ed
message from the Empress Dowager commanding the death of all foreigners.
We had planned first to take the direct route south, which would, as far
as we can now see, have led us to our death, for this route would have
taken us through the capital. Almost at the last moment, and quite
unaware of the danger on the direct route, we were led to change our
plans and take a route farther west, though it made a considerably
longer journey.

We left Chang Te, June 28, 1900, at daybreak. At Wei Hwei Fu, the first
large city to which we came, an attempt was made to break into our inn,
but as we prayed the mob dispersed and we were left in peace. On July
first we reached the north bank of the Yellow River, and there for a
short time (it was Sunday afternoon) we rested under the trees. Little
did we dream that even then many, very many, of our fellow-missionaries
and personal friends were being done to death by the merciless Boxers.
At sunset the ferry which carried us across the river reached the south
bank, and here we found several missionaries and a party of engineers
waiting for us. These latter were fully armed and had a fair escort.
After some difficulty it was decided that we should all keep together,
but in reality this party kept by themselves, except that we stayed in
the same towns at night. Each day that passed seemed harder than the
last, the heat was intense, and the ten or twelve hours of bumping over
rough roads in springless carts made even a bed spread on the ground a
welcome resting-place.

Once, when Mr. Goforth had jumped off our cart to get fresh water for
our head cloths, a crowd gathered round him and became very threatening,
raising the cry, "Kill, kill." All the other carts were ahead, and the
carter would not wait for Mr. Goforth, as he was afraid. During the few
moments that elapsed before my husband was allowed to join us even the
carter turned pale with suspense,--and oh, how I prayed!

Except for a few similar passing dangers, nothing special occurred until
the evening of July seventh, when we reached the small town of Hsintien.
We had heard during the day that the whole country ahead of us was in a
state of ferment against the Roman Catholics. Scarcely had we reached
the inn when the engineers and the missionaries with them who had
become increasingly alarmed at the condition of the country, informed us
that they were going on to the large city of Nan Yang Fu that night, but
would leave us two