The Horrors Of War Were At This Point Increased By
Those Of Pestilence, For The Plague Broke Out At Puerh
On the southern
frontier, and, before it disappeared, devastated the whole of the
province, completing the effect of the civil
War, and ruining the few
districts which had escaped from its ravages. The direct command of the
siege operations at Talifoo was intrusted to Yang Yuko, a hunchback
general, who had obtained a reputation for invincibility; and when Tsen
Yuying had completed his own operations he also proceeded to the camp
before the Mohammedan capital for the purpose of taking part in the
crowning operation of the war.
Tu Wensiu and the garrison of Talifoo, although driven to desperation,
could not discover any issue from their difficulties. They were reduced to
the last stage of destitution, and starvation stared them in the face. In
this extremity Tu Wensiu, although there was every reason to believe that
the imperialists would not fulfill their pledges, and that surrender
simply meant yielding to a cruel death, resolved to open negotiations with
Yang Yuko for giving up the town. The emperor's generals signified their
desire for the speedy termination of the siege, at the same time
expressing acquiescence in the general proposition of the garrison being
admitted to terms. Although the Futai and Yang Yuko had promptly come to
the mutual understanding to celebrate the fall of Talifoo by a wholesale
massacre, they expressed their intention to spare the other rebels on the
surrender of Tu Wensiu for execution and on the payment of an indemnity.
The terms were accepted, although the more experienced of the rebels
warned their comrades that they would not be complied with.
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