AN AUTOCRAT IN CHINA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9110, 9 June 1908, Page 3

AN AUTOCRAT IN CHINA.

If there is a European who, in his innocence, wonders why Western people are not liked in the Far East, let him read an account of a trip through China to India by way of Tibet, undertaken by tbo Count de Lesdain. It was the' Count's honeymoon trip, but that does not seem to ha/e made him less truculent. It is his belief that China is no place for missionary meakness. When it is clear that pacific measures have resulted in an* impasse, and that the other man is spoiling for a fight, one must get the first blow in, and see-that it is conclusive. Missionaries' methods do not appeal to the Count. He complains that they allow themselves and their wives to be scoffed at in public, a spirit of meekness which does not convince the natives, and adds to the difficulties of other European travellers. The Count's methods were quite different. Ha was "in the middle of a snow'covered district, infested with bandits and other evilly disposed persons, and his men were afraid to go on. They knelt down in the snow and v/ept and prayed in the hope of persuading the Count to turn back, and ri support of their plea they said tivjy had met a Roldier who had crossed the road two years previously, aud had lost his mules and luggage. "To put an end to these lamentations I bade them bring up the soldier. He was a tall and insolent ruffian. As he began to repeat his string of lies, I struck him across the face with my riding-whip, and sent him rolling in the snow. I promised similar treatment to anyone who would make any further reference to the perils of crossing the mountains." On another occasion he scattered a crowd of unruly Chinese who had gathered round his tent, and refused to go away, by flinging tht' contents of a pot of tea in their faces. Once when he was short of provisions, and the people of the village, had been forbidden to assist him, ha went out and "potted" a couple of sheep, in defiance of authority, and requested the owners tx send in their bill. Discipline must be maintained at all costs. D »nt' choosa Christian coolies, if you are travelling in China, is his advice, fjr they have been spoiled by the missionaries, but choose heathens, pay than* well, and punish them mercilessly for thair !ea*t fault. He remarks that with the Chinese fear is the beginning of wisdom, but it daas not occur to him that this wisd )-n may be the beginning of something terrible.