They Gained Tungchow Without Let Or
Hinderance, After Having Passed Through Probably Not Less Than 30,000 Men
About To Do Battle With The Long Hated And Now Feared Foreigners.
It may
have been, as suggested, that they owed their safety to a belief that they
were the bearers of their army's surrender!
Arrived at Tungchow, Mr. Loch
found the Sikh escort at the temple outside the gates unaware of any
danger - all the Englishmen being absent in the town, where they were
shopping - and a letter left by Mr. Parkes warning them on return to
prepare for instant flight, and saying that he was off in search of Prince
Tsai. In that search he was at last successful. He found the high
commissioner, he asked the meaning of the change that had taken place, and
was told in curt and defiant tones that "there could be no peace, there
must be war."
The last chance of averting hostilities was thus shown to be in vain.
Prince Tsai indorsed the action of Sankolinsin. Mr. Parkes had only the
personal satisfaction of knowing that he had done everything he could to
prove that the English did not wish to press their military superiority
over an antagonist whose knowledge of war was slight and out of date. He
had done this at the greatest personal peril. It only remained to secure
his own safety and that of his companions. By this time the whole party of
Englishmen had re-assembled in the temple; and Mr. Loch, anxious for Mr.
Parkes, had gone into the city and met him galloping away from the yamen
of the commissioner.
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Page 488 of 704
Words from 132662 to 132935
of 191255
