136 * GAOGOWLI. whom he defeated, and then his pursuit became warmer than ever. But this second flight was a trap to throw him off his guard ; and just when his men were in the disorder of ardent pursuit, an ambush rose on his flanks suddenly, closed, and completely defeated him. Of the large army, only a few thousand returned to their ships. But the array was still so great there, that the pursuing Gaoli dared not venture an attack. Yii Wun had marched overland with his division far to the north, very likely by the route from Kingchow to Mukden ; for he is said to have skirted the west and then the north of Gaoli land, going through Fooyii (Kaiyuen) and south-east, probably by the present Hingking and along the lovely mountain road from Hingking to Funghwang Chung and the magnificent and crystal clear Yaloo,* on the west bank of which he joined and took command of other eight divisions; forming, in all, the large army of 305,000 men. These men had each received a hundred days' provisions, given out for man and beast, when the army got to Looho and Whaiyuen. As such a weight of grain would needs be a grievous burden, orders were given that the man should be beheaded, who was found throwing his grain away. But irom whatever reason, provisions were all but exhausted when they got to the Yaloo banks. Gaoli had sent Wundu, one of the best ministers, to pretend to desert to this Chinese army ; but his real business was to spy out the state of the army. Joonggwan, one of the generals, strongly suspected the designs of Wundu, and gave orders to have him apprehended as soon os he came within his ranks. This was done. But a president of one of the boards strongly objected to such treatment Still retaining his suspicions, Joong- gwan was, therefore, compelled to release his prisoner; who was no sooner liberated, than he made great haste to get out of the way. This haste roused the president's suspicions also. He sent messengers after Wundu, who overtook him, and said that the president had an important communication to make, and was
- Yaloo, originally called the Madsu river, and, according to Tang history, called
Yaloo, becaufle the oolotir of the water is that of a duck's {Ya) head.
