of making him emperor more actively than ever, with the result that the
throne was tendered to him by the "unanimous vote of the people." To "save
his face" he declined at first but at the second offer he "reluctantly"
yielded and on December 12, 1915, became emperor of China.

But his triumph was short-lived, for eight days later tidings of unrest in
Yün-nan reached Peking. General Tsai-ao, a former military governor of the
province, appeared in Yün-nan Fu, the capital, and, on December 23, sent an
ultimatum to Yuan stating that he must repudiate the monarchy and execute
all those who had assisted him to gain the throne, otherwise Yün-nan would
secede; which it forthwith did on December 25.

Without doubt this rebellion was financed by the Japanese who had intimated
to Yuan that the change from a republican form of government would not meet
with their approval. The rebellion spread rapidly. On January 21, Kwei-chau
Province, which adjoins Yün-nan, seceded, and, on March 13, Kwang-si also
announced its independence.

About this time the Museum authorities were becoming somewhat doubtful as
to the advisability of proceeding with our Expedition. We had a long talk
with Dr. Wellington Koo, the Chinese Minister to the United States, at the
Biltmore Hotel in New York. Dr. Koo, while certain that the rebellion would
be short-lived, strongly advised us to postpone our expedition until
conditions became more settled. He offered to cable Peking for advice, but
we, knowing how unwelcome to the government of the harassed Yuan would be a
party of foreigners who wished to travel in the disturbed area, gratefully
declined and determined to proceed regardless of conditions. We hoped that
Yuan would be strong enough to crush this rebellion as he had that of 1913,
but day by day, as we anxiously watched the papers, there came reports of
other provinces dropping away from his standard.