124 BKIGAiXDAGE; CHANCES OF SUCCESS ; 



remained in their power, so that Kan-su was not 

 entirely lost to China. The territories held by 

 the respective combatants were not only in contact, 

 but sometimes actually overlapped each other, neither 

 side takino- decisive measures to drive the other out. 



In this position of affairs petty pillaging and 

 brigandage became the primary object of the revolted 

 Mussulmans. And in the absence of nobler motives, 

 these practices speedily led to the decline of their 

 cause, ere it had time to acquire a sound political 

 basis. Instead of advancing in a compact body 

 beyond the Yellow River direct on Peking, and 

 settling beneath its very walls the question of the 

 existence of an independent Mahommedan state in 

 the east of Asia, they dissipated their forces in the 

 movements of small independent bands, chiefly bent 

 on plunder. 



Had they acted in a resolute way they might 

 have had a good chance of success. To say nothing 

 of the cowardice and demoralisation of the Chinese 

 forces, the Hwei-Hwei or Mussulmans would have 

 found a powerful support among their co-religionists, 

 who are animated by the bitterest hatred to the 

 Manchu, and would gladly have joined their ranks. 

 If it be remembered that I slam ism numbers from 3^ 

 to 4 millions ^ of adherents in China Proper, superior 

 in energy and religious organisation, it can scarcely 



isin is one of his halting-places (ii. 32), and if so the true place is very 

 doubtful.— Y. 



' According to an approximate calculation by the Archimandrite 

 Talladius, a distinguished sinologue. See 'Labours of the Peking 

 Mission,' 1866, vol. iv. p. 450. 



