216 The Revolutionist Occupation of La-chi-mti 
we got off, now left to our own resources since we were no 
longer under official protection. We had scarcely entered 
the ravine below the village, when there came a shout from 
behind and Captain Li, surrounded by a little knot of 
retainers running fast in order to keep up, rode rapidly by. 
Seeing me however, he reined in his pony, and very politely 
enquired my business and whither I was bound. I answered 
his questions, wished him God speed, and he dashed ahead 
to meet his troops who were on their way up from the 
Mekong. Half an hour later we fell in with the main body 
of the revolutionists—but what a change! 
They formed none the less a striking picture winding in 
single file up the narrow ravine, rather more than two 
hundred of them, though the majority were baggage coolies. 
There were Lissus and Minchias, sturdy little tribesmen 
with muscular chests and swarthy complexions, often 
ferocious of aspect, carrying dahs thrust jauntily through 
their belts and a huge three-foot cross-bow slung over the 
shoulder; Yunnanese ‘braves’ in tattered official tunics, 
carrying rifles, most of them muzzle-loaders; men with 
extraordinary looking guns of abbreviated length and 
immense calibre, after the pattern of a blunderbuss ; others 
carrying scarlet banners and long trumpets ; and half-a-dozen 
men, including my friend Captain Li, riding ponies. 
How strange they looked, these poorly-clad tribesmen 
armed with dah, cross-bow, and arrow-case of black bear- 
skin, each carrying a load of no mean weight on his back 
by means of a strap passing over his forehead. Occasionally 
the trumpeters put the long trumpets to their lips and 
throwing back their heads, made the welkin ring; and on 
they hurried, banners fluttering, till they wound out of sight 
in the narrow gorge. 
What did it all mean? What could it mean but that 
Li was inciting the tribesmen to rise and fight for—what ? 
An independent Western China ? 
Not long afterwards, when I was behind my men, a 
horseman accompanied by the usual armed sycophants 
on foot rode out from a village and hailed me gruffly. 
He appeared to be a person of no consequence what- 
ever, and resenting his manner, I took scant notice of him, 
whereupon he spurred forward and barring the way, 
