Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 59 (Color Image)

0059	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

SIAN 29

with a thousand bandits. Meanwhile Chen had

warned the Shensi governor of the invasion, and

Kuo's troops were cut to pieces. Kuo and Chen

afterwards associated ; but later on Kuo tried to

murder Chen ; and since then there has been war

to the death between them.

In Sian, Pereira passed four mountain guns and

a battalion of infantry marching eastward. The

men were of good physique, but looked sullen and

listless, and there was not a smile among them.

They had not been paid for months, and in that

state might very well mutiny and go over to the

other side. They had no transport, and the mules

or carts were commandeered whenever they could

be got.

The civil governor gave Pereira a feast at the

club, which was a good two-storied building with

bedrooms in which honoured guests could be put

up. There was a billiard room and bowling alley,

and a nice garden. But the club had twice to be

closed down owing to members failing to pay

their bills.

Torture was still allowed, and four soldiers

were crucified on the city wall, an extra nail being

driven in at the throat, though not at a vital spot.

They lingered for two days, though probably they

lost consciousness after six hours.

Opium was again coming into Shensi and was

grown along the Wei River. When the Chinese

heard Pereira was coming they thought he would

be investigating the opium conditions, and orders

were issued to remove all advertisements for the

sale of opium.

The Nestorian tablet for which Sian is famous

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