L(^()T OF THE IMPERIAL SUMMER PALACE AT PEKIN. Bll 



thirty in all. wo did not know what had become of them. Wo only 

 knew the fate of the unfortunate Ader and his heroic orderly, whom 

 Colonel Walker had seen killed; but Chinese spies told us that they 

 had seen a certain lunuber of European prisoners taken in the direc- 

 tion of Pekin. The reader will see what fearfnl tortures were 

 inflicted on these unhappy beinj>-s, and in what condition they were 

 brought back to us, alive or dead. 



The Chinese reports were true and the Chinese army was taking 

 them to Pekin after Palikao, of which I shall presently relate. Two of 

 them were beheaded on the field of battle— an English ofKcer and the 

 Abbe Duluc. Afterwards when the bishop of Pekin came to Palikao 

 to look for the remains of the victims nothing was found, and it was 

 supposed that the dogs whicii had been feeding on the (;or})si's iiad 

 devoured them. 



After the battle of Changkiawan. which is the name of that just 

 described, oflicers were sent under a strong escort to declare to the 

 taotai of Tangtcheou that if our compatriots were not returned to us 

 we would uiarch on to Pekin, and those who had so traitorously sur- 

 prised them would be held responsible. The taotai replied that they 

 were oone. and he knew nothing about it. There was nothing to do 

 then but go on to the inunense Chinese capital to terrify its sovereign 

 and to ol)tain the surrender of the prisoners at any cost; the army 

 w^as unanimous on this point, from the general to the drummer ])oy; 

 every))ody said, we nuist have them back if we die here! 



AVe were a])out to march forward, but this time into the unknown, 

 without any diplomatic errand, since the negotiations were broken 

 and the negotiators dispersed; w^e were going, if I may use the expres- 

 sion, to hit liack until the Chinese begged for mercy. The small allied 

 force the next day found itself in the presence of a still larger army, 

 and again fought for its life. 



One incident of the battle may be mentioned. The Chines(> were 

 drawn up beyond the l)ridge of Palikao (a very tine one in ston(> and 

 and marble). Their army numbered about 50,000 men; there was at 

 the entrance of the bridge a Tartar of gigantic size, a sort of flag bearer 

 of the generalissimo, holding an immense yellow l)anner with black 

 characters, which he inclined in every direction, and on which the eyes 

 of the generals were fixed, for it transmitted the orders to the whole 



Chinese armv. ' , • i 



The enemy was in full retreat; the field of battle and th.' bridge, 

 which the flower of the army had defended, were tilled with corpses, 

 but this Tartar still stood there alone, abandoned by his comrades, and 

 bravely transmitting the orders which he had received The shells 

 burst and the bullets whistled around him, but he remamed nnmovabie; 

 his courage was sublime, and General Montauban exclamied. - W hat 

 a brave man! Save him!" Some soldiers sprang forward to try to 



