NIKOLAIEVSK 



277 



between Tien-Tsin and Pekin had been cut off, the 

 Pel-ho river turned by the Chinese, and the wells 

 poisoned, thus rendering prompt relief totally impos- 



sible. In this state of affairs, he said, and a month 

 having- elapsed since he had received the last post, 

 foreign representatives must have all fallen into the 

 hands of the Celestial fanatics. Soldiers were busy 



