Page:Ningpo to Shanghai.djvu/118

 (angrily)&mdash;Because the Tatsing dynasty insist on it!"

Martini, a Roman Catholic priest of the Seventeenth century, in his narrative of the Manchou conquest, thus writes on this opposition of the people to wearing a Queu.&mdash;

"While the Tartars, A. D. 1644, were over running the Provinces on the North of the Yellow River, the Chinese prepared to make a stand in the South. They proclaimed at Nanking Hungkwang a descendant of the Mings; but another pretender made his appearance, and while the rivals were discussing their claims, the Tartar hordes were pouring down from the North. They met with little opposition until they appeared before the famous and opulent city of Yangchow. Seu, a faithful minister of Hungchow defended the place with a large garrison; but he was at length forced to yield. The Tartars pillaged every dwelling, slaughtered the whole population, both citizens and soldiers *; and lest their putrifying remains should breed pestilence, collected them into houses, and reduced the city and suburbs to ashes. When they advanced against Nanking, the General Hwangchang met them on the opposite bank of the river and proved that Tartars might be beaten by Chinese. But he fell pierced by the arrow of a treacherous subordinate, and with him perished the hope of his country. His soldiers fled in confusion. The Emperor betook himself to flight; and the same wretch who had slain the general, now betrayed his prince into the hands of the enemy. The unhappy monarch was sent to Peking and strangled. Thus obtaining easy possession of the Southern capital, the Tartars extirpated the family of Hung kwang and marched against Hangchow. At that famous metropolis, prince Lo of the Imperial blood had assumed the sceptre. But, as if in apprehension of a speedy fall, he declined the Imperial title; and in fact he had worn the crown only three days (scarcely as long as the kings in Chinese comedies) when the Tartars arrived. * * * *  *  *  *

Crossing the Tsien&lsquo;tang they took possession of Shaouhing, and the rest of Chehkiang submitted without resistance. When however they required the Chinese to shave their heads a la Manchou, both soldiers and people began to sharpen their weapons; rather solicitous for their jetty locks then for their country. Risking their heads to save their hair, they fought bravely,  

  * When the rebels took Nanking, in 1853, in making that loudly decried extermination of the Tartars they only retaliated, it will be seen&mdash;"root and branch"&mdash;blood for blood.