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[[underlined]] Chapter XV. [[/underlined]]   319.

February. According to our prearranged plan, I also then made reservation on a coasting-steamer due to sail on March 4th from Tientsin for Shanghai to join Mr. Tung and Mr. Ch'iu. For my idea was that we should investigate, in company and more minutely than hitherto, the principal ancient remains occurring along the Yangtze, from its mouth clear up to Ichang, or even (should local conditions permit) to Chungking, from 1000 to 1400 miles from the sea. 
     On February 28th, however, I was surprised to receive a letter from Mr. Tung to the effect that he and Mr. Ch'iu were just taking a steamer from Shanghai, and should be back in Peking in a few days. Quite at a loss to understand their sudden change of plan, I could only cancel my reservation and await their return. They arrived in Peking on March 1st, saying that they had learned that the civil war was about to break out again and that they had therefore deemed it wise to return to the capital and their families before communications were again severed. 

[[underlined]] Political and Military
   Conditions. [[/underlined]]
     Mr. Tung's and Mr. Ch'iu's misgivings, the event showed, were only too well founded. Hostilities, never entirely suspended, assumed increasing intensity throughout most of northern China, and conditions [[strikethrough]] ther [[/strikethrough]] there became more disturbed than ever. On March 12th the [[underlined]] interim [[/underlined]] Cabinet fell, and a few days later there was bloodshed in Peking itself. [[strikethrough]] The [[/strikethrough]] That city was once more completely shut off from contact with the outside world---a direct violation of treaty agreements which it required an ultimatum from the representatives of the Powers to remedy. 
   
[[underlined]] Exploration near Peking. [[/underlined]]

     In spite of the disturbance in Peking, however, conditions in the open country about it seemed still fairly quiet. I therefore seized the