The position of this small band in the midst of an Asiatic army actually
engaged in mortal combat with their kinsmen may be better imagined than
described. They were riding down the road which passed through the center
of the Chinese position, and the banks on each side of them were lined
with matchlock-men, among whom the shells of the English guns were already
bursting. Parties of cavalry were not wanting here, but out in the plain
where the Tartar horsemen swarmed in thousands the greatest danger of all
awaited them. Their movements were slow, painfully slow, and the progress
was delayed by the necessity of waiting for those who were the worst
mounted; but they were "all in the same boat, and, like Englishmen, would
sink or swim together." In the accumulation of difficulties that stared
them in the face not the least seemed to be that they were advancing in
the teeth of their own countrymen's fire, which was growing fiercer every
minute. In this critical moment men turned to Mr. Parkes, and Captain
Barbazon expressed the belief of those present in a cool brave man in
arduous extremity when he cried out, "I vote Parkes decides what is to be
done." To follow the main road seemed to be certain destruction and death
without the power of resisting; for even assuming that some of them could
have cut their way through the Tartar cavalry, and escaped from the
English shell, they could hardly have avoided being shot down by the long
lines of matchlock-men who were ready to fire on them the instant they saw
their backs. There was only one possible avenue of escape, and that was to
gain the right flank of the army, and endeavor to make their way by a
detour round to the English lines. Assuredly this was not a very promising
mode of escape, but it seemed to have the greatest chances of success. But
when the Chinese, who had up to this regarded their movements without
interfering, saw this change in their course, they at once took measures
to stop it. A military mandarin said if they persisted in their attempt
they would be treated as enemies and fired upon; but that he was willing
to respect their flag of truce, and that if they would accompany him to
the general's presence he would obtain a safe conduct for them. The offer
was accepted, partly no doubt because it could not be refused, but still
also on its own merits. Safe conducts during the heat of battle, even with
civilized European peoples, are, however, not such easy things either to
grant or to carry out. Mr. Parkes accepted his offer, therefore, and he,
Mr. Loch, and the Sikh trooper Nalsing, bearing a flag of truce, rode off
with the mandarin in search of the general, while the five other Europeans
and the Sikh escort remained on the road awaiting their return.
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Page 255 of 366
Words from 133165 to 133675
of 191255
