NEGLECTED OPPORrUNFflES. 125 



be doubted that a bold advance of the Dungaiis 

 might have threatened the tranquilhty, nay, perhaps 

 the existence, of the Celestial Empire, and certainly 

 that of the reigning Manchu dynasty. Moreover, 

 provinces of China further south were at the same time 

 disturbed by the revolts of the Taepings and of the 

 Yunnan Mahommedans, though these had no con- 

 nection with the north-western movement, of which 

 we are speaking. Thus the Peking government was 

 threatened by great calamities both from the south 

 and from the west ; but none of her enemies knew 

 how to avail themselves ot their first successes, and 

 thus China had time to recover herself, and after- 

 wards, in her turn, to assume the offensive. 



Another important element of success was en- 

 tirely disregarded by the insurgents, and that Avas to 

 gain the good will of the Mongols, who so bitterly 

 detest the Chinese. 



The two races, alien as they are from each other 

 in character and religion, would have found a bond of 

 union in their common struggle for freedom ; but 

 from the very first the Dungans ill-used the Mon- 

 gols, and treated them exactly as they did the 

 Chinese, so that these desirable allies were effectually 

 estranged. 



But victory could never have declared for the 

 rebels unless they had acted under one leader. 

 Here they entirely failed. Every large town or 

 district carried on an independent system of warfare 

 under its own chief, whether Akhun or Hadji.' The 



^ Thus, in Kan-su, the towns of Si-ning, Tatiing and Suh-chau. 

 u ith their districts, were entirely independent of one another. 



