arms with a large sum of
money, he returned to Soochow without either money or weapons. He was
apparently given, as a last chance, the opportunity of regaining his
reputation by entrapping Gordon into the rebel power, and he
thoroughly entered into the scheme, although he failed to carry it
out. On 3rd October--that is to say, two days after the failure to
retake Patachiaou--Burgevine made the first step in this plot by
addressing a letter to Gordon, thanking him for the offer of medicines
he had sent, and offering to meet him whenever he liked to discuss
matters. On the 6th he met Gordon at the stockades, and declared his
willingness to abandon the Taepings and come over with all his force,
including the _Kajow_. He and his companions were guaranteed their
lives, and the arrangement seemed complete. Two days later he had a
second interview with the English officer, when he made the
extraordinary proposition that he and Gordon should join bands,
attack both Taepings and Imperialists, and fight for their own hand.
This mad and unprincipled proposal excited Gordon's anger, but it was
only Burgevine's old filibustering idea revived under unfavourable
conditions. It was while smarting under this rebuff that Burgevine
proposed to Captain Jones a fresh plot for entrapping Gordon, while
he, unsuspecting evil, was engaged in conferences for their surrender;
but to Jones's credit, let it be stated that he refused to have any
part in such black treachery. Thereupon Burgevine attempted to take
Jones's life, either to conceal his own treachery or to enable him to
carry out his interrupted plans. Much delay occurred in carrying out
the project of Burgevine's desertion, and Gordon, rendered specially
anxious to save his and the other foreigners' lives, because one party
had escaped without Burgevine, wrote a strong letter on the subject to
Mow Wang, Chung Wang's chief lieutenant. He also sent him a present of
a pony, at which the rebel chief was so much pleased that he agreed to
release Burgevine, and on 18th October that person appeared at the
outworks of Gordon's position. His personal safety was entirely due to
Gordon's humane efforts, and to the impression that officer had made
on the Taepings as a chivalrous opponent. The American Consul at
Shanghai, Mr Seward, officially thanked Major Gordon for his "great
kindness to misguided General Burgevine and his men." Nearly two years
later this adventurer met the fate he so narrowly esc