Only two men have been put to death inside the walls
since the city of Chao-t'ong was built, over two hundred years ago.
After death had taken place, Li was served in the same way as he had
served the village headman, and his heart and his tongue were taken from
his body. Huang was killed in the usual way, and his head placed in a
frame on the city gate.
And so there died two of the bravest men who have headed rebellions in
this part of country of late years. Both were handsome fellows, of
magnificent physique and undaunted courage, worthy of fighting for a
better cause. It seemed so strange that two such men should have had to
die in the very bloom of life, when every strong sinew and drop of blood
must have rebelled at such premature dissolution, and by a death more
hideous than imagination can depict or speech describe, just at a time
in China's awakening when such fellows might have made for the uplifting
of their country. And they died because they hated the foreigner.
After further desultory fighting, the remaining leader, losing heart,
fled into Kwei-chow province, and for a time was allowed to wander away;
but later, a sum of a thousand taels was offered for him, dead or alive,
and I have no doubt of the reward proving too great a bait for his
followers.
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