118 



RETURN TO SHANGHAE. 



Chap. VIT. 



On returning to Shanghae I found no progress 

 whatever Lad been made, and indeed men's minds 

 were so full of the rebellion raging in the country 

 at the time that little else could have been expected. 

 In the end of August and beginning of September 

 rumours were current that the Fokien and Canton 

 men, who are rather numerous at this port, were 

 about to rise and hoist the standard of the new 

 Emperor, T'hae-ping-wang, in this ancient city. 

 The authorities, who had long felt their weakness, 

 issued proclamations denouncing a man named Le, 

 who, with some forty others, was taken up and 

 detained for some hours at the office of the magis- 

 trate. The official, however, did not dare to 

 punish these persons : indeed, he was coolly in- 

 formed that if he did so his own head would pay 

 the penalty. This threat had the desired effect : 

 Le and his companions were set at liberty, and it 

 is needless to say grew bolder and more unruly 

 than ever they had been before. As a further 

 step to preserve the peace of the city, a body 

 of lawless men belonging to a secret society, who 

 could not be controlled, were taken into the pay of 

 the Government. This was a last resource, and 

 placed the Government upon a mine which could 

 be sprung at any moment for its destruction. 



The morning of the 7th of September, being the 

 day on which the mandarins usually pay their visit 

 to sacrifice in the temple of Confucius, was chosen 

 by the rebels for the attack upon the city. With- 

 out knowing anything about their plans, I hap- 



