Chap. VII. 



CITY TAKEN BY REBELS. 



119 



pened to pay a visit to the city soon after daybreak. 

 On entering at the north gate I observed a number 

 of men looking earnestly at some object in the 

 guard-house, and saw at a glance that something 

 of an unusual nature had taken place. Ascending 

 the steps of the guard-room with the Chinese, 

 I was horrorstruck at finding the mats and pillows 

 belonging to the guard saturated with human 

 blood. Upon inquiry, I found that a band of men, 

 believed to be composed chiefly of the members of 

 the secret society already noticed, and called the 

 " Small Sword Society," had entered the city and 

 were then on their way to the houses of the chief 

 mandarins, namely, the Taoutae and Che-heen. 

 They had met with some feeble resistance from 

 the guard, whom they soon overpowered and made 

 themselves masters of the gate. 



When the rebels reached the centre of the city, 

 they divided themselves into two divisions, — one 

 of which marched to the Che-heen' s office, and the 

 other to the Taoutae's. The guard at the Che- 

 heen s, consisting of about forty men, fled without 

 making the slightest resistance, and are supposed 

 to have been in league with the rebels. Some 

 one ran to inform the magistrate that his house 

 was attacked, and the old man came out and 

 endeavoured to pacify the rebel mob with a few 

 fair words and promises for the future. He was 

 told, however, that such promises were now too 

 late, upbraided for his former conduct, and bar- 

 barously murdered on the spot. 



