Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/158

 134 GAOGOWLI. of Lolang'; the others can be seen on the map. The right was to march for Hwunur, Lingtsu, Lintwun, Howchung, Tisi, Sooshan, Daifang, Hiangping, and lintwon in Liaotung. Most of these places were in Corea proper ; but it is impossible now to trace them. When this Chinese Xerxes set in motion probably the largest army ever congregated in China^ it amomited to 1,133,800 men. Over a length of 960 li were heard the blast of their horns, and the roll of their drums ; and the flying banners waved an unbroken line for more than three hundred miles. It took forty days for the ** tail " to pass the spot where the " head " had rested. In May they got to Linso, ihe modem Chochow of Chihli. They thus avoided the mistake of marching in the rainy season, which had brought the former expedition to grie£ When they got to the west bank of the Liao, they found the Oaoli in force on the other side ; and their attempts to cross in an easy manner failed. The president of the board of works was therefore ordered to construct three bridges, which he did ; but when afloat they were short of the east bank by ten feet, for the river is little, if any, less than half a mile wide at any point where they attempted to cross. Both horse and foot crowded each other on the bridge. Both jumped off and fought in the water, and those who waded or swam to the foot of the bank fought there. But the bank was steep, the foe numerous, and the current strong, and every soul of them was swept off by the rapid river. General Mai Tiejang said to his three sons, that the " day had now come when he could manifest his gratitude to his bounteous sovereign,'' — a common Chinese phrase in volunteering for the forlorn hope. He, therefore, pressed forward ; and with many another brave man, he was carried away by the devouring river, in spite of his all daring valour. He was, however, ennobled on the spot ; such being in strict accordance with Chinese custom : for up to the present, the crowning honours of an able minister are posthumous. His sons were also promoted to higher offices. But many myriads of the great army uselessly threw away their lives before the bridges could be