gain attack Peking,
devoting himself to raids through the border provinces. In 1635 he
assumed the title of Emperor of China, in consequence of the seal of the
Mongol dynasty, which had been lost in Mongolia two centuries before,
being found and sent to him. But Ningyuen still held out, under an able
successor to Chungwan, and in September, 1643, this second of the Manchu
leaders came to his death. The conquest of China was reserved for a
later leader.

[Illustration: CHINESE GAMBLERS.]

_THE MANCHU CONQUEST OF CHINA._

Long years of misgovernment in China produced their natural result.
Evils stalked abroad while worthless emperors spent their days in luxury
at home. The land ceased to be governed, local rebellions broke out in a
dozen quarters, and the Manchu invasion was but one event in the series
of difficulties that environed the weakened throne. From the midst of
these small rebellions emerged a large one before which the Ming dynasty
trembled to its fall. Its leader, Li Tseching, was a peasant's son, who
had chosen the military career and quickly gained renown as a daring
horseman and skilful archer. In 1629 he appeared as a member of a band
of robbers, who were defeated by the troops, Li being one of the few to
escape. A year afterwards we hear of him as high in rank in a rebel band
almost large enough to be called an army. The leader dying after a few
years, Li succeeded him in command.

His progress to power was rapid, cunning and duplicity aiding him, for
often when in a dangerous situation he escaped by pretending a desire to
come to terms with the authorities. Other rebels rose, won victories,
and sank again; but Li held his own and steadily grew stronger, until,
in 1640, he was at the head of an army of nearly half a million of men
and in a position to aspire to the throne of Peking itself. Town after
town fell into his hands, frightful outrages being perpetrated in each,
for Li was a brigand in grain and merciless at heart. The efforts of the
emperor to overthrow him proved futile, the imperial army being sent
against him in four divisions, which he attacked and defeated in detail.
The court had learned nothing from the failure of similar tactics in the
war with Noorhachu. After this pronounced success Li laid siege to
Kaifong, an important city which had once been the capital of China. He
was twice repulsed, but a third time returned to the siege, finally
succeeding through a rise in the Hoan