayed the day while ;\ boat was being not ready to take them to Tientsin. The Mandarin was apparently' trimming as hard as ho oould. Tho escort left them at the boat, and when they had gone downstream three miles, eight armed Boxers appeared .(their former t-;»ptnrs>, and when they had been joined with four of the brotherhood from l'ao-ting-fu they boarded the boat, and accompanied the party downstream. About thirty miles from Pao-ting in they passed Sin-nan, a walled town on the bant: of tho river, about a mile lower down, tae boat, was suddenly pushed ashore, and Boxer Xo. 1 told them he had orders from their quasi friend, tho magistrate, to kill them. Ho added : " We. however.' are not anxious to have the sin of unnecessary murder on our minds. You are plainly going to die of sickness anyway, to we are. going to turn yon out of the boat, and let you shift for yourselves."

This was done, the little party taking refuge among- the tall millet. They had. no stoves, no food, no money, and only the indifferent clothes they stood in. 'ihe rainy season was ii-il on, and the thermometer stood at' 93tleg to lOldeg. Their first experience was a terrific thunderstorm-, in whicu they were drenched to the skin. It also gave them'a limited supply of drinking water, mostly obtained by sucking their sodden straw hats.

After consul ta lion, they resolved to go bark to Sin-nan and throw themselves on the mercy of the merchants and officials. It was a happy decision to go back to Sin-run, for had they gone on in the Tientsin direct-ion they must have found a village where, on that very day, a Roman Catholic priest was put to death, with over)- accompaniment of horror and atrocity. At dnsk they passed-a hut, and asked for help. A lad came out. ami as ho seemed sympathetic: they ventured to pound him about a boat to Tientsin, promising a large reward. He promised his help, and started off, ostensibly to engage a friend and his boat; but he soon came back, and while iv the middle of a long story of what i c i.r.d done was suddenly interrupted by a man with a drawn sword, followed by a crowd of iirmed and infuriated Boxers. The Hi tie party was dragged out by the hair of their heads, raid savagely beaten on the head, back, and hands (women and children included) with blunt sword." and spears. Their arms were bouuJ behind their bodies to their feet, right hand to right foot, left to left; a bamboo pole was passed between the arms and bodies behind the knee joints, so that they slung with their heads, hands, and feet all downwards, and in tliis barbarous, cruel manner .vero carried one and a-half miles to the Boxer headquarters, in a Sin-nan temple. They wero ihrown down in the puddles of ihe temple oqurt, Mr Green bogging for a brick'to raise his wife's head out of the wet. The braves but unhappy woman was now sutferhip: 'from acute dysentery. They further ffvantal Miss Qrepw Ui«

privilege of having her hands tied in front instead of behind, but they refused to do as much for Mr Green. The little party passed the night under these, terrible conditions. At dawn tho Boxers resolved to interrogate before taking action. They were incredulous when Mr Green told his story. They could not believe that any Boxers could ever have let foreign prisoner? go without killing them. They were so amazed at Mr Green's recital that they resolved to send to Pao-ting-fu to get it corroborated. During this respite the unlucky prisoners were allowed to walk in tho large room of (he temple. Mr Green's wounds were worse than ever, and he was in the last condition of co'lapso.. For some occult reason they were

next day unbound and allowed to move about, but always accompanied by armed Boxers.1 They wore given millet soup, which ivas welcomed as .1 royal gift in their miserable condition. After three days the messengers camo hick, nnd a coimc.it was held, at which Mr Giee'i was told that, notwithstanding the order that all foreigners were, to die, those at the council were asked to risk the auger of the Hoxp.v leaders by sending the party down to Tientsin. This unexpected change nf attitude could not be understood at 'the time, but later on the reason for it became clear. The captives now for the. first time got cood frod and water, and Mr Green's wounds were attended to.

_ After a few days the extreme party lose jp force, and made sn determined an attempt to play the foreigners that the moderate party had to hide the Greens in a small, recess in Iho temple as the only possible way of escape from death. Next day a commissioner came in hot haste from Pao-tinß-fu with imperative orders to send the fugitives all hack to Pao-tirnr if alive. This was the first result of .lung Tung's sudden conversion to an interest in miiisipnaries and a suspicion of Boxers, due to a hint from the Prefect that his own (.Tung Tung's) head now noedod some looking after, as Pao-ting was to be the next object of attack by the Allies, liven then the fury of (lie extreme fanatics made, exit from the town dangerous. The (ireons had to be taken out at. night, nnd had to embark five miles, up stream. On arriving tlio second time at Pao-ting-fu they learned in part the secret of the sudden Interest in their safety. The British Consul in Tionlsien had written to the officials that if they did not instantly save the British subjects kijown to be in .Simian they would be held collectively and individually responsible, and would have to explain their conduct to the British force now en route to exact vengeance or inflict punishment. Here Mr Green's wounds were treated, and the shots at last mostly extracted, Miss Grigg being the surgeon, and a needle and a penknife the instruments. But even here medicine and dressings could not be got. It was in this haven of comparative reft that Mr and Mrs Green received their last nnd most irreparable blow. Their little girl became ill and died. Her heartbroken parents have brought her remains to Tientsin for burial. . On October 2 the French contingent of the Peking field force reached Pao-ling. Next day the English-speaking interpreter unobservodly threw a pellet of paper to Mr Green : "Don't bo afraid: you are all safe. Your friends, with troops.'have arrived." He later on went to the commander of the Zouaves, Colonel Drode. and told him the circumsUni'c-; of the British captives. The French were kindness and courtesy embodied. They removed the family to their camp, brought medical aid. and did everything that thoughtful sympathy could_ suggest. They were afterwards Font to Tientsin, where they arrived on October 27. The day before they left Pao-ting they met Mr and Mrs Griffith's and child and Mr Brown, of the China Inland Mission. The Griffiths had a pathetic tale to tell. Hardship and privation were their lot. They had been looking for the Greens in Hoolu, and had wandered as homeless outcasts, persecuted and hunted from place to place, until they were taken in by tha bishop, priests, nuns, and five railway engineers who were in the cathedral at Chen-tung-fu. The good Catholics and Frenchmen treated them as brothers.