CHINESE  HISTORY:  THIRD  PERIOD  33
was  succeeded  for  a  time  by  Burgevine,  but  the  latter  soon
came  into  difficulties  with  the  Chinese  authorities,  and  was
dismissed  from  their  service.  Then  Captain  Holland  of
the  British  Army  was  placed  in  command,  but  under  his
leadership  the  forces  suffered  defeat  at  Taitsang.  Finally,
Captain  C.  E.  Gordon  was  loaned  by  the  British  Government
to  assist  the  Imperial  forces.  Gordon's  chief  object  was  the
taking  of  Soochow,  the  stronghold  of  the  rebels  in  Kiangsu.
This  city  was  closely  invested,  but  held  out  for  many
months.  At  last  a  dissension  broke  out  between  two
factions  in  the  city,  and  the  party  in  favor  of  capitulation
having  gained  the  upper  hand,  the  rebels  surrendered,  on
the  understanding  that  the  lives  of  their  leaders  (the  so-called
Wangs)  were  to  be  spared.  Li  Hung-chang,  however,  much
to  the  indignation  of  Gordon,  broke  faith  with  the  rebels,
and,  after  getting  their  leaders  into  his  power,  put  them  all
to  death.
Nanking,  which  had  been  besieged  for  eleven  years  by
the  Imperial  forces,  was  the  only  place  still  left  in  the  hands
of  the  rebels.  When  the  city  was  about  to  fall,  Tien  Wang
ended  his  life  by  taking  poison.  Chung  Wang  and  the  son
of  Tien  Wang  attempted  to  escape,  but  were  captured  and
put  to  death.  With  the  fall  of  Nanking  the  rebellion
collapsed.  Over  twenty  millions  of  lives  had  been  sacrificed, ­
  and  many  of  the  fairest  districts  of  the  Empire  had
been  devastated.  To  this  day,  in  many  of  the  cities,  heaps
o  rums  and  rubbish  may  be  found,  witnessing  to  the  havoc
wrought  by  the  rebels.

Mohammedan  Uprisings
In  1867,  during  the  reign  of  Tungchih,  the  Mohammedans
m  Yunnan  revolted  against  the  Chinese  Government  on
account  of  the  harsh  treatment  received  at  the  hands  of  the
officials,  and  attempted  to  establish  a  government  of  their
own.  A  similar  uprising  broke  out  in  Shensi  and  Kansu.
These  revolts  were  suppressed  with  much  difficulty  by  the
Imperial  Government.