THE PERING LEGATIONS 9 would have it,this year,1900,is one in which the intercalary month for the Chinese year is the eighth,and an eighth intercalary month always means misfortune:when such a month last occurred,that year the Emperor Tung Chin died,and accordingly the popular mind was on the outlook for catastrophe in 1900,and perhaps the people were morbidly willing to assist folk-lore to fulfil its own propheoy.Those of us who regarded the movement as likely to become serious and mischievous put off the time of action to September:our calculations were wrong,for already in May it had spread from Shantung,was overrunning Pecheli,and was following the railway line from Pao-ting- foo,the provincial capital,towards Peking itself.Chapels were destroyed,converts were massacred,railway stations were wrecked,rail- way and telegraph lines were damaged,excite- ment was spreading,and yet,although the state of the country all around grew more and more alarming,it still seemed to be a question whether the movement would roll back towards its source from Peking or take new shape there and gather new and onward impetus.Meantime the Legations fortunately suoceeded in getting up a few guards from the warships off Taku, so that there were from three to four hundred armed men in Peking for their protection- American,Austrian,British,French,Italian,THE PEKING LEGATIONS 9 would have it, this year, 1900, is one in whioh the interoalary month for the Chinese year is the eighth, and an eighth interoalary month always means misfortune: when suoh a month la.st ooourred, that year the Emperor Tung Chili died, and aooordingly the popular mind was on the outlook for oatastrophe in 1900, and perhaps the people were morbidly willing to assist folk-lore to fnlfil its own propheoy_ Those of us who regarded the movement as likely to beoome serious and mischievous put oft' the time of action to September: our oalculations were wrong, for already in May it had spread from Shantung, was overrunning Pecheli, and was following the railway line from Pao-ting. foo, the provincial capital, towards Peking itself. Chapels were destroyed, converts were massacred, railway stations were wreoked, rail￾way and telegraph lines were damaged, excite￾ment was spreading, and yet, although the state of the oountry all around grew more and more alarming, it still seemed to be a question whether the movement would roll back towards its source from Peking or take new shape there and gather new and onward impetus. Meantime the Legations fortunately succeeded in getting up a few guards from the warships off Tam, 80 that there were from three to four hundred armed men in Peking for their proteotion￾American, Austrian, British, French, Italian