ny months later.

'After the massacre at Tientsin, very grave fears prevailed at
Peking; no one could tell how far the ramifications of the plot
might extend, and it was impossible to sift the matter. The people
openly talked of an extermination, and claimed to have the tacit
favour of the Government in this; nay more, the Government itself
issued ambiguous, if not insinuating, proclamations, which fomented
the excitement of the populace to such an extent that the days were
fixed for the "Clearing of Peking." The mob was thoroughly quieted
on the first of the days fixed by a twenty hours' pour of
tremendous rain, which converted Peking into a muddy, boatless
Venice, and kept the people safely at home in their helpless felt
shoes, as securely as if their feet had been put into the stocks.
This was Friday. Tuesday was the reserve day; Saturday and Sabbath
one felt the tide of excitement rising, and on Monday morning the
Peking Gazette came out with an Imperial edict that at once allayed
the excitement, and assured us that there was no danger for the
present.

'We had then to draw breath and look about us calmly, and the
general conclusion that the "Old Pekingers" came to was that the
French would be compelled to resort to force of arms to gain
redress. The attitude of the Chinese people and Government made
them think so, and so they determined to wait on quietly in Peking
till things should get thick, and then it would be time to go
south. I think I may safely say that everyone drew out an inventory
of his things, and not a few had their most necessary things packed
"on the sly," and were ready to start on short notice.

'Up to this point I stood quietly aside; but now was my time to
reason, and on the data they supplied I reasoned thus: "If I go
south, no Mongol can be prevailed on to go with me, and so I am
shut out from my work, and that for an indefinite time. If I can
get away north, then I can go on with the language, and perhaps
come down after the smoke clears away, knowing Mongolian, and
having lost no time." I felt a great aversion to travelling so far
alone, and with such imperfect knowledge of the language, but as I
thought it over from day to day I was more and more convinced that
to run the risk of having to go south would be to