army of
men which was probably under 10,000 strong. These concerted movements of
the army south of the Tian Shan placed the country as far west as
Karashar in the possession of the invader. Their next advance, which
they could not expect to be as unopposed as their late one, would bring
them into the plain of Kashgar. No sooner had Karashar and Korla fallen
into their possession than an edict was issued inviting the Mahomedan
population to return to their homes, and many of them accepted the
invitation. In this quarter the arms of China were not disgraced by any
excesses, and moderation towards the unarmed population extenuated their
severity towards armed foes.

While halting some days at Korla, Kin Shun heard that Bayen Hu was
coercing the people east of Kucha at Tsedayar and other places, and
compelling them to withdraw to Kucha and to destroy their crops. He at
once resolved to frustrate the plan, and set out in person at the head
of 1,500 light infantry and 1,000 cavalry to protect the inhabitants. By
forced marches, sometimes carried on through the better part of the
night, he reached Tsedayar on the 17th of October, when he learnt that
Bayen Hu had driven off the whole of the population, and was already at
Bugur, on the road to Kucha. At the next village to Tsedayar, a
fortified post known as Yangy Shahr, he found that Bayen Hu was still
ahead of him, and that he was setting fire to the villages on his line
of march. Kin Shun left a portion of his infantry behind to put out the
conflagration, and resolutely pressed on with the remainder of his force
to Bugur. This small town had also been set on fire, but here the
rapidity of the Chinese general's advance was rewarded with the news
that the enemy's army, with a large number of the inhabitants, was only
a short distance ahead. The rear-guard, composed of 1,000 cavalry, was
soon touched, and the Kashgari, emboldened by the small numbers of the
Chinese, came on to the attack in gallant fashion. Their charge was
broken, however, by the steadiness of the Chinese infantry, armed with
excellent rifles, and the cavalry performed the rest. The Kashgari left
100 slain on the field of battle and twelve prisoners. From these latter
it was discovered that the main body of 2,000 soldiers was some distance
on the road to Kucha, with the family of Bayen Hu and the villagers
under its charge. It was too late to advance further that day, but on
the next the forward movement was re