134 



DIFFICULTIES AND PROSPECTS 



Chap. VII. 



on tlie thighs, and had logs of wood chained to his 

 legs, so that he could not walk ; this man was put 

 on the hack of another, who had chains only on 

 his hands, and was thus carried ahout from cell to 

 cell to receive instructions, and give directions as 

 to what was to he done in the intervals of the 

 visits. The bodies of the four dead men remained 

 in an outer cell for more than a week, hut a mass 

 of ice was thrown upon them to keep them from 

 putrefaction to some extent, until the affair had 

 been examined into, and reported to the superior 

 ofiScers. One or two more died, and in process 

 of time the rest recovered of their wounds, after 

 rather a large consumption of plasters and bandages. 

 When the city was afterwards taken by the Triads, 

 the young man above alluded to was found to 

 be in command of a detachment of men, and in 

 charge of the Little East gate ; and being dressed 

 up in velvet and satin, presented a very different 

 appearance from what he had done when loaded 

 with chains and covered with rags in the prison." 



The Chinese as a people are cold and indif- 

 ferent to religion of any kind : humanly speaking, 

 nothing less than a miracle will convert them to 

 Christianity. Missionaries have been in China for 

 many years ; larger numbers have been sent out 

 from England and America since the last war, 

 when the country was partially opened up to 

 foreigners. These men have been labouring there, 

 I believe, in most instances, most conscientiously, 

 and with an ardour and single-mindedness of pur- 



