obliged to retire at the request of the officials in 1902. The rebels occupied part of the prefecture. Through lack of workers this station is still vacant. At Tushan, where the work at first was by no means encouraging, before the workers were obliged to retire in 1900, some men of intelligence and position in the city had become earnest inquirers, these men meeting for the study of the Scriptures and prayer even while the missionaries were absent.
Tsenyi Fu, five days to the north of Kweiyang, on the high-road to Chungking, was opened in 1902 by Dr. and Mrs. Pruen, and Chenyuan Fu, eight days' journey to the east of the capital, and near the borders of Hunan, was opened in 1904 by Mr. D. W. Crofts. This city is the only river port in the province, and is the place where travellers from Yunnan and Kweichow to Peking commence their river journey.
Definite missionary work was commenced by Mr. and Mrs. Webb in 1896 amongst the Heh Miao. After moving from place to place for about a month in the Tsingping district, five days east of the capital, they were enabled to rent half of a small house in a Miao village, less than a mile from the Chinese market town of Panghai. The Chinese at once showed suspicion and resentment at the foreigner living among the Miao. Their opposition, however, died away in time, and the Miao, who were at first afraid, subsequently became friendly. The following year they were able to rent the other half of the house they lived in. Unfortunately the sudden illness of Mrs. Webb made it necessary for them to leave for the coast. Considerable progress was, however, made by Mr. H. Boulton, who took charge of the work, a school being opened which was attended by boys from other hamlets, the boys bringing their own food. Subsequently the work was transferred to the care of Mr. W. S. Fleming.
It was about this time that serious trouble broke out between the Miao and Chinese at this centre, and while the missionaries were in no way responsible, the issue was of a tragic nature. The subject of the dispute was whether the
