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The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

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340<br />

THE BOY THAVELLEES.<br />

iusnrrection. <strong>The</strong> words ' t;ie <strong>in</strong>'ng' mean 'general peace,' and were <strong>in</strong>-<br />

scribed on <strong>the</strong> banners <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rebels. <strong>The</strong> avowed <strong>in</strong>tention <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leader<br />

<strong>of</strong> tlie revolt was to overthrow tlie imperial power, and deliver <strong>the</strong> coujitry<br />

from its oppressors. Tliei'e were promises <strong>of</strong> a division <strong>of</strong> jn-operty, or,<br />

at all events, <strong>the</strong> rebels were to have free license to plunder wlierever<br />

<strong>the</strong>y went; and as <strong>the</strong>re are always a great man^' people who have every-<br />

th<strong>in</strong>g to ga<strong>in</strong> and notli<strong>in</strong>g to lose, <strong>the</strong> rebellion ga<strong>the</strong>red strength as time<br />

went on. <strong>The</strong> leaders managed to conv<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> foreigners that <strong>the</strong>y were<br />

<strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ed to look favorably on Christianity, and tlie idea went abroad that<br />

<strong>the</strong> Tae-p<strong>in</strong>gs were a sort <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese Protestants, wlio wanted to do away<br />

with old abuses, and were <strong>in</strong> favor <strong>of</strong> progress and <strong>of</strong> more <strong>in</strong>timate rela-<br />

tions Avitli foreign nations. Many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> missionaries <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a were<br />

friendly to <strong>the</strong> rebellion, and so were some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> merchants and o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

estaljlished <strong>the</strong>re.<br />

TAK-rlXG ItEBEI.S.

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