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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fba3d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50785 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50785) diff --git a/old/50785-0.txt b/old/50785-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6aa347f..0000000 --- a/old/50785-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8657 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Land of the Boxers, by Gordon Casserly - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Land of the Boxers - or, China under the Allies - -Author: Gordon Casserly - -Release Date: December 28, 2015 [EBook #50785] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE BOXERS *** - - - - -Produced by Brian Wilcox, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Note. - -The original spelling, hyphenation and punctuation has been retained. -An exception is the change of “shell‐fire” to “shell fire” in Contents, -Chapter II. - - - - -THE LAND OF THE BOXERS - -[Illustration: - CAPT. PELL CAPT. PHILLIPS COL. O’SULLIVAN - - LIEUT. STEEL GEN. BARROW GEN. SIR A. GASELEE, K.C.B. - -COMMANDER‐IN‐CHIEF AND STAFF OF THE BRITISH FORCES IN NORTH CHINA] - - - - - THE - LAND OF THE BOXERS - -OR - -CHINA UNDER THE ALLIES - - BY - CAPTAIN GORDON CASSERLY - INDIAN ARMY - -WITH 15 ILLUSTRATIONS AND A PLAN - -LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. - -39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON - -NEW YORK AND BOMBAY - -1903 - -_All rights reserved_ - - - - - TO - THE OFFICERS - OF THE - AMERICAN AND BRITISH - NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES - IN CHINA - - - - -PREFACE - - -Written many thousand miles from the ever‐troubled land of China, -with no opportunity for reference, this book doubtless contains many -errors, for which the reader’s indulgence is asked. The criticisms of -the various armies are not the result of my own unaided impressions, -but a _résumé_ of the opinions of the many officers of the different -contingents with whom I conversed on the subject. - -My thanks are due to Sir Richard Harrison, K.C.B., -Inspector‐General of Fortifications, who served with the Allied Army -which captured Pekin in 1860, for his courtesy in permitting me to use -some of the excellent photographs taken by the Photo Section, Royal -Engineers. - -THE AUTHOR - -LONDON, 1903 - - - - -CONTENTS - - -CHAPTER I - -FROM WEI‐HAI‐WEI TO TIENTSIN - - Our transport—An Irish _padré_—Wei‐hai‐wei harbour by night—The - island by day—The mainland—On to Taku—Taku at last—The allied - fleet—The famous forts—The Peiho River—The Allies at Tong‐ku—The - British at Hsin‐ho—The train to Tientsin—A motley crowd of - passengers—The country _en route_—A historic railway station - _pages_ 1–16 - - -CHAPTER II - -TIENTSIN - - The foreign settlement—The Chinese city—The linguists in the - Anglo‐Indian army—The Tientsin Club—A polyglot crowd round the - bar—The English Concession—The famous Gordon Hall—The brawls in - Taku Road—Dissensions among the Allied troops—The attack on the - Royal Welch Fusiliers’ patrol—The siege of Tientsin—Scene of the - fighting—Accuracy of the Chinese shell fire—Soldier life in the - streets of Tientsin—Tommy Atkins—Peace and War—The revenge of - Christianity—The “railway siding incident” - _pages_ 17–33 - - -CHAPTER III - -THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA - - The German expeditionary force—Out‐of‐date tactics—Failure of - their transport—Their campaigning dress—The German officer—The - French troops—Improved training and organisation of the - French army—The Russians—Endurance and bravery of the Russian - soldier—Defective training—The Japanese army—Its transport system - in China—Splendid infantry—The courage of the Japanese—Excellence - of their Intelligence Department—Its working—The East sown with - their agents—The discipline of the Japanese soldiers—Their - bravery in action—Moderation in victory—Friendship for our - sepoys—The American troops—Continental criticism—The American - army of the future—Gallantry of the Americans at the capture of - Tientsin—General Dorward’s praise—Friendship between the American - and British troops—Discomfiture of an English subaltern—The - Italians—Holland’s imposing contingent—The Indian army—A revelation - to the world—Indian troops acting alone—Fighting qualities of the - various races—The British officers of the Indian army—Organisation - of an Indian regiment—Indian cavalry—Loyalty of the sepoy - _pages_ 34–63 - - -CHAPTER IV - -PEKIN - - To the capital—The railway journey—Von Waldersee’s introduction to - our Royal Horse Artillery—The Temple of Heaven—The Temples of the - Sun and Moon—The Centre of the Universe—The Chien Mên Gate—Legation - Street—The Hôtel du Nord—Description of Pekin—The famous walls—The - Tartar City—The Imperial City—The Forbidden City—Coal Hill—The - Ming Pagoda—The streets of Pekin—A visit to the Legations—The - siege—Pekin mud—A wet day—A princely palace—Chong Wong Foo—A visit - to the Forbidden City—The Imperial eunuchs—Seated on the Emperor’s - throne—His Majesty’s harem—A quaint notice—A giant bronze—The - Imperial apartments—The Emperor’s bedroom—The Empress‐Dowager’s - pavilion—Musical‐boxes and toys—Her Majesty’s bed—The Imperial - Garden—The view from Coal Hill - _pages_ 64–94 - - -CHAPTER V - -RAMBLES IN PEKIN - - The Peitan—Defence of the Cathedral—A prelate of the Church - militant—A gallant defence—Aspect of Pekin after the - restoration of order—A stroll down Ha‐ta‐man Street—Street - scenes—Peddlers—Jugglers—Peep‐shows and a shock—A dancing - bear—Shoeing a pony—The sorrows of a Pekin shopkeeper—Silk and fan - shops—A pottery store—A market‐place—A chaffering crowd—Beggars—The - Legation wall—Visit to the Great Lama Temple—The outer - gate—The first court—Lama priests—Rapacious beggars—The central - temple—Colossal statue of Buddha—The lesser temples—Improper - gods—Photographing the priests—The Temple of Confucius—A bare - interior—A visit to a Pekin _cloisonné_ factory—Method of - manufacture—Deft artists—Firing—The enamel—The humiliation of - China—The standards of the victors - _pages_ 95–114 - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE SUMMER PALACE - - Our ponies—The ride through the streets—Evil‐smelling lanes—The - walls—The shattered gate‐towers—The Japanese guard—The taking - of the City and relief of the Legations—The paved high‐road—A - fertile country—The villages—A ruined temple—Bengal Lancers and - Mounted Infantrymen—A ride through the fields—Distant view of the - palace—The ornamental gate—The entrance—The sepoy guard—The outer - courtyard—Bronzes on the temple verandah—A network of courts—Royal - Artillery mess in the pavilion that had served as the Emperor’s - prison—The shaded courtyard—Officers’ quarters looking out on the - lake—A marble‐walled lake—Lotos—Boats—A walk round the lake—The - covered terrace—The Bersagliere guard—Pretty summer‐houses—The - Empress’s temples—The marble junk—A marble bridge—Lunch in a - monarch’s prison—The hill over the lake—A lovely view—The Hall - of Ten Thousand Ages—Vandalism—Shattered Buddhas—The Bronze - Pagoda—The island—The distant hills—Summer quarters of the British - Legation—The ride back—Tropical rain—Flooded streets—A swim - _pages_ 115‐132 - - -CHAPTER VII - -A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN - - A long journey—The junction at Tong‐ku—Mud flats—A fertile - country—Walled villages—Mud forts—Defended stations—The - canal—Tong‐shan—The refreshment room—The coal mines—Hills—Roving - brigands—Shanhaikwan—Stranded at the station—Borrowing a - bed—Hunting for a meal—A Continental café—Spatch‐cocks—A woman - without pride—A mosquito concert with refreshments—Rigging up a - net—A surprise for the British and Russian station officers—A - midnight introduction—An admiring Russian—Kind hospitality—Good - Samaritans—The Gurkha mess—Fording a stream—A Russian cart—The - Great Wall of China—Snipe—The forts—The old camp—The walls of the - city—On the cliffs by the sea—The arrival of the Japanese fleet—A - shock for a Russian dinner‐party—The sea frozen in winter—A cricket - match—Shooting snipe on the cricket pitch—Dining with my Russian - friends—Vodki—Mixed drinks—The wily Russian and the Newchwang - railway—Tea à la Russe—Heavy rain—The line flooded—Cossacks on a - raft—Cut off from everywhere—An orderly of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry—A - sowar’s opinion of the Russian invasion of India—Collapsed - houses—Friendly scene between Japanese soldiers and our sepoys—The - floods subside—The return—Smuggling arms—Lieutenant Stirling, D.S.O. - _pages_ 133‐168 - - -CHAPTER VIII - -OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST - -HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND - - Importance of Hong Kong as a naval and military base—An - object‐lesson of Empire—Its marvellous rise—The constant menace - of famine—Cause of Hong Kong’s prosperity—Its geographical - position—An archipelago—Approaching Hong Kong by sea—First view of - Victoria—A crowded harbour—The mainland—The Kowloon Peninsula—The - city of Victoria—Queen’s Road—The Shops, hotels, banks—The - City Hall—The palatial club—The Brigade Parade Ground—The base - Commissariat Officer, Major Williams, I.S.C.—The Naval Dockyard—Sir - Francis Powell, K.C.M.G.—Barracks and Arsenal—The Happy Valley—A - _memento mori_—The polo ground—Lyeemoon Pass—The southern side - of the Island—The Peak—The cable tramway—View from the Peak—The - residential quarter—The floating population of Hong Kong—The - sampans—Their dangers in the past—The rising suburb of Kowloon—The - Hong Kong regiment—The docks—The Chinese city of Kowloon—Street - scenes in Hong Kong—Social amusements of the colony—Society in Hong - Kong and Kowloon—The Kowloon Peninsula—Danger to Hong Kong averted - by its possession—Character of the peninsula—The frontier—The - Chinese territory beyond it—The taking over of the Hinterland - in 1898—A small campaign—The chances of a land invasion of Hong - Kong—The garrison of Hong Kong—Advisability of mounted infantry - _pages_ 169‐201 - - -CHAPTER IX - -ON COLUMN IN SOUTHERN CHINA - - A camp on the British frontier—Fears of outbreaks in Canton—The - Black Flags—Alarm in Hong Kong—General Gaselee’s troops diverted - to Hong Kong and Shanghai—His authority among the Allies weakened - in consequence—Wild rumours in Canton—The reform party in the - south—The Triads—Rebellion in the Kwang‐tung province—Admiral - Ho—Troops despatched from Hong Kong to guard the frontier—The - Frontier Field Force—Its composition—The departure of the column—A - picturesque voyage—An Imperial Chinese Customs gunboat—The Samchun - River—War junks—Our first camp—Admiral Ho’s army—Consternation - among the Chinese troops—They march away—No official maps of the - Hinterland—A Customs station—Britishers in danger—Chinese‐made - modern guns—A false alarm—A phantom battle—Chinese fireworks—A - smart trick at the storming of the Peiyang Arsenal—A visit - to Samchun—A game of bluff—Taking tea with a mandarin—Round - the town—Cockroaches as a luxury—A Yankee Chinaman—A grateful - escort—Terrified Chinese soldiers—An official visit to a - mandarin—Southern Chinese soldiers—The Imperial troops in the - north—A real alarm—A night raid—A disappointment - _pages_ 202‐230 - - -CHAPTER X - -IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONY OF MACAO - - Early history of Macao—Its decay—A source of danger to Hong - Kong—Fleet of the Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat - Company—The _Heungshan_ and its passengers—Guarding against - piracy—Macao from the sea—An awkward Chinaman—The Boa Vista - Hotel—View over the city—The Praia Grande—Around the peninsula—In - the Public Gardens—Administration of Macao—A night alarm—A - mutinous regiment—Portuguese and Macaese society—A visit to - the Governor—An adventure with the police—An arrest—Insolent - treatment of British subjects—Redress—An arrest in Japan—Chinese - gambling‐houses—_Fan‐tan_—The sights of Macao - _pages_ 231‐255 - - -CHAPTER XI - -A GLIMPSE OF CANTON - - Hostility of Canton to foreigners—The scare in 1900—History - of Canton’s relations with the outer world—Its capture and - occupation by the English and French—The foreign settlement—The - river journey from Hong Kong to Canton—River scenes at Canton—A - floating city—Description of Canton—The streets—A visit to the - shops—Feather workers—Ivory carvers—Embroidery shops—Temple of - the Five Hundred Genii—Marco Polo among the gods—The prison—The - _cangue_—Insolent prisoners—Chinese punishments—Death of a Thousand - Cuts—The Temple of Horrors—The Examination Hall—Shameen—The English - and French concessions—Foreign gunboats—The trade of Canton—French - designs—Energy of their consuls—Our weak forbearance—An attack on - Canton by river and by land - _pages_ 256‐278 - - -CHAPTER XII - -CHINA—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE - - At England’s mercy in the past—An easy and tempting - prize—Patriotism unknown—The Chinaman’s wonderful love of - his family—Causes of his want of patriotism—His indifference - as to his rulers—The Chinese abroad—Hatred of foreigners in - China—Its causes—This hatred common to all classes—A substitute - for the non‐existent patriotism—Can we blame the Chinese?—A - comparison—If England were like China—Our country invaded by - Chinese, Coreans, Siamese, and Kamschatkans—The missionaries in - China—The gospel of love becomes the doctrine of revenge—The - China of the present—Tyranny and corruption—What the future may - prove—Japan’s example—Japan in the past and now—What she is China - may become—Intelligence of the Chinese—Their success in other - countries—The Chinaman as a soldier—Splendid material—Examples: - the Boxers; the Regulars who attacked Seymour and Tientsin; the - military students at Tientsin; the behaviour of our Chinese - Regiment under fire—Heavy losses among the Allies in the beginning - of the campaign—Comparison of the Egyptian fellaheen—The Chinese - army of the future—A reformed Empire - _pages_ 279‐298 - - -INDEX - - _pages_ 299‐307 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - COMMANDER‐IN‐CHIEF AND STAFF OF THE BRITISH FORCES - IN NORTH CHINA _Frontispiece_ - - PLAN OF PEKIN xvi - - EUROPEAN CONCESSIONS, TIENTSIN, AND THE PEIHO RIVER 17 - - EXECUTION OF A BOXER BY THE FRENCH 28 - - PUBLIC GARDENS AND GORDON HALL IN THE VICTORIA ROAD, - ENGLISH CONCESSION 28 - - FRENCH COLONIAL INFANTRY MARCHING THROUGH THE FRENCH - CONCESSION, TIENTSIN 38 - - GERMAN OFFICERS WELCOMING FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON - WALDERSEE AT THE RAILWAY STATION, TIENTSIN 38 - - UNITED STATES CAVALRYMAN 51 - - GERMAN AND INDIAN SOLDIERS 56 - - FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE REVIEWING THE ALLIED - TROOPS IN PEKIN 68 - - A STREET IN THE CHINESE CITY, PEKIN 72 - - FRONT FACE OF THE DEFENCES OF THE LEGATIONS 78 - - GROUNDS OF THE BRITISH LEGATION, PEKIN 107 - - A STREET IN THE TARTAR CITY, PEKIN, AFTER HEAVY RAIN 127 - - THE MARBLE JUNK 127 - - THE CANGUE 269 - -[Illustration: Plan of Pekin. - -Gates. - -1. Chien Mên Gate. 2. Tung‐Chi Gate, attacked by the Japanese. 3. -Ha‐ta‐man Gate. 4. The Water‐gate, a tunnel in the Wall between the -Tartar and Chinese cities. By this the Indian troops entered the -Legations. 5, 5. Nullah draining the Tartar City. 6. The English -Legation. 7. The Japanese Legation. 8. The Russian Legation. 9. The -American Legation. 10. The Hotel du Nord. 11, 11, 11. Ha‐ta‐man -Street. 12. The Temple of Heaven. 13. Temporary railway station. 14. -Railway line passing through a breach in the Wall. 15. The Temple of -Agriculture, occupied by the Americans.] - - - - - THE - LAND OF THE BOXERS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -FROM WEI‐HAI‐WEI TO TIENTSIN - - -Our transport steamed over a glassy sea along the bold and rugged -coast of Shan‐tung in Northern China. Ahead of us, a confused jumble -of hills dark against the setting sun, lay Wei‐hai‐wei.[1] A German -steamer homeward bound from Chifu dipped her flag to the blue ensign -with crossed swords flying at our peak. Close inshore an occasional -junk, with weird outlines and quaint sail, lay becalmed. On our deck, -lying in easy‐chairs, were a dozen officers of various branches of -the Service, all bound for Pekin. Some were fresh from South African -battlefields, others were there whose soldiering had been done in India -or in Burma. - -Among our number was a well‐known and popular military chaplain, the -Reverend Mr. Hardy, author of the famous _How to be Happy though -Married_. A living testimony to the success of his own theory, he was -the most genial and delightful shipmate I have ever met. Dowered with -all an Irishman’s wit and humour, he had been the life and soul of -everyone on board. He had recently arrived in Hong Kong from Europe, -having travelled across America, where his studied carelessness -of dress and wild, untrimmed beard had been a constant source of -wonderment to the smart citizens of the United States. “In Salt Lake -City,” he told us, “a stranger addressed me one day in my hotel. -‘Excuse me, sir,’ he said, ‘would you oblige me and my friends at this -table by deciding a small bet we have made?’ ‘I fear I shall be of -little use,’ replied Mr. Hardy; ‘I have only just reached your city.’ -‘Not at all. The bet is about yourself. We can’t make out which of -three things you are—a Mormon elder, a Boer General, or a Scotchman.’ -And, faith,” added our Irish _padré_ when he told us the tale, “I think -I felt most insulted at their last guess.” - -The sun went down slowly behind a chain of rugged hills. But soon -before us, set in a silver sea, the island of Wei‐hai‐wei rose dark -and sombre under a glorious moon. In the glistening water lay the dim -shapes of several warships, their black hulls pierced with gleaming -portholes. On their decks, bright with electric lamps, bands were -playing, their strains swelling louder and louder as we drew near. -Far off the hills of the mainland stood out sharply against the sky, -with here and there below a twinkling light from the villages or the -barracks of the Chinese Regiment. - -As our steamer rounded a long, low point, on which lay a deserted fort, -every line distinct in the brilliant moonlight, the town came into -view. The houses nestled down close to the water’s edge, while above -them the island rose in gentle slope to a conical peak. Our anchor -plunged sullenly into the sea, and we lay at rest in England’s most -Eastern harbour. Considerations of quarantine prevented us from going -ashore, and we were forced to wait for daylight to see what the place -was like. - -Early on deck next morning we watched the mists fade away until -Wei‐hai‐wei stood revealed in the strong light of the sun. Our latest -possession in the East consists of a small island, called Liu‐Kung‐tao, -on which stands the town. It lies about four miles from the mainland, -of which a few hundred square miles has been leased to England. The -harbour is sheltered to the south by the hills on the coast, to the -north by the island. It affords ample anchorage for a large fleet, but -could not be adequately defended without a large expenditure. During -the China‐Japan War the Chinese fleet sheltered in it until routed out -by the Japanese torpedo boats; while the Japanese army marched along -the heights of the mainland, seized the forts on them, and, turning -their guns on the island, forced its surrender. - -At the end of the island, round which our transport had passed, was -a small peninsula, on which stood the fort we had seen. Dismantled -now, it was unused by the present garrison. Close by, on reclaimed -land, lay the recreation ground; and even at the early hour at which -we saw it, tennis and cricket were in full swing. Just above it, in -that close proximity of life and death found ever in the East, was the -cemetery, where many crosses and tombstones showed already the price -we pay for empire. Near at hand was the magazine, over which a Royal -Marine sentry watched. Below, to the right, lay the Naval Dockyard -with a pier running out into the harbour, one destroyer alongside it, -another moored a short distance out. Along the sea‐front and rising -in tier after tier stood well‐built stone Chinese houses, which now, -large‐windowed and improved, serve as residences, shops, and offices -for Europeans. A staring whitewashed wall bore the inscription in big, -black letters, “Ah Ting. Naval Dairy Farm.” A picturesque, open‐work -wall with Chinese summer‐houses at either end enclosed the Club. -Farther on, a little above the harbour, stone steps through walled -terraces led up to the Headquarter Office, once the Yamen—a long row -of single‐storied houses with a quaint gateway, on either side of which -were painted grim Chinese figures of heroic size. On the terrace in -front stood some large Krupp guns with shields, taken in the present -campaign. The Queen’s House, as these buildings are called, divides -the naval from the military quarter of the town, the latter lying to -the right. A few good European bungalows sheltered the General, the -Commanding Royal Engineer, and the local representative of the famous -firm of Jardine, Mathieson, and Company. In the lines of Chinese houses -close by were the residences of the military officers and the hotel. -To the right stacks of fodder proclaimed the presence of the Indian -Commissariat. Past open ground lay a small camp and a few more houses. - -Above the town the island rises in terraced slopes to the summit, four -to six hundred feet high, the regular outline of which was broken by -mounds of upturned earth that marked the beginning of a new fort. On -the hillside are long stone walls with gates at intervals, which date -from the Chinese occupation, built by them, not to keep the enemy out -in time of war, but to keep their own soldiers in. Well‐laid roads lead -to the summit or round the island. The slopes are green with small -shrubs and grass, but nothing worthy of the name of tree is apparent. -Towards the eastern end were the rifle‐ranges, near which a fort was -being constructed. - -In the harbour was a powerful squadron of British battleships and -cruisers; for Wei‐hai‐wei is the summer rendezvous of our fleet in -Chinese waters. - -To the south the mainland lay in a semicircle. Rugged, barren hills -rise abruptly—in many places almost from the water’s edge. Where the -ground slopes more gently back from the sea lines of substantial stone -barracks have been erected for the Chinese Regiment, with excellent -officers’ quarters and a good mess. Nestling among trees—almost the -only ones to be seen on the iron‐bound coast—lies a large village. -East of it a long triangle of embrasured stone wall—the base on the -shore, the apex half‐way up the hill behind—guards the original town -of Wei‐hai‐wei, which still owns Chinese sovereignty, though all the -country round is British territory. A few good bungalows and a large -and well‐built hotel mark where the future Brighton of North China has -already begun to claim a recognition; for in the summer months the -European residents of Tientsin, Pekin, even of Shanghai are commencing -to congregate there in search of cool breezes and a healthy climate. -High up above all towers the chain of rugged hills from whose summits -the victorious Japanese gazed down on the wrecked Chinese fleet and -the battered forts of the island. Behind it, forty miles away, lies -the little‐known treaty port of Chifu with its prosperous foreign -settlement. - -The day advanced. From the warships in the harbour the bugle‐calls -rang out merrily in the morning air, answered by the brazen clangour -of the trumpets of the Royal Artillery ashore. The rattle of musketry -came from the rifle‐ranges, where squads of marines were firing. -Along the sea‐front tramped a guard of the Chinese Regiment. Clad in -khaki with blue putties and straw hats, they marched with a soldierly -swing to the Queen’s House, climbed the steps, and disappeared in the -gateway. Coolies laboured at the new fortifications. Boats shot out -from the pier and headed for the warships. Volumes of dense black smoke -poured from the chimneys of the condensing works—for no water fit -for drinking is found on the island. A cruiser steamed out from her -moorings to gun‐practice in the bay. And hour after hour we waited for -the coming of the Health Officer, who alone could allow us to land. -But, instead, the Transport Officer arrived, bearing orders for the -ship to start at once for Taku. And so, with never a chance for us -to go ashore, the anchor rumbled up and out we headed by the eastern -passage. As we steamed out to sea we passed the tiny Sun Island, merely -a deserted fort, still showing how cruelly battered and torn it had -been by the Japanese shells. Round the steep north side of the island -we swung and shaped our course for Taku in the track of the Allied -Fleets that had swept in vengeful haste over those same waters to the -merited punishment of China. All that day we passed along a rocky and -mountainous coast and in among islands of strange and fantastic shape. -Here an elephant, there a lion, carved in stone lay in slumber on the -placid sea. Yonder a camel reposed in Nirvana‐like abstraction. On -one islet, the only sign of life or human habitation we saw, stood a -lighthouse, like unto lighthouses all the world over. - -Next morning we awoke to find the ship at anchor. “Taku at last,” was -the cry; and, pyjama clad, we rushed on deck. To see what? Where _was_ -Taku? All around a heaving, troubled waste of muddy sea, bearing on -its bosom the ponderous shapes of warships—British, French, Russian, -German, Austrian, Italian, Japanese. Close by, a fleet of merchantmen -flying the red ensign, the horizontal stripes of the “Vaterland,” or -the red ball on white ground of the marvellous little islands that -claim to be the England of the Far East. Tugs and lighters were making -for a German transport, the decks of which were crowded with soldiers. -But of land not a sign. For the roadstead of Taku is so shallow that -no ship of any considerable draught can approach the shore, and we -were then ten miles out from the coast. Passengers and cargo must be -taken ashore in tugs and lighters. Only those who have seen the place -can appreciate the difficulties under which the transport officers -of the various armies laboured in landing men, horses, guns, and the -necessary vast stores of every description. And Captain Elderton, Royal -Indian Marine, well deserved the D.S.O. which rewarded him for the -excellent work he performed at the beginning of the campaign; when, -having successfully conveyed our expedition ashore, he was able to lend -invaluable assistance to the troops of many of the Allies. - -The bar at the mouth of the Peiho River, which flows into the sea at -Taku, can only be crossed at high tide; so we were forced to remain on -board until the afternoon. Then, embarking on a launch that had come -out to meet us, we steamed in to the land through a rough and tumbling -sea. As we drew near, the low‐lying shore rose into view. On each side -of the entrance to the Peiho ran long lines of solid earthworks—the -famous Taku Forts. Taken in reverse and bombarded by the gunboats lying -in the river, gallantly assaulted by landing parties from the Allied -Fleets, which, owing to the shallowness of the water, could lend no -other assistance, they fell after a desperate struggle, and now from -their ramparts flew the flags of the conquering nations. Here paced an -Italian sentry, there a Russian soldier leaned on a quick‐firing Krupp -gun; for the forts were armed with the most modern ordnance. The red -coat of a British marine or the white clothing of a group of Japanese -artillerymen lent a few specks of bright colour to the dingy earthworks. - -Close to the entrance of the Peiho stands a tall stone building; near -it is the Taku Pilots’ Club, their houses, comfortable bungalows, -close at hand. Between flat, marshy shores the river winds, its banks -crowded with mud huts. Farther up we passed a small dock, in which -lay a gunboat flying the Russian flag. Then more gunboats—American, -French, and Japanese. A few miles from the mouth of the river is -Tong‐ku, the terminus of the Tientsin‐Pekin Railway. At the outset -of the campaign all nationalities, except the British, had chosen -this for their landing‐place and established their depôts here. As -we steamed past, we looked on a scene of restless activity. Russian, -French, German, and Italian soldiers were busy disembarking stores -and _matériel_ from the lighters alongside, loading railway trucks -in the temporary sidings, entraining horses and guns. The English, -more practical, had selected a landing‐place a few miles farther -up, at Hsin‐ho. Here they found themselves in sole occupation, and -the confusion inevitable among so many different nationalities -was consequently absent. An excellent wharf had been built, large -storehouses erected, and a siding constructed from a temporary station -on the railway. Hsin‐ho was our destination. Our launch stopped at -the quay, alongside which two shallow‐draught steamers and a fleet -of lighters were lying. Men of the Coolie Corps were hard at work; -close by stood a guard of the stalwart Punjaub sepoys of the Hong Kong -Regiment. Overhead flew the Union Jack. - -Our luggage was speedily disembarked. Most of our fellow‐passengers, -learning that a train for Tientsin was due to leave almost at once, -hurried off to the railway station, about a mile away. Three of us of -the same regiment were met by a brother officer who was in charge of -a detachment at Hsin‐ho. He offered us the hospitality of the station -mess, composed of those employed on various duties at the place; and, -desirous of seeing how the work of the disembarkation of a large force -was carried out, we determined to remain for the night. - -We visited Tong‐ku that afternoon, and found a marked difference in -the methods prevailing there and at Hsin‐ho. The presence of so many -different nationalities naturally entailed great confusion. At the -railway station a very babel of languages resounded on every side. - -One truck with German stores had to be detached from a goods train -and sent down one siding; the next, with French cavalry horses, sent -down another; a Russian and an Italian officer disputed the ownership -of a third. Lost baggage‐guards stood disconsolate or wandered round -aimlessly until rescued by their transport officers. Detachments of -Continental troops stood helplessly waiting for someone to conduct them -to their proper trains. Disorder reigned supreme. - -At Hsin‐ho everything proceeded without confusion. It might have been -an up‐country station in the heart of India. Comfortable huts had been -built for the detachment responsible for the guard duties; and the -various details were equally well accommodated. The military officers -had established themselves in a stone house that had formerly been the -quarters of a railway engineer. The Royal Indian Marine officers in -charge of the naval transport had settled down with the readiness with -which sailors adapt themselves to shore life. A line of felt‐roofed, -mud huts had been turned by them into an excellent mess and quarters. -A raised terrace looked down on a tennis‐court, on the far side of -which a pond in the mud flats, stretching away to the horizon, boasted -a couple of canoes. From a tall flagstaff that stood on the terrace -floated the blue ensign and Star of India of their Service. - -The railway siding ran past large and well‐built storehouses. On the -river bank long lines of mules were picketed, looking in excellent -condition despite the hard work they had gone through. In a little -cutting in the bank was an old and tiny steam tug, which had been -turned into a condenser for drinking‐water. Everything was trim and -tidy. The work of disembarking the stores from the lighters in the -river and putting them into the railway trucks almost alongside went -on in perfect order, all in marked contrast to the confusion that -prevailed at Tong‐ku. - -Early next morning we were _en route_ for Tientsin. My brother officers -and I tramped down through awful mud to the long platform which was -dignified by the title of “Hsin‐ho Railway Station.” A small house -close by sheltered the railway employees and the telegraph staff, -signallers of the Army Telegraph Department. - -The train from the Tong‐ku terminus soon appeared, and as it steamed in -presented a—to us—novel appearance. Leaning out of the windows was -a motley crowd of many nationalities. Out of one appeared the heads -of a boyish Cossack and a bearded Sikh. The next displayed the chubby -face of a German soldier beside the dark features of an Italian sailor. -When the train stopped, a smart Australian bluejacket stepped out of -the brake‐van. He was the guard. In the corridor cars were Yagers, -Austrian sailors, brawny American soldiers, baggy‐trousered Zouave and -red‐breeched Chasseur d’Afrique. Sturdy little Japanese infantrymen -sat beside tall Bengal Lancers. A small Frenchman chatted volubly with -a German trooper from the Lost Provinces. Smart Tommy Atkins gazed in -wondering disdain at the smaller Continental soldiers, or listened -with an amused smile to the vitriolic comments of a Yankee friend on -the manners and appearance of “those darned Dagoes.” And among them, -perfectly at his ease, sat the imperturbable Chinaman, apparently a -little bored but otherwise quite uninterested in the “foreign devils.” - -The first‐class carriages were filled with the officers of every -nation whose flag now waved on Chinese soil. Russians in white -coats with flat caps and gold shoulder‐straps sat side by side with -khaki‐clad Britishers; Italian officers in yellow; Frenchmen in every -shade of supposed‐to‐be khaki; Germans with silver belts and sashes; -Japanese with many medals and enamelled decorations on their breasts. -As we entered our carriage we touched our helmets to the previous -occupants—a salute which was punctiliously returned by everyone -present. Settling ourselves in our seats, our interest was at first -fully absorbed by the various uniforms around us; and it was some time -before we could devote our attention to the scenery through which we -were passing. - -The train ran first over wide‐stretching mud flats, then through a -level, monotonous country, flooded or covered with high crops; and, -barely seen above the tall vegetation, here and there roofless houses -and ruined villages showed the track of war. At every bridge and -culvert stood a tent with a guard of an Indian regiment, the sentry -presenting arms as the train passed. The stations along the line were -numerous. Over their stone buildings floated the Union Jack, for the -railway was now in British hands. On each platform the same scene -presented itself. The English Staff Officer in khaki and red‐banded -forage cap; the stalwart Indian sentry; a varied mob of French and -German soldiers, Sikhs, Mussulmans, Chinese. - -The fields of luxuriant, waving grain stretched away to the rim of the -distant horizon. A trail of smoke, the tall masts of junks showed where -the river wound in frequent bends. At length we passed the extensive -buildings and high chimneys of the Chinese Arsenal, captured by our -marines and held by the Russians; and above the trees towers and domes -told that we were nearing Tientsin. Then through a gap in a big earthen -wall that is twenty miles in circumference, past many sidings and long -lines of iron trucks and waggons with bullet‐marked sides, eloquent of -fierce fighting, we ran into the station. - -A commonplace, uninteresting place at first sight—just the ordinary -railway station with the usual sheds, iron bridge, offices, -refreshment‐room. Yet here, not long before, white men and yellow had -closed in deadly struggle, and the rails and platforms had been dyed -red with the blood of heroes. The sides of the iron water‐tank, the -walls of the engine‐house, were patched and repaired; for shells from -the most modern guns had rained on them for days. The stone walls were -loopholed and bullet‐splashed. Many of the buildings were roofless, -their shattered ruins attesting the accuracy of the Chinese gunners. At -yonder corner the fanatical Boxers had burst in a wild night attack, -and even European soldiers had retreated before the fury of their -onslaught. But the men of the hitherto untried Hong Kong Regiment, -sturdy sons of the Punjaub plains or Frontier hills, had swept down on -them with the cold steel and bayoneted them in and under the trucks; -until even Chinese fanaticism could stand it no longer and the few -survivors fled in the friendly darkness. For that brave exploit, the -Subhedar Major of the corps now wears the Star of the Indian Empire. -From the mud walls of that village, scarce two hundred yards away, -the European‐drilled Imperial troops, armed with the latest magazine -rifles, had searched with deadly aim every yard of open ground over -which the defenders advanced. Across this ditch the Boxers, invincible -in their mad belief, had swarmed in the face of a murderous fire, and -filled it with their dead. Not a foot of ground in that prosaic railway -station but had its tale of desperate fanaticism or disciplined valour. - -[Footnote 1: Pronounced “Way high way.”] - -[Illustration: EUROPEAN CONCESSIONS, TIENTSIN, AND THE PEIHO RIVER] - - - - -CHAPTER II - -TIENTSIN - - -The foreign settlement of Tientsin and the Chinese city are entirely -separate, and lie some distance apart. The former, resembling more a -European town than an alien lodgment in the heart of the Celestial -Empire, boasts wide roads and well‐kept streets, large offices and -lofty warehouses, good public buildings and comfortable villas, a -racecourse and a polo‐ground. It is divided into the Concessions of the -various nationalities, of which the English, in size and mercantile -importance, is easily first. The difference between it and the next -largest—the French—is very marked. The latter, though possessing -a few good streets, several hotels, and at least one long business -thoroughfare with fine shops, speaks all too plainly of stagnation. The -British quarter, bustling, crowded, tells just as clearly of thriving -trade. In it are found most of the banks, the offices of the more -considerable merchants, and all the municipal buildings. - -The Chinese city, perhaps, has more charm for the lover of the -picturesque, though it is less interesting now than formerly, since -the formidable embrasured wall surrounding it has been pulled down by -order of the Allied generals. In it stands a grim memento of another -outburst of fanaticism against the hated foreigner—the ruins of the -Roman Catholic Cathedral, destroyed by the Chinese in 1870. The city -itself is like unto all other Celestial cities. Narrow lanes, low -houses, ill‐kept thoroughfares, gaudiness and dirt intermingled, stench -and filth abominable. To it, however, was wont to go the seeker after -curiosities, choice silks, or rich furs from Manchuria and Corea. But -the retributive looting that fell on it after its capture has left it -bare indeed. - -On the platform of the railway station almost the first friendly face -we saw was that of perhaps the best‐known man in North China, Major -Whittal, Hyderabad Contingent. Interpreter in Russian, fluent in French -and German, his linguistic abilities had been responsible for his -appointment to the scarcely enviable post of Railway Staff Officer at -Tientsin. In a town that held the headquarters of every foreign army, -where troops and stores of all kinds were despatched or arrived daily -in charge of representatives of the different forces, such a position -required the possession of a genius for organisation and infinite -tact and patience. Even as we greeted him, French, Russian, or German -officers and soldiers crowded round, to harry him with questions in -divers tongues or propound problems as to the departure of troop trains -or the disposal of waggons loaded with supplies for their respective -armies. The Britisher is usually supposed to be the least versed of -any in foreign languages. But the Continental officers were very much -surprised to find how many linguists we boasted in our expeditionary -force. At every important railway station we had a staff officer who -was an interpreter in one or more European languages. There were many -who had passed examinations in Chinese. A French major remarked to me -one day: “_Voilà, monsieur_, we have always thought that an Englishman -knows no tongue but his own. Yet we find but few of your officers who -cannot converse with us in ours. Not all well, certainly; but, on the -other hand, how many of us can talk with you in English? Scarcely any. -And many of you speak Russian, German, or Italian.” It was not the only -surprising fact they learned about the hitherto despised Anglo‐Indian -army. - -Leaving Major Whittal surrounded by a polyglot crowd, and handing over -the luggage to our sword orderlies, we seated ourselves in rickshas and -set out in search of quarters. The European settlement is separated -from the railway station by the Peiho River. We crossed over a bridge -of boats, which swings aside to allow the passage of vessels up or -down. At either end stood a French sentry, to stop the traffic when -the bridge was about to open. The stream was crowded with junks loaded -with stores for the various armies, and flying the flag of the nation -in whose service they were employed. A steamer lay at a wharf—an -unusual sight, for few ships of any draught can safely overcome the -difficulties of the shallow river. Along the far bank ran a broad road, -known as the Bund, bordered with well‐built warehouses and offices. -Some of these bore eloquent testimony to the severity of the Chinese -shell fire during the siege. The Tricolour flew over the first houses -we passed, for the French Concession lies nearest the station. At -the gates of those buildings, used as barracks, lounged men of the -Infanterie Coloniale, clad in loose white or blue uniforms, with large -and clumsy helmets. A few hundred yards farther down we reached the -English settlement, and turned up a wide street, in which was situated -the fine official residence of the British Consul‐General. We arrived -at last at the mess of the Hong Kong Regiment, where two of us were to -find quarters. It stood in a narrow lane surrounded by houses shattered -by shells during the siege. Close by were the messes of the Royal Welch -Fusiliers and the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry in dark and gloomy Chinese -buildings. - -In the afternoon we paid our first visit to the Tientsin Club. It was -crowded with representatives of almost every nationality. Britishers, -Americans, French, Russians, and Austrians were clinking glasses amid -a chorus of “A votre santé!” “Good health!” “Svatches doróvia!” and -“Here’s how!” Even an occasional smart little Japanese officer was to -be seen. Naval uniforms were almost as much in evidence as military -garb; for the officers of the Allied Fleets lying off Taku varied -the monotony of riding at anchor, out of sight of the land, by an -occasional run ashore and a visit to Tientsin and Pekin. The utmost -good fellowship prevailed among the different nationalities. French -was the usual medium of intercourse between Continental officers and -those of the English‐speaking races. Britishers might be seen labouring -through the intricacies of the irregular verbs which had vexed their -brains during schooldays, or lamenting their neglect to keep up their -early acquaintance with the language of diplomacy and international -courtesy. The bond of a common tongue drew the Americans and the -English still more closely together, and the greatest friendship -existed between all ranks of both nationalities. The heroic bravery of -the sailors and soldiers of the great Republic of the West earned the -praise and admiration of their British comrades, who were justly proud -of the kinship that was more marked than ever during those days when -the Stars and Stripes flew side by side with the Union Jack. The famous -saying of the American commodore, “Blood is stronger than water,” and -the timely aid given by him to our imperilled sailors in this same -vexed land of China, were green in our memory. The language difficulty -unfortunately prevented much intercourse with the Japanese officers. -Some of them, however, were acquainted with English, and these were -readily welcomed by British and Americans. - -The club stands in the broad, tree‐shaded Victoria Road. Next to it is -the Gordon Hall, a handsome structure famous as the refuge of the women -and children during the bombardment. It contains a theatre and a public -library, and is the scene of most of the festivities in Tientsin. -Before its door stands an object‐lesson of the siege—two small guns of -Seymour’s gallant column flanked by enormous shells captured from the -Chinese. The two tall towers were a conspicuous mark for the hostile -artillerymen, as was the even loftier German Club facing it. Close by -are the small but pretty Public Gardens, where, in the afternoons, -the bands of the various regiments used to play. Nearer the French -Concession stands a large hotel, the Astor House; its long verandah -was the favourite resort of the foreign officers. The groups in varied -uniforms sitting round the small marble tables gave it the appearance -of a Continental _café_—an illusion not dispelled by the courtesy -which prevailed. As each new‐comer entered he saluted the company -present, who all rose and bowed in reply. - -Behind the Victoria Road runs the famous, or infamous, Taku Road, the -scene of so many disgraceful brawls between the Allied troops. For part -of its length it is lined by commercial buildings, but towards the -French Concession were many houses tenanted by the frail sisterhood. -Their presence attracted the worst characters among the men of the -various armies, and disorder was rife. It culminated at length in a -wanton attack on a small patrol of the Royal Welch Fusiliers by a -drunken mob of Continental soldiers. A Japanese guard close by turned -out to the aid of their English comrades, and, wasting no time in -parley, dropped at once on the knee to fire into the aggressors. They -were restrained with difficulty by the corporal in charge of the -British patrol, who vainly endeavoured to pacify the mob. Forced at -length to use their rifles in self‐defence, the Fusiliers did so to -some effect. Two soldiers were killed, eight others wounded, and the -remainder fled. Naturally enough, great excitement and indignation were -aroused at first among the troops to which these men belonged; but it -died away when the truth was known. An international court of inquiry, -having carefully investigated the case, exonerated the corporal from -all blame and justified his action. Such unfortunate occurrences were -only to be expected among the soldiers of so many mixed nationalities, -and the fact that they did not happen more frequently spoke well for -the general discipline. At the end farthest from the French Concession -the Taku Road ran through a number of small _cafés_ and beer‐saloons, -much patronised by the German troops, whose barracks lay close by. - -The sights of the city and the foreign settlement were soon exhausted. -But one never tired of watching the moving pictures of soldier life, -or of visiting the scenes of the deadly fighting memorable for ever -in the history of North China. The long stretches of mud flats lying -between the Chinese town and the Concessions, over which shot and shell -had flown for weeks; the roofless villages; the shattered houses; -the loopholed and bullet‐splashed walls. There, during long days and -anxious nights, the usually pacific Chinaman, spurred on by fanatic -hate and lust of blood, had waged a bitter war with all the devilish -cunning of his race. There the mad rushes of frenzied Boxers, reckless -of life, hurling themselves fearlessly with antiquated weapons against -a well‐armed foe. There the Imperial soldiers, trained by European -officers, showed that their instruction had borne fruit. From every -cover, natural or improvised, they used their magazine rifles with -accuracy and effect. Lieutenant Fair, R.N., Flag‐Lieutenant -to Admiral Seymour, told me that he has often watched them picking up -the range as carefully and judiciously as a Boer marksman. And his -Admiral, conspicuous in white uniform and dauntlessly exposing himself -on the defences, escaped death again and again only by a miracle while -men fell at his side. Nor was the shooting of the Chinese gunners to -be despised. Lieutenant Hutchinson, H.M.S. _Terrible_, in a redoubt -with two of his ship’s famous guns, engaged in a duel at three -thousand yards with a Chinese battery of modern ordnance. Of six shells -hurled at him, two struck the parapet in front, two fell just past -his redoubt, and two almost within it. Fortunately none burst. Had -the mandarins responsible for the munitions of war proved as true to -their trust as the gunners, the _Terrible’s_ detachment would have been -annihilated; but when the ammunition captured afterwards from the enemy -was examined, it was found that the bursting charges of the shells had -been removed and replaced by sand. The corrupt officials had extracted -the powder and sold it. A naval ·450 Maxim was most unpopular in the -defences. Its neighbourhood was too unsafe, for whenever it opened fire -the smoke betrayed it to the Chinese gunners, and shells at once fell -fast around it. It had finally to be withdrawn. - -But the desperate losses among the Boxers opposed to Seymour’s gallant -column, the heavy fighting around Tientsin, and the capture of the city -broke the back of the Chinese resistance. And when the Allied Army -advanced on Pekin, no determined stand was made after the first battle. -The capital, with its famous and formidable walls, fell almost without -a blow. A sore disappointment to the British Siege Train, who, hurried -out to South Africa to batter down the forts of Pretoria, found their -services uncalled for there; and then, despatched to China for the -siege of Pekin, arrived to learn that there, too, they were not needed. - -The interest of the Foreign Settlement lay in the crowds that thronged -its streets. Never since the occupation of Paris after Napoleon’s -downfall has any city presented such a kaleidoscopic picture of varied -uniforms and mixed troops of many nations. I know few things more -interesting than to sit for an hour on the Astor House verandah and -watch the living stream. Rickshas go by bearing officers of every army, -punctiliously saluting all other wearers of epaulettes they pass. An -Indian tonga bumps along behind two sturdy little ponies. After it -rumbles a Russian transport cart, driven by a white‐bloused Cossack. A -heavy German waggon pulls aside to make way for a carriage containing -two Prussian officers of high rank. A few small Japanese mounted -infantrymen trot by, looking far more in keeping with the diminutive -Chinese ponies than do the tall Punjaubis who follow them. Behind them -are a couple of swarthy Bombay Lancers on well‐groomed horses, gazing -with all a cavalryman’s disdain at the “Mounted Foot” in front of them. -And surely never was trooper of any army so picturesque as the Indian -_sowar_. A guard of stolid German soldiers tramps by. A squad of sturdy -Japanese infantry passes a detachment of heavily accoutred French -troops swinging along with short, rapid strides. And at each street -corner and crossing, directing the traffic, calm and imperturbable, -stands the man who has made England what she is—the British private. -All honour to him! Smart, trim, well set‐up, he looks a monarch among -soldiers, compared with the men of other more military countries. Never -have I felt so proud of Tommy Atkins as when I saw him there contrasted -with the pick of the Continental armies; for all the corps that had -been sent out from Europe had been specially selected to do credit to -their nations. _He_ was merely one of a regiment that had chanced to be -garrisoning England’s farthest dependency in the East, or of a battery -taken at random. In physique, appearance, and soldierly bearing he -equalled them all. Even his cousin, the American, sturdy and stalwart -as he is, could not excel him in smartness, though not behind him in -courage or coolness in action. The British officer, however, in plain -khaki with no adornments of rank, looked almost dowdy beside the white -coats and gold shoulder‐straps of the Russian or the silver belts and -sashes of the German. But gay trappings nowadays are sadly out of place -in warfare. - -[Illustration: PUBLIC GARDENS AND GORDON HALL IN THE VICTORIA ROAD, -ENGLISH CONCESSION] - -And though within a few miles the broken Chinese braves and routed -Boxers, formed into roving bands of robbers, swooped down upon -defenceless villages, and heavily accoutred European soldiers trudged -wearily and fruitlessly after them over impossible country, life in -Tientsin flowed on unheeding in all the gay tranquillity of ordinary -garrison existence. Entertainments in the Gordon Hall, convivial -dinners, polo, races, went on as though the demon of war had been -exorcised from the unhappy land. Yet grim reminders were not wanting; -scarcely a day passed without seeing a few miserable prisoners brought -in from the districts round. Poor wretches! Many of them were villagers -who had been driven into brigandage by the burning of their houses and -the ruin of their fields as the avenging armies passed. Some were but -the victims of treacherous informers, who, to gain a poor reward or -gratify a petty spite, denounced the innocent. And, with pigtails tied -together, cuffed and hustled by their pitiless captors, they trudged on -to their doom with the vague stare of poor beasts led to the slaughter. -A hurried trial, of which they comprehended nothing, then death. Scarce -knowing what was happening, each unhappy wretch was led forth to die. -Around him stood the fierce white soldiers he had learned to dread. -Cruel men of his own race bound his arms, flung him on his knees, and -pulled his queue forward to extend his neck. The executioner, too often -a pitiful bungler, raised his sword. The stroke fell; the head leapt -from the body; the trunk swayed for an instant, then collapsed on the -ground. - -[Illustration: EXECUTION OF A BOXER BY THE FRENCH - -[_page_ 28] - -Yet for many of them such a death was all too merciful. No race -on earth is capable of such awful cruelty, such hellish devices of -torture, as the Chinese. And the unfortunate missionaries, the luckless -wounded soldiers who fell into their hands, experienced treatment -before which the worst deviltries of the Red Indian seemed humane. -Occasionally some of these fiends were captured by the Allies; often -only the instruments, but sometimes the instigators of the terrible -outrages on Europeans, the mandarins who had spurred on the maddened -Boxers to their worst excesses. For these no fitting punishment could -be devised, and a swift death was too kind. But in the latter days of -the campaign too many suffered an unmerited fate. The blood heated by -the tales of Chinese cruelty at the outbreak of the troubles did not -cool rapidly. The murders of the missionaries and civil engineers, -of the unhappy European women and children, could not be readily -forgotten. The seed sown in those early days of the fanatical outburst -bore a bitter fruit. The horrors that war inevitably brings in its -train were aggravated by the memory of former treachery and the -difficulty of distinguishing between the innocent and the guilty. A -very slight alteration of dress sufficed to convert into a harmless -peasant the Boxer whose hands were red with the blood of defenceless -Europeans, or of Chinese Christians whose mangled bodies had choked the -river. - -The echoes of a greater struggle at the other side of the globe filled -the ears of the world when the defenders of Tientsin were holding -fanatical hordes of besiegers at bay. And so, few in Europe realised -the deadliness of the fighting around the little town where hundreds -of white women and children huddled together in terror of a fate -too dreadful for words. The gallant sailors and marines who guarded -it knew that on them alone depended the lives and honour of these -helpless ones. Day and night they fought a fight, the like of which has -scarcely been known since the defenders of the Residency at Lucknow -kept the flag flying in similar straits against a not more savage -foe. Outmatched in armament, they opposed small, almost out‐of‐date -guns to quick‐firing and large‐calibre Krupps of the latest pattern. -Outnumbered, stricken by disease, assailed by fierce hordes without -and threatened by traitors within, they held their own with a heroism -that has never gained the meed of praise it deserved. From the walls of -the Chinese city, a few thousand yards away, and from the ample cover -across the narrow river, shells rained on the unprotected town, and its -streets were swept by close‐range rifle fire. All national rivalries -forgotten, Americans, Russians, British, French, Germans, and Japanese -fought shoulder to shoulder against a common foe. Admiral Seymour’s -heroic column, baffled in its gallant dash on Pekin, and battling -savagely against overwhelming numbers, fell slowly back on the -beleaguered town. The Hsi‐ku Arsenal, a few miles from Tientsin, barred -the way, guarded by a strong and well‐armed force of Imperial soldiers. -The desperate sailors nerved themselves for a last supreme effort. -Under a terrible fire the British marines, under Major Johnstone, -R.M.L.I., flung themselves on the defences and drove out -the enemy with the bayonet. Then, utterly exhausted, its ammunition -almost spent, the starving column halted in the Arsenal, unable to -break through the environing hordes of besiegers who lay between it -and Tientsin. A gallant attempt made by two companies of our marines -to cut their way through was repulsed with heavy loss. The Chinese -made several attempts to retake the Arsenal. A welcome reinforcement -of close on two thousand Russian troops from Port Arthur had enabled -the besieged garrison of Tientsin to hold out. A relieving force was -sent out to bring in the decimated column, utterly prostrated by the -incessant fighting. An eye‐witness of their return, Mr. Drummond, -Chinese Imperial Customs, who fought with the Tientsin Volunteers -throughout the siege, told me that the condition of Seymour’s men was -pitiable in the extreme. Worn out and weak, shattered by the terrible -trials they had undergone, they had almost to be supported into the -town. For sixteen days and nights they had been battling continuously -against a well‐armed and enterprising foe. Their provisions had run -out, and they had been forced to sustain life on the foul water of the -river, which was filled with corpses, and on stray ponies and mules -captured by the way. Out of 1,945 men they had 295 casualties. As -soon as the sailors and marines of the returned column were somewhat -recovered from their exhaustion, the Allied Forces moved out to attack -the native city of Tientsin, which was surrounded by a strong and -high wall, and defended by over sixty guns, most of them very modern -ordnance. Covered by a terrific bombardment from the naval guns, which -had come up from the warships at Taku, the little army, 5,000 strong, -hurled itself on the doomed city. But so fierce was the Chinese defence -that for a day and a night it could barely hold its own. But before -sunrise the Japanese sappers blew open the city gate, under a heavy -fire. The Allies poured in through the way thus opened to them, and -the surviving defenders fled, having lost 5,000 killed and wounded. -The Allies themselves, out of a total force of 5,000, had nearly 800 -casualties. The enemy’s stronghold captured, the siege of the European -settlements was raised after a month of terrible stress. - -Between the railway station and the river lies a small stretch of -waste ground, a few hundred yards in extent. Here arose the famous -“Railway Siding incident.” The Russians claimed it as theirs “by right -of conquest,” although it had always been recognised as the property -of the railway company. An attempt to construct a siding on it from -the station brought matters to a crisis. A Russian guard was promptly -mounted on it, and confronted by a detachment of Indian troops under -the command of Lieutenant H. E. Rudkin, 20th Bombay Infantry. The -situation in which this young subaltern was placed demanded a display -of tact and firmness which might well have overtaxed the resources -of an older man. But with the self‐reliance which the Indian Army -teaches its officers he acquitted himself most creditably in a very -trying position. Then ensued a period of anxious suspense when no man -knew what the morrow might bring forth. But calm counsels fortunately -prevailed. These few yards of waste ground were not judged worth “the -bones of a single grenadier,” and the question was taken from the hands -of the soldier and entrusted to the diplomat. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA - - -To a soldier no city in the world could prove as interesting as -Tientsin from the unequalled opportunity it presented of contrasting -the men and methods of the Allied Armies. And the officers of the -Anglo‐Indian forces saw with pride that they had but little to learn -from their Continental brothers‐in‐arms. In organisation, training, and -equipment our Indian Army was unsurpassed. Clad in the triple‐proof -armour of self‐satisfaction, the soldiers of Europe have rested -content in the methods of 1870. The effects of the increased range -and destructive power of modern weapons have not been appreciated -by them. Close formations are still the rule, and the history of -the first few battles in the next European war will be a record of -terrible slaughter. The lessons of the Boer campaign are ignored. They -ascribe the failures and defeats of the British forces to the defective -training and want of _morale_ of our troops, and disdain to learn from -a “nation of farmers.” - -The world has long believed that the German Army is in every respect -superior to all others. But those who saw its China expeditionary -force—composed though it was of picked troops and carefully selected -officers—will not agree with this verdict. Arriving too late for the -serious fighting—for there were no German troops in the Allied Army -which relieved the Legations—it could only be criticised from its -behaviour in garrison and on a few columns which did not meet with very -serious opposition. All nationalities had looked forward eagerly to the -opportunity of closely observing a portion of the army which has set -the fashion in things military to Europe during the past thirty years. -But I think that most of those who had hoped to learn from it were -disappointed. - -The German authorities are still faithful to the traditions of close -formations and centralisation of command under fire. Unbroken lines in -the attack are the rule, and no divergence from the straight, forward -direction, in order to take advantage of cover lying towards a flank, -is authorised. The increased destructive power given by low trajectory -to modern firearms does not seem to be properly understood by them. -The creeping forward of widely extended and irregularly advancing -lines of skirmishers, seizing every cover available within easy reach, -is not favoured; and the dread of the effect of cavalry charges on -the flanks of such scattered formations still rules the tactics of -the attack. The development of the initiative of the soldier, of -his power of acting for himself under fire, is not striven after. In -steady, mechanical drill the German private is still pre‐eminent, but -in wide extensions he is helpless without someone at his elbow to give -him orders. One of the Prussian General Staff—sent out as a Special -Service Officer—argued seriously with me that even when advancing over -open ground against an entrenched enemy armed with modern rifles, it -would be impossible to extend to more than an interval of one pace, “as -otherwise the captain could not command his company.” - -Those in high places in Germany probably appreciate the lessons of -the South African campaign. But the difficulty of frontal assaults in -close formations on a well‐defended position, the impossibility of -battalion or company commanders directing the attack in the firing line -at close ranges, the necessity of training men to act for themselves -when near the enemy, have not struck home to the subordinate grades. -Viewed in the light of our experiences in the Boer War and on the -Indian Frontier, their adherence to systems that we have proved -disastrous before modern weapons stamps their tactics as antiquated. -“Entrenching,” another staff officer said to me, “is contrary to the -spirit of the German Army. Our regulations now force us to employ the -spade, but our tradition will always be to trust to the bayonet.” And I -thought of another army, which also used to have a decided liking for -the same weapon, and which had gone to South Africa in the firm belief -that cold steel was the only weapon for use in war! - -The German officers were very smart in their bearing and dress. Their -khaki uniforms were similar to ours, the coats well made; but the -clumsy cut of their riding breeches offends the fastidious eyes of the -horsey Britisher, who is generally more particular about the fit of -this garment than any other in his wardrobe. The product of despotic -militarism in a land where the army is supreme and the civilian is -despised, the German officers are full of the pride of caste. In -China they were scarcely inclined to regard those of the other allied -troops as equals. The iron discipline of their army does not encourage -intercourse between the various ranks. The friendly association of -English officers with their men in sports is inexplicable to them; and -that a private should excel his superior in any pastime is equivalent, -in their opinion, to the latter at once forfeiting the respect of -his subordinate. When a team of British officers in Tientsin were -training for a tug‐of‐war against those of the Pekin garrison in the -assault‐at‐arms at the Temple of Heaven, they used to practise with a -team of heavy non‐commissioned officers. A German captain said to a -British subaltern who was taking part: - -“Is it possible that you allow your soldiers to compete against -officers even in practice?” - -“Certainly,” replied the Englishman. - -“But of course you always beat them?” - -“Not at all,” was the answer. “On the contrary, they generally beat us.” - -“But surely that is a mistake,” said the scandalised Prussian. “They -must in that case inevitably lose all respect for you.” And nothing -could convince him that it was not so. - -As the German military officer does not as a rule travel much abroad, -the realisation of England’s predominance beyond the seas seemed to -come on those in China almost as a surprise. One remarked to a member -of the staff of our Fourth Brigade: - -“Our voyage out here has brought home to most of us for the first time -how you English have laid your hands on all parts of the earth worth -having. In every port we touched at since we left Germany, everywhere -we coaled, we found your flag flying. Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Colombo, -Singapore, Hong Kong—all British.” - -[Illustration: FRENCH COLONIAL INFANTRY MARCHING THROUGH THE FRENCH -CONCESSION, TIENTSIN] - -“Yes,” added another, “we have naturally been accustomed to regard -our own country as the greatest in the world. But outside it we found -our language useless. Yours is universal. I had said to myself that -Port Said, at least, is not British; but there, too, your tongue is -the chief medium of intercourse. Here in China, even the coolies speak -English, or what they intend to be English.” - -[Illustration: GERMAN OFFICERS WELCOMING FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON -WALDERSEE AT THE RAILWAY STATION, TIENTSIN - -[_page_ 38] - -The German organisation—perfect, perhaps, for Europe, where each -country is a network of roads and railways—was not so successful -in China. For the first time the leading military nation was -brought face to face with the difficulties involved in the despatch -of an expedition across the sea and far from the home base. And its -mistakes were not few. Their contingent found themselves at first -devoid of transport and dependent on the kindness of the other armies -for means to move from the railway. One projected expedition had to -be long delayed because the German troops could not advance for this -reason, until the English at length furnished them with the necessary -transport. The enormous waggons they brought with them were useless -in a country where barrows are generally the only form of wheeled -transport possible on the very narrow roads. Their knowledge of -horse‐mastership was not impressive, their animals always looking badly -kept and ill‐fed. - -The first German troops despatched to China were curiously clothed. -Their uniform consisted of ill‐fitting tunics and trousers made of what -looked like coarse, bright yellow sacking, with black leather belts -and straw hats shaped like those worn by our Colonials, the broad brim -caught up on one side and fastened by a metal rosette of the German -colours. Later on all were clothed in regular khaki, and wore helmets -somewhat similar to the British pattern, but with wider brims. The -square portion covering the back of the neck was fastened by hinges, so -that the helmet was not tilted over the wearer’s eyes when he lay down -to fire, which is the great disadvantage of our style of headgear. Some -of the officers wore silver sashes and belts which looked out of place -on khaki, the embodiment of severe simplicity in campaigning dress. - -The physique of the German soldiers was very good, but they were -members of a comparatively small contingent picked from an enormous -army. To those used to the smart and upright bearing of the British -private their careless and slouching gait seemed slovenly. But on -parade they moved like automatons. A curious phase in the relations -of the Allies was the intimacy which prevailed between the men of the -French and German troops. In the French Concession numbers of them were -to be constantly seen fraternising together, strolling arm‐in‐arm in -the streets, or drinking in the _cafés_. This was chiefly owing to the -fact that many in either army could speak the language of the other. -But this intimacy did not extend to the commissioned ranks. - -The vast increase in their mercantile marine of late years enabled the -Germans to transport their troops in their own vessels. The Russians, -on the other hand, were frequently forced to employ British ships, -although the bulk of their forces in North China did not come from -Europe by sea, but was furnished by the Siberian Army. - -The German Navy took a prominent part in the China imbroglio. The -_Iltis_ was well to the fore in the bombardment of the Taku forts -by the gunboats in the Peiho. In the assault by the storming parties -from the Allied Fleet 130 German sailors shared, and lost 6 killed -and 15 wounded; 200 more accompanied Seymour’s column on the advance -to Pekin. The Navy of the Fatherland possesses the immense advantage -of being very modern and homogeneous, and is consequently quite up to -date. Even at its present strength it is a formidable fighting machine. -If the Kaiser’s plans are realised, and it is increased to the size -he aims at, Germany will play a prominent rôle in any future naval -complications. - -English officers are frequently accused of a lack of interest in their -profession from not acquainting themselves with the problems which -arise in contemporary campaigns, the course of which many persons -believe that they do not follow. But we found a singular want of -knowledge of the history and events of the South African campaign among -the commissioned grades of the Allied Armies. I understood the crass -ignorance of Continental peoples with regard to the Boer War after a -conversation with a foreign staff officer. I had asked him what he -thought had been the probable strength of the Republican forces at the -beginning of the campaign. - -“Ah, that I know precisely,” he replied. “I have heard it from an -officer in our army, now in China, who served with the Boers. I can -state positively on his authority that your antagonists were never -able to put into the field, either at the beginning of the war or at -any other time, more than 30,000 men. The total populations of both -States could not produce any greater number capable of carrying a -rifle.” - -“And how many do you think they have in the field now?” I asked. This -was in August, 1901. - -“About 25,000.” - -“But surely,” I argued, “after nearly two years of fighting their -losses must amount to more than 5,000 between killed, wounded, and -captured.” - -“Not at all. Perhaps not even that.” - -“Then you apparently do not know,” I said, “that we have about 30,000 -or 40,000 prisoners or surrendered men in St. Helena, South Africa, -Ceylon, and India.” - -“Oh, but you have not,” he said, with a politely incredulous smile; -“two or three thousand at most. In our army we are not ignorant of the -course of the campaign. We read our newspapers carefully.” - -I ceased to wonder at the ignorance of his nation when he, a Staff and -Special Service Officer, was so ill‐informed. - -The French Army in China suffered some loss of _prestige_ in the -beginning through their first contingent, composed of Infanterie -Coloniale and others sent up from _l’Indo‐Chine_. Long service in -unhealthy tropical climates had rendered the men debilitated and -fever‐stricken. They were by no means fair samples of the French -soldier, and certainly not up to the standard of the troops which -came out later from France. The Zouaves and Chasseurs d’Afrique, -particularly, were excellent. Both are crack corps, and were much -admired, the physique of the men being very good. The latter were fine -specimens of European cavalry, good riders, well mounted; but their -horses seemed too heavily weighted, especially for service in hot -climates. - -The infantry were weighed down by an extraordinarily heavy pack, which -they carried on nearly all duties—mounting guard, marching, even in -garrison. They were trained in the same obsolete close formations as -the Germans; but, with the traditional aptitude for loose fighting -which dates from the days of Napoleon’s _tirailleurs_, they can adapt -themselves much more rapidly to extended order. - -The French officers, though not so well turned out as the Germans, were -much more friendly and agreeable. There was a good deal of intercourse -between them and the Britishers. Their manner of maintaining discipline -was very different to our ideas on the subject. I have seen one of -them box the ears of his drunken orderly who had assaulted the Indian -servant of an English officer, and who, considering himself aggrieved -at being reprimanded by his master, had staggered up to him to tell him -so. - -The training and organisation of the French Army has immensely improved -since the disastrous campaign of 1870. A soldier serves first in the -Active Army, then in the Reserve of the Active Army, where he is called -up for training somewhat on the lines of our Militia. He is then -passed into the Territorial Army, where he is not allowed to forget -what he has learned with the colours. Finally he is enrolled in the -Reserve of the Territorial Army, and is still liable to be summoned to -defend his country in emergency. A regiment has all its equipment and -stores in its own keeping; so that, when suddenly ordered on active -service, there is no rush to indent upon the Commissariat or Ordnance -Departments. Its reservists join at regimental headquarters, where they -find everything ready for them, and take their places as though they -had never quitted the colours. In marching powers, at least, no troops -in Europe surpass the French; and legs are almost as useful as arms in -modern warfare, where wide flanking _détours_ and extended movements -will be the rule in future. - -France’s long experience of colonies and wars beyond the sea rendered -the organisation and fitting out of her expeditionary force an easier -task than some other nations found it. The men were always cheerful; -and the French soldier is particularly handy at bivouacking and fending -for himself on service. - -The Russian troops were composed of big, heavy, rather fleshy men. -Unintelligent and slow, for the most part, they were determined -fighters, but seemed devoid of the power of initiative or of thinking -for themselves. I doubt if the Muscovite soldier is much more advanced -than his Crimean predecessor. The men of the Siberian army may be best -described as cheerful savages, obedient under an iron discipline, but -not averse to excesses when not under the stern hand of authority, -especially when their blood has been heated by fighting. The great -power of the Russian soldier lies in his wonderful endurance under -privations that few other European troops could support. I should be -sorry to offer Englishmen the meagre fare on which he manages to exist. -His commissariat rations were anything but lavish in China, and had to -be supplemented by the men themselves by foraging. Yet those whom I saw -in North China and Manchuria looked well fed and almost fat. - -Their respect for, and faith in, their officers is admirable. Their -religion is a living force to their simple natures. Once, in Newchwang, -in Manchuria, I passed a small Russian church in which a number of -their troops were attending a Mass of the gorgeous Greek ritual. Their -rifles were piled outside under the charge of a sentry. Helmet in hand -he was devoutly following the service through the open window, crossing -himself repeatedly and joining in the prayers of the congregation -inside. I am afraid that such a sight would be very rarely seen at a -church parade in our army. - -Of the courage of the Russians there can be no doubt. Their behaviour -during the stern fighting around Tientsin was admirable. The -European settlements owed their preservation largely to the timely -reinforcements which arrived from Port Arthur at a time of deadly -peril. When Admiral Seymour started on his desperate attempt to relieve -the Legations, he left behind at Tientsin a small number of British -sailors and marines under Captain Bayly, H.M.S. _Aurora_, with orders -to hold the town, so that his column, if defeated, might have some -place to fall back on. When, after his departure, the Concessions were -suddenly assailed, the commanding officers of the other Allies were of -opinion that the defence of the settlements was hopeless, and advocated -a retirement on Taku. Captain Bayly pointed out the peril to which the -Relieving Column would be exposed if repulsed and forced to fall back -only to find Tientsin in the hands of the Chinese. His remonstrances -had no effect. Then the dauntless sailor, with true British grit, -declared that the others might go if they wished. He had been ordered -to remain in Tientsin, and remain he would. He would not desert his -admiral even if left alone to hold the town with his handful of -Britishers. I have it on his own authority that the Russian commander -was the first to applaud his resolution and declare that he and his -men would stay with the English to the end. His action turned the -scale, and all remained to defend Tientsin and save Seymour’s gallant -but unfortunate column. - -Though the Russian officers exceed even the Germans in the severity -with which they treat their men, there is, nevertheless, more of a -spirit of comradeship existing between the higher and lower ranks. This -is truer, perhaps, of the European army than the Siberian, which was -more employed in the China campaign, and is inferior to the former, -especially the splendid Guards corps. The officers were fine men -physically, but seemed in military training rather behind those of the -other Allies. - -Profiting by the experience gained in their previous campaign against -China, the Japanese Army arrived well equipped in 1900. As long as road -or river was available, their transport system of carts and boats was -excellent; but when it came to flying columns moving across country the -Indian mule train was superior. Beginning the war in white uniform, the -disadvantages of such a conspicuous dress were soon evident, and khaki -was substituted. The men were well clothed, and carried a horsehide -knapsack containing the usual necessaries and an extra pair of boots. - -The cavalry, consisting as it does of small men on undersized -animals, would be of little use in shock tactics. It would be far -more useful converted into mounted infantry, for their infantry -earned nothing but praise. Small, sturdy, easily fed, and capable of -enduring an extraordinary amount of hardship, they were ideal foot -soldiers. Recruited among an agricultural population, inhabitants of -a mountainous country, they were inured to toil and fatigue. Under -a load that few white men could carry they tramped long distances, -arriving at the end of the march apparently not in the least exhausted. -Their racial respect for superiors has bred a perfect spirit of -unquestioning discipline. Their high patriotism and almost fanatical -courage endow them with an absolute contempt of death, and their heroic -bravery extorted the admiration even of such unfriendly critics as -the Russians. Trained in German methods, their army suffers from all -the defects of the hide‐bound Teutonic system. In the attack on some -fortified villages held by banditti, after Major Browning’s death in a -preliminary skirmish, two Japanese companies advanced in line with the -4th Punjaub Infantry. Under a fierce fire from 4,000 brigands, armed -with Mannlichers and ensconced behind walls, the Indian troops extended -to ten or twelve paces. The Japanese came on in single rank, almost -shoulder to shoulder. They lost four times as many as the Punjaubis, -but never wavered for an instant, closing in mechanically as their -comrades fell, and almost outstripping our sepoys in the final charge -that carried the position. Though many of their officers have realised -that the day of close formations is past, they have not sufficient -confidence in the ability of their men to fight independently _yet_; -while they know that no amount of slaughter will dismay them in an -attack. Besides, in China they were anxious to blood them well and to -show to their European critics the splendid fighting quality of their -soldiers, and prove that they were worthy to combat with or against any -troops in the world. - -The organisation, equipment, and material of the Japanese Army -leave little to be desired. Their engineers and artillery are well -trained, and both rendered good service to the Allies in 1900. Their -Intelligence Department had been brought to a high standard of -efficiency; and its perfection astonishes those who are permitted to -gain a glimpse of its working. The whole East is sown with its spies. -When the Legations were threatened, Japanese who had been working at -inferior trades in Pekin came in and revealed themselves as military -officers who for months or years had been acquainting themselves with -the plans, the methods, and the strength of China. - -The discipline of Japanese soldiers in small things as well as great -is admirable. I have often watched crowded troop‐trains arriving at -the Shimbashi railway terminus in Tokio. The men sat quietly in their -places until the order to leave the carriages was given. Then, without -noise or confusion, they got out, fell in on the platforms, piled -arms, fell out, and remained near their rifles without chattering; -indeed, with hardly a word except in an undertone. Prompt and -unquestioning obedience in everything is the motto of the Japanese -soldier. Their courage at the storming of Tientsin city, on the march -to the capital, and at the capture of Pekin won the admiration of all -the Allies, and their behaviour and self‐restraint in the hour of -victory were equalled only by their gallantry in action. No charges -of cruelty to inoffensive peasants or women and children could be -substantiated against them; and they treated the conquered Chinese -with great kindness. They employed their prisoners to work for them -and paid them liberally for their labour. Their conduct in garrison -was admirable. Well armed and equipped, well officered and led, the -Japanese Army is now a powerful fighting machine, and would prove a -formidable enemy or a useful ally in the field. - -Throughout the campaign a remarkable spirit of comradeship existed -between the Japanese and the Indian troops. The Gurkhas were their -especial friends. So like in appearance that it points to a common -ancestry in the past, they hailed each other as relatives, and seemed -quite puzzled to find no resemblance in the languages. This did not -seem to slacken their friendship; and it was amusing to see a mingled -group of the two races chatting together in an animated manner, -neither understanding a word of the other’s tongue. - -[Illustration: UNITED STATES CAVALRYMAN] - -The men of the American Army were equalled in physique only by -the Australian Contingent and our Royal Horse Artillery. Their -free‐and‐easy ideas on the subject of discipline, the casual manner -in which a private addressed an officer, astonished and shocked their -Continental critics. I heard the remark of a German officer who, after -a slight acquaintance with their ways, exclaimed, “_That_ an army? Why, -with the Berlin Fire Brigade I would conquer the whole of America!” The -speech was so typically German! But the men, accustomed to think and -act for themselves, were ideal individual fighters; and for scouting, -skirmishing, and bush‐whacking could not easily be surpassed. Their -troops in China consisted at first mainly of marines and regiments -diverted when on their way to the Philippines, and consequently were -not well equipped for a long campaign. But soon after the outset of -the expedition all deficiencies were made good and ample supplies were -forthcoming, their hospitals especially being almost lavishly furnished -with all requirements. - -The new American Army, like their excellent go‐ahead Navy, is a force -to be reckoned with in the future. We hear much of the effects of -“influence” in our army. It is nothing compared to what goes on in -the American. With them to be the near connection of a Senator or a -prominent politician is infinitely more advantageous than to be the -scion of a ducal line or the son of a Commander‐in‐Chief with us. - -If the Continental troops suffer from too rigid a discipline, which -destroys the power of thinking for themselves in the lower ranks, the -Americans, perhaps, err on the other side. They are too ready to act -on their own responsibility, to question the wisdom of the orders -they receive, and act, instead, as seems best to themselves. This was -particularly evident in the case of the volunteer regiments in the -Philippines; but instances of it were not wanting among the regulars -and marines in North China. Democracy is impossible in an army. But -the material at the service of the United States is unquestionably -magnificent; and when the pressure of events in the future has called -into being and welded together a really large army in America, there -are few nations that can hope to oppose it successfully in the field. -How rapidly the sons of the Star‐spangled Banner acquire the art of war -was evidenced in Cuba and in the more difficult and trying guerilla -campaign in the Philippines. Their faults were those of inexperience. - -Of their courage there can be no doubt. At the taking of Tientsin -city nearly a thousand American infantry and marines served with the -British under General Dorward. In a letter to their commander this -officer warmly expressed the honour he, in common with all his men, -felt in serving alongside the American troops. In his own words, “they -formed part of the front line of the British attack, and so had more -than their fair share of the fighting. The ready and willing spirit of -both officers and men, their steady gallantry and power of holding on -to exposed positions, made them soldiers of the highest class.” What -greater praise could be given them? And well they deserved it! Two -companies of the 9th Infantry (U.S.A.), attacked in front and flank by -a merciless fire, held gallantly to their ground until nightfall with a -loss of half their number in killed and wounded, including their brave -leader, Colonel Liscum, who met a hero’s death at the head of his men. -In all the actions of the campaign the American troops distinguished -themselves by conspicuous bravery; and the British recognised with -pride and pleasure the gallantry of their cousins. May we always fight -shoulder to shoulder with, but never against, them! - -Great _camaraderie_ existed between the Americans and the English -troops. The sons of the Stars and Stripes amply repaid the disdain of -the Continental officers with a contempt that was almost laughable. -They classified the Allies as white men and “Dagoes.” The former -were the Americans and the British, the latter the other European -contingents. They distinguished between them though, and the terms -“Froggie Dago,” “Sauerkraut Dago,” “Macaroni Dago,” and “Vodki Dago” -left little doubt in the hearer’s mind as to which nationality was -meant. - -I heard a good story of an encounter between a young English subaltern -and an American in North China. I fancy the same tale is told of a -Colonial in South Africa; but it is good enough to bear repetition. -The very youthful Britisher, chancing to pass a Yankee soldier who was -sitting down and made no motion to rise, considered himself affronted -at the private’s failure to salute him. He turned back indignantly and -addressed the offender. - -“Look here, my man, do you know who I am?” - -“No—o—o,” drawled the American. - -“Well, I’m a British officer.” - -“Air ye naow?” was the reply. “Waal, sonny, you’ve got a soft job. See -you don’t get drunk and lose it.” - -The subaltern walked on. - -Of the Italian Expeditionary Force, which was not numerically -very strong, I saw little; but all spoke well of them. The famous -Bersagliere, the cocks’ plumes fluttering gaily in their tropical -helmets, were smart, sturdy soldiers. - -I regret never having had an opportunity of seeing the contingent which -Holland, not to be outdone by the other European Powers, despatched -to the East. This nation was also determined to show its power to the -world. So a Dutch Expeditionary Corps was equipped and sent out. It -consisted of a sergeant and ten men. - -The Indian Field Force was a revelation to Europe. Friend and foe -realised for the first time that in the Indian army England has a -reserve of immense value. While our Continental rivals fancied that -our hands were tied by the South African war, and that we could take -no part in the Chinese complication, they were startled to see how, -without moving a soldier from Great Britain, we could put into the -field in the farthest quarter of the globe a force equal to any and -superior to most. It was mobilised and despatched speedily and without -a hitch. The vessels for its transport were all available from the -lines that ply from Calcutta and Bombay, and no ship was needed from -England. The bluejackets and marines with half a battalion of the Royal -Welch Fusiliers, already on the spot, and two batteries with some -Engineers were all the white troops we had until gallant Australia sent -her splendid little contingent as an earnest of what she could and -would do if required. - -Previous to the expedition of 1900, the Indian army was never allowed -to engage in war without a strong backing of British troops. And even -its own officers scarcely dared to allow themselves to believe that -without such leavening their men could successfully oppose a European -army. But now that they have seen them contrasted with the pick of -Continental soldiers, they know that they could confidently lead their -Sikhs, Gurkhas, Rajputs, Pathans, or Punjaubis against the men of -any other nation. Not only is the Indian army as well equipped and -organised as any it could now be called upon to face, but also the -fighting races of our Eastern Empire, led by their British officers, -are equal to any foe. The desperate battles of the Sikh War, when, as -in the fierce struggle of Chillianwallah, victory often hung wavering -in the balance, the determined resistance of the mutinous troops in -1857, show that skilful leadership is all that our sepoys need to -enable them to encounter the best soldiers of any nation. - -[Illustration: GERMAN AND INDIAN SOLDIERS] - -India is a continent—not a country—composed of many races that differ -far more than European nationalities. A Russian and an Englishman, -a Swede and an Italian are nearer akin, more alike in appearance, -manners, and modes of thought than a Gurkha and a Pathan, a Sikh and a -Mahratta, a Rajput and a Madrassi. It follows that the fighting value -of all these various races of India is not the same. No one would -seek among the Bengali _babus_ or the Parsees of Bombay for warriors. -The Madras sepoy, though his predecessors helped to conquer India -for British rule, has fallen from his high estate and is no longer -regarded as a reliable soldier. Yet the wisdom of the policy which -relegated him of late years altogether to the background during war -may be questioned. For the Madras sappers and miners, who alone of all -the Madras army have been constantly employed, have always proved -satisfactory. But the fiat has gone forth; and the Madrassi will be -gradually replaced even in his own presidency by the men of the more -martial races of the North. The Mahratta, who once struck terror -throughout the length and breadth of Hindustan, is considered by some -critics to be no longer useful as a fighting man. But they forget that -not so long ago in the desperate battles near Suakin, when even British -troops gave back before the mad rushes of fanatical Dervishes, the -28th Bombay Pioneers saved a broken square from imminent destruction -by their steadfast bravery. And they were Mahrattas then. Of the -excellence of the gallant warrior clans of Rajputana, of the fierce -Pathans inured to fighting from boyhood, of the sturdy, cheerful, -little Gurkhas, the steady, long‐limbed Sikhs, none can doubt. Hard to -conquer were they in the past; splendid to lead to battle now. To Lord -Roberts is chiefly due the credit of welding together the Indian army -and making it the formidable fighting machine it is. - -One great factor of its efficiency is the excellence of its British -officers. Early placed in a position of responsibility, they rapidly -learn to rely on themselves and act, if need be, on their own -initiative. In a British regiment an officer may serve twenty years -without commanding more than a company; whereas the Indian army -subaltern, before he has worn a sword three years, may find himself -in command of his battalion on field‐days, in manœuvres, sometimes -even in war. In the stern fighting at the Malakand in the beginning of -the Tirah campaign, one Punjaub regiment was commanded by a subaltern, -who acquitted himself of his difficult task with marked ability. Unlike -the system of promotion that exists in the British army, the English -officers of the native corps attain the different grades after a -certain number of years’ service—nine for captain, eighteen for major, -twenty‐six for lieutenant‐colonel—and may occupy any position in their -regiments irrespective of the rank they hold. - -An Indian infantry battalion consists of eight companies, each under -a native officer, termed a subhedar, with a jemadar or lieutenant -to assist him. He is responsible for the discipline and interior -economy of his company. The senior native officer is known as the -subhedar‐major. Instead of the terms lance‐corporal, corporal, -sergeant, and sergeant‐major, lance‐naik, naik, havildar, and -havildar‐major are the names of the corresponding grades. - -The British officers practically form the staff of the regiment. The -former number of eight has been recently increased to eleven, twelve, -and thirteen, according to the presidency to which the corps belongs, -those of the Punjaub—being nearest the danger zone of frontier wars -and threatened invasion—possessing the largest number. The eight -companies are grouped in four double companies—the double company -commander (a British officer) having almost complete control of -his unit. The commanding officer of the battalion mainly restricts -himself to seeing that the training of each portion of the regiment is -identical and efficient. Each corps possesses a commanding officer, -four double company commanders, an adjutant, a quartermaster, and the -remainder are known as double company officers. - -The organisation of a native cavalry regiment is very similar, the -terms squadron and squadron‐commander replacing double company and -double company commander. In most of the corps the _sowar_, as the -Indian cavalry private is called—_sepoy_ being employed to denote an -infantryman—is usually the owner of his horse; and direct commissions -to native gentlemen are of more frequent occurrence in the cavalry than -in the infantry. Regimental transport consists of baggage‐ponies or -mules, so that an Indian mounted corps is particularly mobile. - -Foreign officers in North China at first made light of our Indian -soldiers; but they were not those who had seen them fight in the early -days of the campaign. For one arm, however, there was nothing but -praise. All agreed that our native cavalry was excellent. Even German -officers acknowledged that in smartness, horsemanship, and efficiency -it could not easily be surpassed. The work done by the 1st Bengal -Lancers in the advance on Pekin and afterwards could not be underrated. -With the exception of a few Cossacks and Japanese, they were the only -mounted troops available at first. They were in constant demand to -accompany columns of Continental troops, and they won the admiration -of all the foreign officers with whom they were brought in contact. -In fact, the only persons who failed to appreciate their merits were -the Tartar horsemen who ventured to oppose them in the march on the -capital. _Their_ opinion is not recorded, but I think that it would -not be fit for publication except in an expunged and mutilated form. -The 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry—as good a regiment as any that Bengal -can show—won many encomiums for its smartness from all who saw its -squadrons at Tientsin, Shanghai, or Shanhaikwan. - -But Indian officers were at first surprised and puzzled at the -unflattering criticisms passed on our native infantry. Those who had -seen our sepoys in many a hard‐fought struggle on the frontier could -not understand the frequent remarks of foreign officers, that “our men -were very unequal.” - -“Some of them,” they said, “are tall, well‐built, and powerful, and -should make good soldiers; but others are old, feeble, and decrepit. -We have seen in the streets of Tientsin many who could not support -the weight of a rifle.” But it was soon discovered that these critics -failed to comprehend the distinction between fighting men and -followers, since in China both were clad somewhat alike. The coolie -corps, bheesties, syces, and dhoolie‐bearers were all dressed in khaki; -and Continental officers were for a long time under the impression that -these were soldiers. The error was not unnatural, and it accounted for -the unfavourable reports on the Indian troops which appeared in many -European journals. But those who understood the difference were struck -by the fine physique and excellent training of our native army. When -we compared our Sikhs, Pathans, Gurkhas, and Punjaubis with the men of -most of the Allied forces, we recognised that, led by British officers, -they would render a good account of themselves if pitted against -any troops in the world. And our sepoys return to India filled with -immeasurable contempt for the foreign contingents they have seen in -China. As the ripples caused by a stone thrown into a lake spread over -the water, so their opinion will radiate through the length and breadth -of the land; and this unexpected lesson of the campaign will have a -far‐reaching and beneficial effect throughout our Eastern Empire. - -India is essentially a soldier’s country. Its army is practically -always on a war footing, the troops near the frontier especially -being ready to move at a few hours’ notice. The rapid despatch of -the British contingent for Natal and the China expeditionary force -are object‐lessons. The peace establishment of a native regiment -is greater than the strength required for active service. Hence on -mobilisation no reserves have to be called up to fill its ranks; -recruits and sickly men can be left behind, and it marches with only -fully trained and seasoned soldiers. In India vast stretches of country -are available for manœuvres, which take place every winter on a -scale unknown in England. Not a year passes without its little war. In -consequence, the training of the troops is thorough and practical. The -establishment of gun and rifle factories is all that is needed to make -India absolutely self‐containing. It produces now all other requisites -of war. Ammunition, clothing, and accoutrements are manufactured in -the country, and it was able to supply, not only the needs of the -expedition in China, but also many things required for the troops in -South Africa. - -To the pessimists in England and the hostile critics abroad, who talk -of the possibility of another mutiny, the answer is that a general -uprising of the Native army can never occur again. The number of -British troops in India has been more than doubled since 1857, and the -proportion between white and coloured regiments in each large station -more equalised. The artillery is altogether in English hands, with the -exception of the rank and file of a few mountain batteries and the -smooth‐bore guns maintained by native princes for show. Communication -has been enormously quickened by the network of railways that covers -the country, enabling a force to be moved in two or three days to a -point where formerly as many months were required. - -And the Indian army is loyal to the core—loyal, not to the vague idea -of a far‐distant England, not to the vast impersonal _Sircar_,[2] but -loyal to itself; loyal to its British officers, who, to the limited -minds of the sepoys, represent in concrete form the Power whose salt -they eat. And those officers, speaking to each in his own tongue—be he -Sikh, Rajput, or Dogra—stand in the relation of fathers to their men. -To them in sorrow or perplexity comes the sepoy, sure of sympathy or -aid. In their justice he reposes implicit confidence. And as in peace -he relies on these men of alien race, so in war do they trust in him. -And the tales of the struggle of the Guides round Battye’s corpse, of -the gallant Sikhs who died at their post in Saragheri, of the men who -refused to abandon their dead and dying officers in the treachery of -Maizar, show that our trust is not misplaced. - -[Footnote 2: _i.e._ Government.] - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -PEKIN - - -Tientsin is but a stepping‐stone to Pekin—one a mere modern growth, -important only in view of the European commercial interests that have -made it what it is; the other a fabled city weird, mysterious. The -slowly‐beating heart of the vast feeble Colossus, that may be pierced -and yet no agony, thrills through the distant members. Pekin, the -object of the veneration of every Chinaman the world over. Pekin, which -enshrines the most sacred temples of the land, within whose famous -walls lies the marvellous Forbidden City, the very name of which is -redolent of mystery; around it history and fable gather and scarce may -be distinguished, so incredible the truth, so conceivable the wildest -conjecture. The Mecca to which turn the thoughts of every Celestial. -The home of the sacred, almost legendary, Emperor, whose word is law -to the uttermost confines of the land, and yet whose person is not -inviolate against palace intrigue; omnipotent in theory, powerless in -reality, a ruler only in name. Worshipped by millions of his subjects, -yet despised by the least among the mandarins of his court. The -meanest eunuch in the Purple City is not more helpless than the monarch -who boasts the proud title of Son of Heaven. - -Pekin, the seat of all power in the land, whence flows the deadly -poison of corruption that saps the empire’s strength; the capital that -twice within the last fifty years has fallen before the avenging armies -of Europe, and yet still flourishes like a noxious weed. - -One morning as the train from Tong‐ku came into Tientsin Station and -disgorged its usual crowd of soldiers of the Allied Forces, I stood on -the platform with four other British officers, all bound for Pekin. We -established ourselves in a first‐class carriage, which was a mixture of -coupé and corridor‐car. The varied uniforms of our fellow‐passengers -no longer possessed any interest for us; and we devoted our attention -to the scenery on each side of the railway. From Tientsin to Pekin -the journey occupies about five hours. The line runs through level, -fertile country, where the crops stand higher than a mounted man; thus -the actions on the way to the relief of the Legations were fought -blindfold. Among the giant vegetation troops lost direction, corps -became mixed, and the enemy could seldom be seen. As the train ran -on, the tops of the tall stalks rose in places above the roofs of the -carriages, and shut in our view as though we were passing through a -dense forest. Here and there we rattled past villages or an occasional -temple almost hidden by the high crops. There were several stations -along the line; the buildings solidly constructed of stone, the walls -loopholed for defence. On the platforms the usual cosmopolitan crowd -of soldiers, and Chinamen of all ages offering for sale bread, cakes, -Japanese beer, bottles of _vin ordinaire_ bought from the French, -grapes, peaches, and plums in profusion. In winter various kinds of -game, with which the country teems, are substituted for the fruit. -At Yangsun were a number of Chasseurs d’Afrique, whose regiment was -quartered in the vicinity. Trains passed us; the carriages crowded with -troops of all nations, the trucks filled with horses, guns and military -stores, or packed with grinning Chinamen. - -At last, between the trees, glimpses of yellow‐tiled roofs flashing in -the sunlight told us that we were nearing the capital. Leaning from the -windows we saw, apparently stretching right across the track, a long, -high wall, with buttresses and lofty towers at intervals. It was the -famous Wall of Pekin. Suddenly a large gap seemed to open in it; the -train glided through, and we found ourselves in the middle of a large -city as we slowed down alongside a platform on which stood a board with -the magic word “Pekin.” We had reached our journey’s end. On the other -side of the line was a broad, open space, through which ran a wide -road paved with large stone flags. Over it flowed an incessant stream -of carts, rickshas, and pedestrians. Behind the station ran a long wall -which enclosed the Temple of Heaven, where, after General Gaselee’s -departure, the British headquarters in Pekin were established. - -On the platform we found a half‐caste guide waiting for us, sent to -meet us by friends in the English Legation. Resigning our luggage -to him and directing him to convey it to the one hotel the capital -possessed, we determined to begin our sightseeing at once and walked -towards the gateway of the enclosure in which stands the Temple of -Heaven. On entering, we found ourselves in a large and well‐wooded -demesne. Groves of tall trees, leafy rides, and broad stretches of turf -made it seem more like an English park than the grounds of a Chinese -temple. Long lines of tents, crossed lances, and picketed horses marked -the camp of a regiment of Bengal cavalry; for in the vast enclosure -an army might bivouac with ease. Here was held the historic British -assault‐at‐arms, when foreign officers were roused to enthusiasm at the -splendid riding of our Indian cavalry and the marvellous skill of the -Royal Horse Artillery as they swung their teams at full speed round the -marks in the driving competitions. - -Apropos of the latter corps a story is told of Field‐Marshal Von -Waldersee’s introduction to them at the first review he held of British -troops at Tientsin. When the horse gunners came thundering down -towards the saluting base in a cloud of dust, their horses stretching -to a mad gallop, the guns bounding behind them like things of no weight -but with every muzzle in line, the German Commander‐in‐Chief is said to -have burst into admiring exclamation: “Splendid! Marvellous!” he cried. -As they flew past the old man huddled up on his charger, he started in -surprise and peered forward. - -“Donnerwetter!” he exclaimed, “why, they actually have their guns with -them!” The pace was so furious that he had been under the impression -that they were galloping past with the teams only; for he had thought -it impossible for artillery to move at such speed drawing their -field‐pieces. The other officers of the Allied Armies were equally -amazed at the sight. - -“It is positively dangerous!” said a German. - -“C’est incroyable! Ça ne peut pas!” cried an excited Frenchman. - -“Say, that’ll show the Dagoes that they’ve got something still to -learn,” said a pleased Yankee. - -The Temple of Heaven consists of long, low buildings of the -conventional Chinese architecture, with wide, upturned eaves. We found -it empty but for a few memorial tablets of painted or gilded wood. -Emerging through a small gate and crossing a tiny marble bridge, we -strolled through the park to another temple, the conical roof of -which rose above the trees. It was known to the British troops in -Pekin as the Temple of the Sun; whether the name is correct or not I -cannot say.[3] - -[Illustration: FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE REVIEWING THE ALLIED -TROOPS IN PEKIN] - -Passing the cavalry camp we came to a flight of steps, which led up to -a terrace. On ascending this we found a huge gateway to the left. We -passed through, and then, little susceptible as we were to artistic -emotions, we stopped and gazed in silent admiration as the full beauty -of the building stood revealed. The temple, circular in shape, stands -on a slight eminence, surrounded by tiers of white marble balustrades. -Its triple roof, bright with gleaming blue tiles and golden knob, -blazed in the sun, the spaces between the roofs filled with gay designs -in brilliant colours. The walls were of carved stone open‐work with -many doors. It rose, a dream of beauty and grace, against a dark green -background of leafy trees, the loveliest building in Pekin. Within, all -was bare. An empty altar, a painted tablet, a few broken gilt stools -were all that pillaging hands had spared. The massive bronze urns which -stood outside, too heavy to be carried away, had lost their handles, -wrenched off for the mere value of the metal. Quitting the temple and -passing through a door in a low wall, we came to a broad open space, -in which stood a curious construction which bears the proud title of -“Centre of the Universe.” Three circles of white marble balustrades, -one within the other, rose up to a paved platform, round which were -large urns. Here once a year the Emperor comes in state to offer -sacrifice to the _manes_ of his ancestors. Close by was the Temple of -the Moon, in design similar to that of the Sun, but much smaller and -with only a single roof. - -This exhausted the sights of the Temple of Heaven. We returned through -the park to the railway station, where we procured rickshas to take us -to the hotel. Strong, active coolies whirled us along over the wide, -flagged road that runs through the Chinese town. We passed crowds -of Celestials trudging on in the awful dust, springless Pekin carts -drawn by sturdy little ponies, an occasional Bengal Lancer or German -Mounted Infantryman, through streets of mean shops, the fronts hung -with gaudy sign‐boards, until we reached the wall of the Tartar city. -Before us stood the Chien Mên Gate, the brick tower above it roofless -and shattered by shells, the heavy iron‐studded door swung back. We -rumbled through the long, tunnel‐like entrance, between rows of low, -one‐story houses, and soon reached the famous Legation Street, the -quarter in which lie the residences of the Foreign Ministers and the -other Europeans in Pekin. We passed along a wide road in good repair, -by gateways at which stood Japanese, French, and German sentries, by -the shattered ruins of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. All around -the Legations lay acres of wrecked Chinese houses, torn by shells and -blackened by fire—a grim memento of the outrage that had roused the -civilised world to arms. At length we reached a broad street leading -from the Ha‐ta‐man Gate, turned to the left down it, and drew up -before a small entrance in a line of low, one‐story houses. Above it -was a board bearing the inscription, “Hôtel du Nord.” Jumping from our -rickshas, we paid off the perspiring coolies, and, walking across a -small courtyard, were met by the proprietor and shown to our quarters. -The hotel, which had been opened shortly after the relief of the -Legations, consisted of a number of squalid Chinese houses, which had -been cleverly converted into comfortable dining, sitting, and bedrooms. -An excellent cuisine made it a popular resort for the officers of the -Allies in Pekin, and we found ourselves as well catered for as we could -have done in many more pretentious hostels in civilised lands. - -A short description of the chief city of China may not be out of place; -though recent events have served to draw it from the obscurity that -enshrouded it so long. It is singular among the capitals of the world -for the regularity of its outline, owing to the stupendous walls which -confine it. These famous battlements are twenty‐five miles in total -circumference, and the long lines, studded with lofty towers and giant -buttresses, present an imposing spectacle from the exterior. - -Pekin is divided into two separate and distinct cities, the Tartar and -the Chinese. The latter, adjoining the southern wall of the former, is -in shape a parallelogram, its longer sides running east and west. It -grew as an excrescence to the capital of the victorious Manchus, and -was in ancient times inhabited by the conquered Chinese as the Tartar -City was by the superior race, though now this line of demarcation is -lost in the practical merging of the two nationalities as regards the -lower orders. The wall of the Chinese city is thirty feet high and -twenty feet thick. - -[Illustration: A STREET IN THE CHINESE CITY, PEKIN] - -The Tartar city, in shape also a parallelogram, with the longer sides -north and south, is surrounded by a much more imposing wall, which -if vigorously defended would prove a truly formidable obstacle to -any army unprovided with a powerful siege train. It is forty feet -high, fifty feet broad at the top, and sixty‐four feet thick at the -base, and consists of two masonry walls, made of enormous bricks as -solid as stone, that on the external face being twelve feet thick, -the interior one eight feet, the space between them filled with clay, -rammed in layers of from six to nine inches.[4] A practicable breach -might be effected by the concentrated fire of heavy siege guns, for -shells planted near the top of the wall would probably bring down -bricks and earth enough to form a ramp. From the outside seven gateways -lead into the Chinese city, six into the Tartar, while communication -between the two is maintained by three more. They can be closed by -enormously thick, iron‐studded wooden gates, which in ordinary times -are shut at night. The Japanese effected an entrance into the Tartar -city by blowing in one of these. At the corners of the walls and -over each gateway are lofty brick towers several stories high, the -intervals between them being divided by buttresses. These towers are -comparatively fragile, and at the taking of Pekin those attacked -suffered considerably from the shell fire of the field guns of the -Allies. Outwards from the base of the walls a broad open space is left. - -The Tartar City is by far the more important. It holds most of the -temples, the residences of the upper and wealthier classes, the -important buildings and larger shops. In the centre of it is the -Imperial city, in shape an irregular square, enclosed by a high wall -seven miles in circumference, the top of which is covered with yellow -tiles. Here are found the public buildings and the houses of the -official mandarins; and in its heart lies the Purple or Forbidden City, -the residence of the Emperor and his Court. All the buildings inside -the limits of the Imperial city are roofed with gleaming yellow tiles, -that being the sacred colour. To the south‐east, near the wall of the -Chinese city, lies the Legation quarter, where most of the European -residents live. - -The only high ground in Pekin consists of two small eminences, just -inside the northern boundary of the Imperial city. One, facing the -gateway, is known as Coal Hill. Tradition declares it to consist of -an enormous quantity of coal, accumulated in former times to provide -against a threatened siege. It is covered with trees, bushes, and -grass. On the summit is a pavilion, from which an excellent view over -all Pekin is obtained. At one’s feet the yellow roofs of the buildings -in the Imperial and Forbidden cities blaze in the sun like gold. To the -right is the other small tree‐clad hill, on which stands the quaintly -shaped Ming Pagoda. Below it, to the right of the Imperial city, lies -a gleaming expanse of water, the Lotos Lake, crossed by a picturesque -white marble bridge, with strange, small, circular arches. Near it is -the Palace of the Empress‐Dowager. To the south of the sacred city -is the Legation quarter, where the European‐looking buildings of the -residences of the Foreign Ministers and the other alien inhabitants -seem curiously out of keeping with their surroundings. Far away the -high, many‐storied towers over the gateways between the Tartar and the -Chinese city rise up from the long line of embattled wall. Looking down -on it from this height Pekin is strangely picturesque, with a sea of -foliage that surges between the buildings; and yet on descending into -the streets one wonders what has become of the trees with which the -city seemed filled. The fact is that they are extremely scattered, -one in one courtyard, one in another, and in consequence are scarcely -remarked from the level. The Palace, the Legations, and the towers are -the only buildings that stand up prominently among the monotonous array -of low roofs, for the houses are almost invariably only one‐storied. - -The Tartar City is pierced by broad roads running at right angles to -the walls. From them a network of smaller lanes leads off, usually -extremely narrow and always unsavoury, being used as the dumping‐ground -of all the filth and refuse of the neighbouring houses. The main -streets even are unpaved and ill‐kept. The centre portion alone is -occasionally repaired in a slovenly fashion, apparently by heaping on -it fresh earth taken from the sides, which have consequently become -mere ditches eight or nine feet below the level of the middle causeway -and the narrow footpaths along the front of the houses. After heavy -rain these fill with water and are transformed into rushing rivers. -Occasionally on dark nights a cart falls into them, the horse unguided -by a sleepy driver, and the occupants are drowned. Such a happening -in the principal thoroughfares of a large and populous city seems -incredible. I could scarcely believe it until I was once obliged -almost to swim my pony across a main street with the water up to the -saddle‐flaps, and this after only a few hours’ rain. A Chinaman, by the -way, will never rescue a drowning man, from the superstition that the -rescuer will always meet with misfortune from the hand of the one he -has saved. - -The houses are mostly one story high, dingy and squalid. The shops, -covered with gaudy red and gold sign‐boards, have little frontage but -much depth, and display to the public gaze scarcely anything of the -goods they contain. All along the principal streets peddlers establish -themselves on the narrow side‐walks, spread their wares on the ground -about them, and wait with true Oriental patience for customers. The -houses of the richer folk are secluded within courtyards, and cannot be -seen from the public thoroughfares. - -On the whole, Pekin from the inside is not an attractive city; and as -the streets in dry weather are thick with dust that rises in clouds -when a wind blows, and in wet are knee‐deep in mud where not flooded, -they do not lend themselves to casual strolling. The broad tops of the -walls are much preferable for a promenade. Access to them is gained -by ramps at intervals. They are clean, not badly paved though often -overgrown with bushes, and afford a good view over the surrounding -houses, and in the summer offer the only place where a cooling breeze -can be found. - -Comfortably installed in the Hôtel du Nord, we determined to devote our -first afternoon in Pekin to a visit to the quarter of most pressing, -though temporary, interest, the Legations, on which the thoughts of -the whole civilised world had been concentrated during their gallant -defence against a fanatical and cowardly foe. As the distance was -short, we set out on foot. The courtyard of the hotel opens on to -the long street that runs through the Tartar city from the Ha‐ta‐man -Gate, leading into the Chinese city. As the wall was close at hand, -we ascended it by one of the ramps or inclined ways that lead to the -top, and entered the tower above the gateway. It was a rectangular -three‐storied building with the usual sloping gabled roofs and wide, -upturned eaves of Chinese architecture. The interior was bare and -empty. The lower room was wide and lofty, the full breadth and depth of -the tower, and communicating with the floor above by a steep ladder. -From the large windows of the upper stories a fine view over both -cities was obtained. We looked down on the seething crowds passing -along Ha‐ta‐man Street and away to where, above the Legation quarter, -the flags of the Allies fluttered gaily in proud defiance to the tall -yellow roofs of the Imperial palace close by. Descending, we emerged -upon the broad paved road that ran along the top of the wall, and -found it a pleasant change from the close, fetid streets. The side -towards the Chinese city, the houses of which run up to the foot -of the wall, is defended by a loopholed and embrasured parapet. We -soon found ourselves over the Legation quarter and looked down on the -spot where the besieged Europeans had so long held their assailants -at bay. A broad ditch or nullah with walled sides, which during the -rains drains the Tartar city, ran towards the wall on which we stood, -passing beneath our feet through a tunnel in it, which could be closed -by an iron grating. This was the famous water‐gate by which the -Anglo‐Indian troops had entered, first of the Allies, to the relief of -the besieged. The nullah was crossed by several bridges, over one of -which passes Legation Street, along which we had ridden in our rickshas -that morning. On the left bank of the nullah, looking north, stands -the English Legation, surrounded by a high wall enclosing well‐wooded -grounds. Opposite it, on the right bank, is the Japanese Legation, -similarly enclosed. During the siege the two were connected by a wall -built across the watercourse, which is generally dry, and they thus -formed the front face of the defence. A portion of the city wall, cut -off by breastworks on the summit, became the rear face, which was held -by the Americans, who were attacked along the top of the wall itself. -The French, German, and Belgian Legations lay to the right and rear of -the Japanese; while the Russian and American stood between the British -Legation and the wall. All around the limits of the defence were acres -of wrecked and burnt Chinese houses, destroyed impartially by -besiegers and besieged. - -[Illustration: FRONT FACE OF THE DEFENCES OF THE LEGATIONS - -Gate of the British Legation on the right, wall across the nullah -connecting it with the Japanese Legation Wall of Tartar city in the -background] - -After a long study of the position from our coign of vantage, we -descended to the left bank of the nullah; and, passing the residences -of the American and Russian Ministers guarded by stalwart Yankee -soldier or heavily built Slav, we came to where the imposing gateway -of the English Legation opens out on the road running along the -bank. Inside the entrance stood the guardroom. To the right lay the -comfortable residences of the Minister and the various officials spread -about in the spacious, tree‐shaded grounds. We passed on to a group of -small and squalid Chinese houses, which served as the quarters for the -officers and men of the Legation Guard, chiefly composed of Royal Welch -Fusiliers. The officers in command, all old friends of ours, received -us most hospitably, and entertained us with grateful refreshment and -the news of Pekin. We were cynically amused at learning from them an -instance of the limits of human gratitude. The civilian inhabitants of -the English Legation have insisted that a wall should be built between -their residences and the quarters of the guard, lest, perchance, the -odour of “a brutal and licentious soldiery” should come betwixt the -wind and their nobility. They gladly welcome their protection in time -of danger, but in peace their fastidious eyes would be offended by the -sight of the humble red‐coat. Our hosts showed us round the grounds -and the _enceinte_ of the defence, and explained many points in the -siege that we had not previously understood. - -When, our visit over, we walked back to the hotel down Legation Street, -we were interested in noticing that the walls and houses bordering -the road were covered with bullet splashes; while the ruins of the -Chinese houses, of the fine building that had once been a branch of -the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, and of some of the Legations spoke -eloquently of the ravages of war. On the wreckage around notices were -posted, showing the increased areas claimed for the various foreign -Legations in the general scramble that ensued on the fall of Pekin. -Little Belgium, with her scanty interests in China, has not done badly. -Everywhere were to be seen placards bearing the legend, “Occupé par -la Légation Belge,” until she promised to have almost more ground -than any of the great Powers. _Vae Victis_, indeed! And the truth of -it was evident everywhere, from the signs of the game of general grab -all around the Legations to the insolent manner of a German Mounted -Infantryman we saw scattering the Chinese foot‐passengers as he -galloped along the street. - -When we entered the dining‐room of the hotel that evening, we found it -filled with Continental officers, who, as we bowed to the groups at -the various tables before taking our seats, rose politely and returned -our greeting. Britishers unused to the elaborate foreign courtesy -found the continual salutes that were the custom of most of the Allies -rather a tax at first; and the ungraciousness of English manners was a -frequent source of comment among those of our European brothers‐in‐arms -who had never before been brought in contact with the Anglo‐Saxon race. -But they soon regarded us as almost paragons of politeness compared -with our American cousins, who had no stomach for the universal -“bowing and scraping,” and with true republican frankness, did not -hesitate to let it be known. Our proverbial British gruffness wore off -after a little time, and our Continental comrades finally came to the -conclusion that we were not so unmannerly as they deemed us at first. -In the beginning some offence was given as they did not understand -that in the English naval or military services it is the custom where -several officers are together for the senior only to acknowledge a -salute; for in the other European armies all would reply equally to it. - -The three leading characteristics of Pekin are its odour, its dust in -dry weather, and its mud after rain. The cleanliness introduced by the -Allies did wonders towards allaying the stench; and I do not think that -any place in the world, short of an alkali desert, can beat the dust of -the Long Valley. But though I have seen “dear, dirthy Dublin” in wet -weather, have waded through the slush of Aldershot, and had certainly -marvelled at the mire of Hsin‐ho, yet never have I gazed on aught to -equal the depth, the intensity, and the consistency of the awful mud -of Pekin. We made its acquaintance on the day following our arrival. -Heavy rain had kept us indoors until late in the afternoon when, taking -advantage of a temporary cessation of the deluge, we rashly ventured -on a stroll down Ha‐ta‐man Street. The city, never beautiful, looked -doubly squalid in the gloomy weather. Along the raised centre portion -of the roadway the small Pekin carts laboured literally axle‐deep in -mire. It was impossible for rickshas to ply. On either side the lower -parts of the street were several feet under water, while gushing -torrents rushed into them from the alleys and lanes. We struggled -with difficulty through the awful mud, wading through pools too broad -to jump. Once or twice we nearly slipped off the edge of the central -causeway, and narrowly escaped an unwelcome bath in the muddy river -alongside. As we splashed and skipped along like schoolboys, laughing -at our various mishaps, our mirth was suddenly hushed. Down the road -towards us tramped a mournful cortège—a funeral party of German -soldiers marching with reversed arms behind a gun‐carriage on which -lay, in a rough Chinese coffin, the corpse of some young conscript from -the Vaterland. As we stood aside to let the procession pass, we raised -our hands to our helmets in a last salute to a comrade. - -In sobered mood we waded on until, in the centre of the roadway, we -came to a mat‐shed that marked the site of a monument to be erected -on the spot where the German Minister, Baron Kettler, was murdered at -the outbreak of the troubles. Foully slain as he had been by soldiers -of the Chinese Imperial troops, his unhappy fate proved perhaps the -salvation of the other Europeans in the Legations. For it showed that -no reliance could be placed on the promises of the Court which had -just offered them a safe‐conduct and an escort to Tientsin. And on -the ground stained by his life‐blood the monument will stand, a grim -memento and a warning of the vengeance of civilisation. - -Weary of our struggles with the mud, we now resolved to go no farther -and turned back to the hotel, but not in time to escape a fresh -downpour, which drenched us thoroughly. - -Next day we changed our abode, having found accommodation in the -portion of Pekin allotted to the English troops; for the city was -divided into sections for the allied occupation. Some officers of the -Welch Fusiliers had kindly offered us room in their quarters in Chong -Wong Foo. This euphonious title signifies the palace of Prince Chong, -who was one of the eight princes of China. Our new lodging was more -imposing in name than in fact. The word “palace” conjured up visions -of stately edifices and princely magnificence which were dissipated by -our first view of the reality. Seated in jolting, springless Pekin -carts that laboured heavily through the deep mire, we had driven -from the hotel through miles of dismal, squalid streets. Turning off -a main road, which was being repaired, or rather re‐made, by the -British, we entered a series of small, evil‐smelling lanes bordered -by high walls, from the doorways of which an occasional phlegmatic -Chinaman regarded us with languid interest. At length we came to a -narrow road, which the rain of the previous day had converted into a -canal. The water rose over the axles of the carts. Our sturdy ponies -splashed on indomitably until ahead of us the roadway widened out into -a veritable lake before a large gate at which stood a British sentry. -As we approached he called out to us to turn down a lane to the right -and seek a side entrance, as the water in front of the principal one -here was too deep for our carts. Thanks to his directions, we found -a doorway in the wall which gave admittance to a large courtyard. -Jumping out of our uncomfortable vehicles, we entered. Round the -enclosure were long, one‐storied buildings, their fronts consisting -of lattice‐work covered with paper. They were used as barrack‐rooms, -and we secured a soldier in one of them to guide us. He led us through -numerous similar courtyards, in one of which stood a temple converted -into a gun‐shed, until we finally passed through a small door in a wall -into a tangled wilderness of a garden. At the far end of this stood a -long, low building with the conventional Chinese curved roof. It was -constructed of brick and wood, the latter for the most part curiously -carved. The low‐hanging eaves overspreading the broad stone verandah -were supported by worm‐eaten pillars. The portico and doorways were of -fragile lattice‐work, trellised in fantastic designs. It was the main -portion of Prince Chong’s residence and resembled more a dilapidated -summer‐house than a princely palace. Here we were met and welcomed by -our hosts, Major Dobell, D.S.O. and Lieutenant Williams, who -ushered us into the anything but palatial interior, which consisted of -low, dingy rooms dimly lighted by paper‐covered windows. The various -chambers opened off each other or into gloomy passages in bewildering -and erratic fashion. Camp beds and furniture seemed out of keeping with -the surroundings; but a few blackwood stools were apparently all that -Prince Chong had left behind him for his uninvited guests. Thanks to -our friends’ kindness, we were soon comfortably installed, and felt as -much at home as if we had lived in palaces all our lives. It took us -some time to learn our way about the labyrinth of courts. The buildings -scattered through the yards would have afforded ample accommodation for -a regiment; and a whole brigade could have encamped with ease within -the circumference enclosed by the outer walls. - -The place of most fascinating interest in the marvellous capital of -China is undoubtedly the Forbidden City, the Emperor’s residence. With -the wonderful attraction of the mysterious its very name, fraught with -surmise, is alluring. Nothing in all the vastness of Pekin excited such -curiosity as the fabled enclosure that had so long shrouded in awful -obscurity the Son of Heaven. No white man in ordinary times could hope -to fathom its mysteries or know what lay concealed within its yellow -walls. The ambassadors of the proudest nations of Europe were only -admitted on sufferance, and that rarely, to the outermost pavilions of -that sacred city, the hidden secrets of which none might dare reveal. -But now the monarch of Celestial origin was an exile from the palace, -whose inmost recesses were profaned by the impious presence of his -foes. The tramp of an avenging army had echoed through its deserted -courts; barbarian voices broke its holy hush. Foreign soldiers jested -carelessly in the sacred chamber where the proudest mandarins of China -had prostrated themselves in awe before the Dragon Throne. Within its -violated walls strangers wandered freely where they listed; and Heaven -sent not its lightnings to avenge the sacrilege. Surely the gods were -sleeping! - -While the capital of the Celestial Kingdom languished in the grasp of -the accursed barbarian, admittance to the Forbidden City was granted to -anyone who obtained a written order from one of the Legations. This -was readily given to officers of the armies of occupation. Provided -with it and a Chinese‐speaking guide, a party of us set out one day -from the British Legation to explore the mysteries of the Emperor’s -abode. A short ricksha ride brought us to the Imperial city. A rough -paved road through it led to the gateway of the Palace, at which -stood a guard of stalwart American soldiers. Quitting our rickshas, -we presented our pass to the sergeant in command. The gates were -thrown open, and we were permitted to enter the sacred portals. Before -us lay a large paved courtyard, the grass springing up between the -stone flags, leading to a long, single‐storied pavilion, seemingly -crushed beneath the weight of its wide‐spreading yellow‐tiled double -roof. To one who has imagined undreamt‐of luxury and magnificence -in the residence of the Emperor of China the reality comes as a sad -disappointment. The Palace, far from being a pile of splendid and -ornate architecture, consists of a number of detached single‐storied -buildings, one behind the other, separated by immense paved courtyards, -along the sides of which are the residences of the servants and -attendants. The outer pavilions are a series of throne rooms, in which -audience is given according to the rank of the individual admitted -to the presence in inverse ratio to his importance. Thus, the first -nearest the gate suffices for the reception of the smaller mandarins -or envoys of petty States, the next for higher notabilities or -ambassadors of greater nations, and so on. - -The description of one of these throne rooms will serve for all. - -A raised foundation, with tier above tier of carved white marble -balustrades, slopes up to a paved terrace on which stands a large -one‐storied pavilion. Its double roof blazes with lustrous yellow -tiles; the gables are ornamented with weird porcelain monsters. The -far‐projecting eaves, shading a deep verandah, are supported by many -pillars. From the courtyard steps on either side of the sloping marble -slab, curiously carved with fantastic designs of dragons and known as -the Spirit Path, lead up to the terrace, on which are large bronze -incense‐burners, urns, life‐size storks, and other birds and animals, -with marble images of the sacred tortoise. From the verandah many -doors lead into the vast and gloomy interior. A lofty central chamber, -supported by gilded columns, contains a high daïs, on which stands a -throne of gilt and carved wood with bronze urns and incense‐burners -around it. The daïs is surrounded by gilded railings and led up to -by a flight of half a dozen steps. Behind it is a high screen of -carved wood. Screen, walls, and pillars are gay with quaint designs of -writhing, coiling dragons in gold and vivid hues, or hung with huge -tablets inscribed with Chinese characters. The ceiling is gorgeously -painted. The whole a wonderful medley of barbaric gaudiness. From the -principal chamber a few smaller rooms lead off, crammed with wooden -chests containing piles of manuscripts. - -As we wandered about this pavilion our movements were closely watched -by the custodians; for many of the Imperial eunuchs had been permitted -to remain in the palace and entrusted with the keys and charge of the -various buildings. As, after the fairly exhaustive looting that took -place on the capture of the city, no further plundering was allowed, -these men were instructed to watch over the safety of the contents of -the palace that had escaped the first marauders; and they kept a sharp -eye on visitors who endeavoured to secure mementoes. Despite their -vigilance, one of our party succeeded in carrying off a little souvenir -which he found in a chamber off the throne room. It was a small, flat -candlestick, which its finder hoped would prove to be gold. It was only -of brass, however, as he subsequently discovered; and he commented -disgustedly on the parsimony of a monarch who could allow so mean a -metal within his palace. - -In the usual spirit of tourists, to whom nothing is sacred, we each -reposed for a few moments in the Emperor’s gilded chair, so that we -could boast of once having occupied the Throne of China. I doubt if -future historians will record our names among those who have assumed -that exalted position. - -Passing through this building, we emerged upon another courtyard, at -the far end of which stood a similar pavilion. Its interior arrangement -differed but slightly from the one which I have just described. There -were several of these throne rooms, one behind the other, all very much -alike. Along the sides of the intervening courts were low buildings of -the usual Chinese type, which had served as residences for the palace -attendants. - -We came to a large joss‐house, or temple, the interior filled with -gilded altars, hideous gods, memorial tablets, bronze incense‐burners -and candelabra, silken hangings, and tawdry decorations. Here the -reigning monarch comes to worship on the vigil of his marriage. - -In amusing proximity was the Emperor’s seraglio. The gate was closed -during the allied occupation, and on it was a notice to the effect -that “the custodian has strict orders not to admit any person. Do -not ill‐treat him if he refuses to open the gate for you. He is only -obeying orders.” It was signed by General Chaffee, United States Army, -and was significant of many things. So the hidden beauties still remain -a mystery to the outer world. - -Near one of the pavilions a giant bronze attracted our attention. It -represented an enormous lion, with particularly ferocious countenance, -reposing on a square pedestal, one long‐clawed fore‐paw resting on -the terrestrial globe. Beneath the other sprawled in agony a very -diminutive lion, emblematic of China’s enemies crushed beneath her -might. The sculpture seemed rather ironical at that epoch. - -Passing onwards through a puzzling maze of courtyards, we reached -at length the most interesting portion of the palace, the private -apartments of the Emperor, the Empress‐Consort, and that notorious lady -the Empress‐Dowager. Like all the rest of the Forbidden City, they were -merely one‐storied, yellow‐roofed pavilions separated by courts. - -The interior of the Emperor’s abode consisted of low, rather dingy -rooms opening off each other. The appointments were of anything but -regal magnificence. The furniture was of carved blackwood, with an -admixture of tawdry European chairs and sofas. On the walls hung a -weird medley of Chinese paintings and cheap foreign oleographs, all -in gorgeous gilt frames. The latter were such as would be found in a -fifth‐rate lodging‐house—horse races, children playing at see‐saw, -conventional landscapes, and farmyard scenes. Jade ornaments and -artificial flowers in vases abounded; but all around, wherever one -could be hung or placed, were European clocks, from the gilt French -timepiece under a glass shade to the cheapest wooden eight‐day clock. -There must have been at least two or three hundred, probably more, -scattered about the pavilion. The Chinese have a weird and inexplicable -passion for them, and a man’s social respectability would seem to be -gauged more by the number of timepieces he possesses than by any other -outward and visible signs of wealth. What a costly collection of rare -masterpieces of art is to the American millionaire, the heterogeneous -gathering of foreign clocks apparently is to the Celestial plutocrat. -The Imperial bed was a fine piece of carved blackwood; but the most -magnificent article of furniture in the pavilion was a large screen of -the famous Canton featherwork, made of the green and blue plumage of -the kingfisher. The design, which was framed and covered with glass, -represented a pilgrimage to a sacred mountain. On its summit stood -a temple, towards which crowds of worshippers climbed wearily. As a -work of art it was excellent. It was the only thing in the Imperial -apartments which I coveted. The rest of the furniture and fittings were -tawdry and apparently valueless. - -The pavilion of the Empress‐Consort was rather more luxuriously -upholstered than that of her husband and contained some splendid -embroideries. In her boudoir, besides the inevitable collection of -clocks, oleographs, and artificial flowers, were a piano and a small -organ, both very much out of tune, presented, we were told, by European -ladies resident in China. - -The pavilion of the Empress‐Dowager, a much finer abode than that of -the reigning monarch, contained a long, glass‐walled room crowded with -bizarre ornaments of foreign workmanship. Musical boxes, mechanical -toys under glass shades, vases of wax flowers, stood along each side -on marble‐topped tables; and all around, of course, clocks. On the -walls of her sleeping apartment hung a strange astronomical chart. The -bed, an imposing and wide four‐poster, was covered and hung with rich -embroideries. And, as tourists should do, we lay down in turn on the -old lady’s couch, where I warrant she had tossed in sleepless agitation -in those last summer nights when the rattle of musketry around the -besieged Legations told that the hated foreigners still resisted -China’s might. And little slumber must have visited her there when -the booming of guns, during the dark hours when Russian and Japanese -flung themselves on the doomed city, disturbed the silence even in the -sacrosanct heart of the Forbidden City and told of the vengeance at -hand. - -Having thoroughly inspected the Imperial apartments, we visited a -very gaudily decorated temple, crowded with weird gods and hung with -embroideries, and then passed on to the small but delightful Emperor’s -garden. It was full of quaintly shaped trees and shrubs, bizarre -rockeries and curious summer‐houses, gorgeous flowers and plants, -and splendid bronze monsters. These last absolutely blazed in the -brilliant sunlight as though gilded; for they are made of that costly -Chinese bronze which contains a large admixture of gold. The garden -closed the catalogue of sights to be seen in the palace; and though we -visited a few more of the dingy buildings of the Forbidden City, there -was nothing else worthy of being chronicled. We passed out through -the northern gateway and climbed up Coal Hill close by for a long, -comprehensive look over Pekin from the pavilion on the summit. - -All around us the capital lay embosomed in trees and bathed in -brilliant sunshine, the yellow roofs of the Imperial Palace at our feet -flashing like gold. To the right lay the pretty Lotos Lakes of the -Empress‐Dowager, the white marble bridge spanning them stretching like -a delicate ivory carving over the gleaming water. Through the haze of -heat and dust the towers of the walls rose up boldly to the sky. And -far away, beyond the crowded city, the country stretched in fertile -fields and dense groves of trees to a distant line of hills, where the -tall temples of the Summer Palace stood out sharply against a dark -background. - -[Footnote 3: Lord Curzon, in his interesting book, _Problems of the Far -East_, refers to this building as “The Temple of Heaven” and calls what -I have described as “The Centre of the Universe” “The Altar of Heaven.” -He is more likely to be correct than the officers of the armies of -occupation, but I give the names which they used.] - -[Footnote 4: These dimensions were given me by Lieutenant Pearson, -R.E., who had to tunnel the wall to allow the passage of a -railway line.] - - - - -CHAPTER V - -RAMBLES IN PEKIN - - -When the treachery of the Empress‐Dowager and the mad fanaticism of the -Chinese ringed in the Legations with a circle of fire and steel, all -the world trembled at the danger of the besieged Europeans. When Pekin -fell and relief came, the heroism of the garrison was lauded through -every nation. But few heard of a still more gallant and desperate -defence which took place at the same time and in the same city—when -a few priests and a handful of marines in the Peitan, the Roman -Catholic cathedral of Pekin, long held at bay innumerable hordes of -assailants. Well deserved as was the praise bestowed on the defenders -of the Legations, their case was never so desperate as that of the -missionaries, nuns, and converts penned up in the church and schools. -On the Peitan fell the first shock of fanatical attack; no armistice -gave rest to its weary garrison, and to it relief came last of all. For -over two months, with twenty French and eleven Italian marines, the -heroic Archbishop, Monseigneur Favrier, and his priests—all honour -to them!—held an almost impossible position against overwhelming -numbers. The _enceinte_ of the defence comprised the cathedral, the -residences of the priests, the schools, and the convent, and contained -within its straggling precincts, besides the nuns and the missionaries, -over 3,000 converts—men, women, and children. The buildings were -riddled with shot and shell. Twice mines were exploded within the -defences and tore away large portions of the protecting wall, besides -killing or wounding hundreds. - -The Chinese occupied houses within a few yards of the cathedral, and -on one occasion brought a gun up within forty paces of its central -door. A few rounds would have laid the way open to the stormers. All -hope seemed lost; when the dauntless old Archbishop led out ten marines -in a desperate sally, drove off the assailants, and, capturing the -gun, dragged it back within the church. A heroic priest volunteered -to try to pierce the environing hordes of besiegers and seek aid from -the Legations, not knowing that they, too, were in deadly peril. In -disguise he stole out secretly from the defences, and was never heard -of again. One shudders to think what his fate must have been. It is -still a mystery. Under a pitiless close‐range fire the marines and -priests, worthy of their gallant leader, stood at their posts day and -night and drove back the mad rushes of the assailants. Heedless of -death, the nuns bore water, food, and ammunition to the defenders, -nursed the wounded and sick, and soothed the alarm of the Chinese -women and children in their care. Disease and starvation added their -grim terrors to the horrors of the situation. - -Desirous of seeing the scene of this heroic defence, I set out one day -to visit the cathedral in company with some officers of the Fusiliers -and of my own regiment. The ground being dry, we chose rickshas for -our vehicles in preference to Pekin carts, which are as uncomfortable -a form of conveyance as any I know. Our coolies ran us along at a good -pace, for the Pekinese ricksha‐men are exceedingly energetic; indeed, -the Chinaman is the best worker I have ever seen, with the possible -exception of the Corean boatmen at Chemulpo. The Hong Kong dock -labourers are a model that the same class in England would never copy. -One day in Dublin I watched three men raising a small paving‐sett a few -inches square from the roadway. Two held the points of crowbars under -it while the third leisurely scratched at the surrounding earth with -a pickaxe, pausing frequently to wipe his heated brow and remark that -“hard work is not aisy, begob!” I wondered what a Chinaman would have -said if he had seen that sight. - -Close to the Peitan we found ourselves in a broad street which was -being re‐made by the French, who had named it “Rue du General Voyron” -after their commander‐in‐chief. In it were many newly‐opened cafés and -drinking‐shops, placarded with advertisements of various sorts of -European liquors for sale within. Turning off this road into a narrow -lane, we suddenly came upon the gate of the Peitan. - -The cathedral is a beautiful building of the graceful semi‐Gothic -type of modern French churches, lightly constructed of white stone. -It is crowned by airy pinnacles and looks singularly out of place -among the squalid Chinese houses that crowd around it. At first we -could not discern any marks of the rough handling it had received, and -marvelled at its good preservation. But on approaching closer, we saw -that the masonry was chipped and scarred in a thousand places. Scarce -a square yard of the front was without a bullet or shell‐hole through -it. The walls were so thin that the shells had passed through without -exploding; and it seemed almost incredible that any being could have -remained alive within them during the hellish fire to which they had so -evidently been subjected. - -We were met at the entrance by Monseigneur Favrier’s courteous -coadjutor‐bishop, who received us most hospitably, took us over the -cathedral and round the defences, and explained the incidents of the -siege to us. He showed us the enormous hole in the compound and the -breach in the wall caused by the explosion of one of the Chinese -mines, which had killed and wounded hundreds. The ground everywhere -was strewn with large iron bullets and fragments of shells, fired -by the besiegers. The Bishop smiled when we requested permission to -carry off a few of these as souvenirs, and remarked with truth that -there were enough to suffice for visitors for many years. We inspected -with interest the gun captured by the Archbishop. Then, as he spoke no -English, and I was the only one of the party who could converse with -him in French, he handed us over to the care of an Australian nun, -who proved to be a capital _cicerone_ and depicted the horrors they -had undergone much more vividly than our previous guide had done. Her -narrative of the sufferings of the brave sisters and the women and -children was heartrending. Before we left we were fortunate enough -to have the honour of being presented to the heroic prelate, whose -courage and example had animated the defenders. A burly, strongly -built man, with genial and open countenance, Monseigneur Favrier is -a splendid specimen of the Church Militant and reminded one of the -old‐time bishops, who, clad in armour, had led their flocks to war, and -fought in the forefront of battles in the Middle Ages. His bravery was -equalled by his modesty, for he resolutely declined to be drawn into -any account of his exploits during the siege. Long may he flourish! A -perfect specimen of the priest of God, the soldier, and the gentleman. -As we parted from him we turned to look again on the man so modestly -unconscious of his own heroism, that in any army in the world would -have covered him with honours and undying fame. - -When we looked at the extent of the defences and compared it with -the paucity of the garrison, we could scarcely understand how the -place resisted attack for an hour. By all the rules of warfare it -was absolutely untenable. It is surrounded on all sides within a few -yards by houses, which were occupied by the Chinese who from their -cover poured in an unceasing and harassing fire upon the garrison. The -defenders were too few to even attempt to drive them out,[5] and so -were obliged to confine themselves to defeating the frequent assaults -made on them. Their successful and gallant resistance was a feat that -would be a glorious page in the annals of any army. “Palmam qui meruit -ferat!” - -Not the least remarkable of the many curious phases of this -extraordinary campaign was the rapidity with which, when order had -been restored, the Chinese settled down again in Pekin. A few months -after the fall of the capital its streets, to a casual observer, had -resumed their ordinary appearance; but the wrecked houses, the foreign -flags everywhere displayed, the absence of the native upper classes, -and the presence of the soldiers of the Allies marked the change. Burly -Russian and lithe Sikh, dapper little Japanese and yellow‐haired -Teuton roughly shouldered the Celestial aside in the streets, where -formerly the white man had passed hurriedly along in momentary dread -of insult and assault. But in the presence of the strict discipline of -the troops after the first excesses the Chinaman speedily recovered his -contempt—veiled though it was now perforce—for the foreign devil. -Ricksha coolies argued over their fare, where not long before a blow -would have been the only payment vouchsafed or expected. Lounging -crowds of Chinese on the sidepaths refused to make way for European -officers until forcibly reminded that they belonged to a vanquished -nation. - -Shops that had any of their contents left after the fairly complete -looting the city had undergone opened again, the proprietors demanding -prices for their goods that promised to rapidly recoup them for their -losses. Vehicles of all kinds filled the streets, which were soon as -interesting as they had been before the advent of the Allies—and a -great deal safer. Pekin carts rattled past strings of laden Tartar -camels, which plodded along with noiseless footfall and the weary air -of haughty boredom of their kind. Coolies with streaming bodies ran -their rickshas over the uneven roadway. Heavy transport waggons, drawn -by European and American horses or stout Chinese mules, rumbled through -the deep dust or heavy mud. And, thanks to the cleansing efforts of the -Allies, the formerly most noticeable feature of Pekin was absent—its -overpowering stench. - -Engaging the services of a guide and interpreter, a party of us set -out one afternoon to view the shops, with the ulterior purpose of -purchasing some of the famous pottery and silks. We went in rickshas -to Ha‐ta‐man Street, which is a good commercial thoroughfare. Arrived -there, we discarded our man‐drawn vehicles and strolled along the -high side‐walks, pausing now and then to gaze at the curious pictures -of Chinese street life. Here peddlers sat surrounded by their wares. -An old‐clothes merchant, selecting a convenient space of blank wall, -had driven nails into it, and hung on them garments of all kinds, -from the cylindrical trousers of the Chinese woman to the tarnished, -gold‐embroidered coat of a mandarin, with perhaps a suggestive rent -and stain that spoke all too plainly of the fate of the last owner. -Another man sat amid piles of footgear—the quaint tiny shoes of women -that would not fit a European baby, the slippers of the superior sex, -with their thick felt soles, the long knee boots for winter wear. Here -a venerable, white‐haired Chinaman, with the beard that bespoke him a -grandfather, dozed among a heterogeneous collection of rusty knives, -empty bottles and jampots, scraps of old iron, and broken locks of -native or European manufacture. Another displayed cheap pottery of -quaint shape and hideous colouring, or the curious, pretty little -snuff‐bottles, with tiny spoons fitted into the stopper, that I have -never seen anywhere but in China. Another offered tawdry embroidery or -tinselled fan‐cases. Piles of Chinese books and writing‐desks, with -their brushes and solid blocks of ink, were the stock‐in‐trade of -another. - -And true Oriental haughty indifference marked the demeanour of these -cheapjacks when we searched among their curious wares for souvenirs of -Pekin. They evinced not the least anxiety for us to buy, although they -knew that the lowest price that they would extract from us was sure to -be much more than they could obtain from a Chinese purchaser. Their -demands were exorbitant for the commonest, most worthless article; and -they showed no regret if we turned away exasperated at their rapacity. -One asked me fifteen dollars for a thing which he gave eventually, -after hard bargaining, for one, and then probably made a profit of -fifty cents over it. - -Farther on we stopped to gaze at a small crowd assembled round a -fortune‐teller. A stout country‐woman was having her future foretold. -The prophet, looking alternately at her hand and at a chart covered -with hieroglyphics, was evidently promising her a career full of good -fortune and happiness, to judge from the rapt and delighted expression -on her face. - -A bear, lumbering heavily through a cumbrous dance to the mournful -strains of a weird musical instrument, was the centre of another small -gathering. Farther down the street a juggler had attracted a ring of -interested spectators, who, when the performer endeavoured to collect -money from them, melted away quite as rapidly as a similar crowd in the -streets of London scatters when the hat is passed round. - -We had noticed many peepshows being exhibited along the side‐walk, with -small, pig‐tailed urchins, their eyes glued to the peepholes, evidently -having their money’s worth. Curious to see the spectacles with which -the Chinese showman regales his audiences, we struck a bargain with -one, and for the large sum of five cents the whole party was allowed -to look in through the glasses. The first tableau represented a troupe -of acrobats performing before the Imperial Court. Then the proprietor -pressed a spring; by a mechanical device the scene changed, and we drew -back from the peepholes! The Chinese are not a moral race. None of us -were easily shocked, but the picture that met our gaze was a little too -indecent for the broadest‐minded European. We moved on. - -Outside a farrier’s booth a pony was being shod. Two poles planted -firmly in the earth, with a cross‐piece fixed between them, about six -feet from the ground, formed a sort of gallows. Ropes passed round the -animal’s neck, chest, loins, and legs, and fastened to the poles, half -suspending him in the air, held him almost immovable. The most vicious -brute would be helpless in such a contrivance. - -Our guide, on being reminded that we desired to make some purchases, -stopped outside a low‐fronted, dingy shop, and informed us that it -belonged to one of the best silk merchants in Pekin. We entered, and -found the proprietor deep in conversation with a friend. The guide -addressed him, and told him that we wished to look at some silks. -Hardly interrupting his conversation, the merchant replied that he had -none. Irritated at his casual manner, our interpreter asked why he -exhibited a sign‐board outside the shop, which declared that silks were -for sale within. “Oh, everything I had was looted. There is nothing -left,” replied the proprietor nonchalantly; and he turned to resume his -interrupted conversation as indifferently as if the plundering of his -goods was too ordinary a business risk to demand a moment’s thought. -Not a word of complaint at his misfortune. How different, I thought, -from the torrent of indignant eloquence with which the European -shopkeeper would bewail the slackness of trade or a fire that had -damaged his property! - -We were more successful in the next establishment we visited, for a new -stock had been laid in since the capture of the city. But the silks -were of very inferior quality, the colours crude and gaudy, and the -prices exorbitant. So we purchased nothing. - -We next inspected a china shop, which was stacked with pottery from -floor to ceiling. To my mind the patterns and colouring of everything -we saw were particularly hideous, though some of our party who posed as -connoisseurs went into raptures over weird designs and glaring blues -and browns. - -I was equally disappointed in a visit to a fan shop. China is -pre‐eminently the land of fans, and I had hoped to find some -particularly choice specimens in Pekin. But all that were shown me were -very indifferent—badly made and of poor design. The prettiest I have -ever seen were in Canton, where superb samples of carved sandal‐wood -and ivory can be procured at a very reasonable price. But Canton is far -ahead of the capital in manufactures, and its inhabitants possess a -keen commercial instinct. Its proximity to Hong Kong and the constant -intercourse with foreigners have sharpened their trading faculties, and -there are few smarter business men than the Canton shopkeeper. - -[Illustration: GROUNDS OF THE BRITISH LEGATION, PEKIN] - -Strolling along the street we reached a market‐place filled with -open booths, in which food of all kinds was exposed for sale. Dried -ducks, split open and skewered, hung beside sucking‐pigs. Buckets -of water filled with wriggling eels stood on the ground. Salt fish, -meat, and vegetables lay on the stalls, which were surrounded by a -chaffering crowd. Sellers and buyers argued vehemently, and the din -of the bargaining so dear to the Oriental heart filled the street. -Women, with oiled hair twisted into curious shapes and wound round -long, flat combs that stood out six inches on either side of the back -of their heads, toddled up on tiny, maimed feet, and plunged into -heated discussions with the dealers. Beggars exhibited their hideous -deformities to excite the pity of the crowd, and clutched insolently at -the dresses of the passers‐by to demand charity. - -Close by, a group of urchins drew water from a well. It was in the -middle of the side‐walk, and was covered with a large stone slab, -pierced with four holes only just large enough to permit of the passage -of the buckets. - -On our way back to Chong Wong Foo that afternoon we passed close to the -Legation quarter, and stopped to watch the progress of the wall which -was being built around it as a protection against future attacks. It -is simply a high wall constructed of the enormous Pekin bricks, easily -defensible against infantry attack, but I should doubt if it would long -resist artillery fire. - -The most famous place of Buddhist worship in Pekin is the Great Lama -Temple, which was, perhaps, the wealthiest monastery in China until -Buddhism fell out of fashion. As it is still well worthy of a visit, -I made an excursion to it one day in company with a small party. The -monks had the reputation of being extremely hostile to foreigners; -and although Europeans could now go in safety to most places in the -capital, I was warned not to venture on a visit to this temple alone. - -Outside the principal entrance stands a fine specimen of those curious -Chinese structures, half gateway, half triumphal arch. The lower -portion was of stone, the superstructure of wood. It was crowned -with three small towers, roofed with yellow tiles, and painted with -gaudy designs in glaring colours. On either side, on stone pedestals, -were enormous lions that looked like the nightmare creations of a -demon‐possessed artist. On passing through the front gate, we found -ourselves in a paved courtyard surrounded by low, one‐storied temples -standing on raised verandahs. In the centre was a double‐roofed -square belfry with a small gate in each side. On entering the court -we were at once surrounded by a clamorous crowd of shaven‐headed, -yellow‐robed men of a villainous type of countenance. These were the -famous—or infamous—Buddhist monks. Their dress consisted of a long, -yellow linen gown, confined at the waist by a sash, trousers, white -socks, and felt‐soled shoes. A more repulsive set of scoundrels I have -never seen. Their former truculence was now replaced by a cringing -servility. They crowded round us, demanding alms, or, holding out -handfuls of small coins, offered to change our good silver dollars -into bad five‐and ten‐cent pieces. Since Buddhism has ceased to be the -fashionable religion in China, its ministers have fallen upon evil -times, and subsist on charity and the offerings of the comparatively -few followers of their creed. So visitors are vociferously assailed for -alms; and the wily monks, with a keen eye to business, had hit upon the -idea of making a little money by tendering small coins of a debased -currency in change for good silver pieces. Shouldering the clamorous -crowd aside, our interpreter seized on one ancient priest to act as -our guide. This worthy cleric aided us to drive off his importunate -fellows, and led us through several courts to the principal temple. -Like all the other buildings around, it was covered with a quaint, -yellow‐tiled roof, and on the corners of the gables and the projecting -eaves were weird porcelain monsters; while below hung small bells, -which clanked dismally when moved by the wind. The temple was high and -the interior particularly large and lofty; for it contained a colossal -image of Buddha, seated in the traditional posture, with crossed legs -and hands holding the lotus flower and other sacred emblems. On its -face was the abstracted expression of weary calm that is supposed -to represent the attainment of Nirvana—content. Stairs led up to -galleries passing round the interior of the building to the level of -the head of the deity, so that one could gaze into his countenance at -close range. The statue is not so large or artistically so meritorious -as the similar images of Daibutsu at Kamakura or Hiogo in Japan, -each of which is hollow and contains a temple in its interior. On the -walls of the staircase, ranged on shelves, were thousands of little -clay gods, crudely fashioned and painted. Our priestly guide refused -to sell us any of these figures, though evidently sorely tempted by -the sight of the almighty dollar. He evidently refrained from doing so -only through fear of being found out, not through any respect for his -sacred images. Having gazed into Buddha’s face and vainly endeavoured -to experience the feeling of rapture that it is supposed to produce, we -passed out to a balcony that ran round the exterior of the building. -We were high up above the ground, and we looked down upon the jumble -of quaint, yellow gables, the courtyards with their lounging groups of -bullet‐headed priests, and away over the panorama of Pekin to where the -tall buildings of the Imperial city rose above a sea of low roofs. - -On descending again into the temple, we looked at the altars with -tawdry ornaments, artificial flowers, faded hangings, and fantastic -gods, and then passed out to the court. Our guide, having extracted -alms from us, led us to another but smaller temple, and handed us over -to its custodian priest, who unlocked the door and led us within. -Round the walls were life‐sized gilt images—all of one design, and -an exceedingly indecent design it was; and we had little respect for -the morals of the ancient Chinese deified hero it represented. After -visiting several other buildings containing little of interest, we -induced some of the monks to let us photograph them. They were pleased -and flattered at the idea, and posed readily; indeed, one who had been -standing at the other side of the courtyard, seeing what was going -on, rushed across and insisted on joining the group, anxious that his -features, too, should be handed down to posterity. Throwing them a -handful of small coins, which caused a very undignified scramble, we -passed out of the gate. Seating ourselves in our rickshas, we drove to -the Temple of Confucius, close by. It is devoted to the present Chinese -faith, which is a mixture of ancestor‐worship and Confucianism, and -consists of several buildings standing in pretty, tree‐shaded courts. -The main temple contains long altars, on which are nothing but tablets -with Chinese inscriptions—maxims of the worthy sage. Larger tablets -hang on the walls. Confucian chapels are not interesting; and we were -disappointed at the bareness of the interior. Similar but smaller -buildings stood at the end of avenues in the grounds, but none repaid a -visit. - -The _cloisonné_ of Pekin is famous, and specimens of it command a good -price throughout China. It is, however, decidedly inferior to Japanese -work, which is much better finished and of far greater artistic merit. -As I had never seen how the _cloisonné_ is made, I paid a visit to the -principal factory in the capital. I was received by the proprietor, a -very amiable old gentleman, who took our party round his establishment -and showed us the process through all the stages from the raw material -to the finished article. The place consisted of a number of small -Chinese houses, some of which served as workshops, some were fitted -up with furnaces for firing, others occupied as residences by the -employees and their families. In the first courtyard two men were -seated before a small table, making European cigarette cases. In front -of them lay the design to be reproduced, flanked by small saucers -containing liquid enamel of various colours and tiny brushes. One man -held a square plate of copper, and with a sharp scissors cut very -thin strips from its edges. These he seized with a pair of pincers -and deftly bent and twisted them into patterns to correspond with the -lines of the design before him. They were then fixed on to the side -of the case with some adhesive mixture. As soon as they were firm, -the other man filled in the spaces between these raised lines with -the coloured enamels by means of a fine brush. The work was then left -to dry before being fired in the furnaces to fix the colours. With -their rude instruments these artists—for such they were—fashioned -the most complicated designs of foliage, flowers, or dragons with a -marvellous dexterity, judging altogether by eye, and never deviating -by a hair’s breadth from the pattern given them. We entered a room, -in which others sat round long tables, fastening designs on copper -vases, plates, or bowls. Ornaments of all kinds, napkin‐rings, and -crucifixes—these, needless to say, for foreigners—were being made. -Show‐cases with specimens of the finished work stood round the walls, -and the proprietor exhibited with pardonable pride the triumphs of his -art. With rude appliances in dimly‐lit rooms, these ignorant Chinese -workmen had achieved gems that the European artist could not excel. - -He then showed us the large blocks of the raw stone which had to be -ground up to form the enamel, and explained the processes it had to -undergo before it became the brightly coloured paste that filled the -saucers on the tables. We were then shown articles being placed in the -furnaces or withdrawn when the firing was complete. Before leaving we -purchased some specimens of the work as souvenirs of an interesting -visit, and bade good‐bye to the grateful proprietor. - -Such were our rambles through the vastness of that wonderful city so -long a mystery to the outside world. Even in these days of universal -knowledge its inmost recesses were a secret till fire and sword burst -all barriers and the victorious foreigner ranged where he listed. The -gates of palace and temple flew open to the touch of his rifle‐butt. -The abodes of monarch, prince, and priest sheltered the soldiers of -the conquerors, and the proudest mandarin drew humbly aside to let the -meanest camp‐follower pass. - -To me the most fascinating spectacle in Pekin was the ever‐changing -life of the streets. The endless procession of strange vehicles, -from the ricksha to the curious wheelbarrow that is a universal form -of conveyance for passengers or goods on the narrow roads of North -China. The motley crowds—Manchu, Tartar, white man, black, and -yellow, dainty, painted lady of high rank and humble coolie woman, -shaven‐crowned monk and long‐queued layman, all formed a moving picture -unequalled in any city in the world. And above their heads floated the -flags of the conquering nations that had banded together from the ends -of the earth to humble the pride of China. - -[Footnote 5: They had only forty rifles all told.] - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE SUMMER PALACE - - -Eight or ten miles from Pekin lies the loveliest spot in all North -China, the Summer Palace, the property of the Empress‐Dowager. When -burning heat and scorching winds render life in the capital unbearable, -when dust‐storms sweep through the unpaved streets and a pitiless sun -blazes on the crowded city, the virtual ruler of China betakes her to -her summer residence among the hills, and there weaves the web of plots -that convulse the world. When the feeble monarch of that vast Empire -ventured to dream of reforms that would eventually bring his realm -into line with modern civilisation, the imperious old lady seized her -nominal sovereign and imprisoned him there in the heart of her rambling -country abode. Twice, now, in its history has the Summer Palace fallen -into the hands of European armies. English and French have lorded it in -the paved courts before ever its painted pavilions had seen the white -blouses of Cossacks or the fluttering plumes of the Bersagliere; when -Japan was but a name, and none dreamt that the little islands of the -Far East would one day send their gallant soldiers to stand shoulder -to shoulder with the veterans of Europe in a common cause. - -Passed from the charge of one foreign contingent to another in this -last campaign, the Summer Palace was at length entrusted to the care -of the British and Italians. Desirous of visiting a spot renowned for -its natural beauty as for its historical interest, a party of us sought -and obtained permission to inspect it. And so one morning we stood in -the principal courtyard of Chong Wong Foo and watched a procession of -sturdy Chinese ponies being led up for us. The refractory little brutes -protested vehemently against the indignity of being bestridden by -foreigners; and all the subtlety of their grooms was required to induce -them to stand still long enough for us to spring into the saddles. -And then the real struggle began. One gave a spirited imitation of -an Australian buckjumper. Another endeavoured to remove his rider by -the simpler process of scraping his leg against the nearest wall. A -third, deaf to all threats or entreaties, refused to move a step in -any direction, until repeated applications of whip and spurs at length -resulted in his bolting out of the gate and down the road. After a -preliminary circus performance, our steeds finally determined to make -the best of a bad job; and, headed by a guide, we set out for the -palace. - -Our way lay at first through a very unsavoury part of the capital. -Evil‐smelling alleys, bordered by open drains choked with the refuse -of the neighbouring houses; narrow lanes deep in mire; squalid streets -of tumbledown hovels—the worst slums of Pekin. Gaunt and haggard men -scowled at us from the low doorways; naked and dirty babies sprawled -on the footpaths and lisped an infantine abuse of the foreign devils; -slatternly women stared at us with lack‐lustre eyes; and loathsome -cripples shouted for charity. Splashing through pools of filthy water, -dodging between carts in the narrow thoroughfares, we could proceed -but slowly. The heat and stench in these close and fetid lanes were -overpowering, and it was an intense relief to emerge at last on one of -the broad streets that pierce the city and which led us to a gateway in -the wall. One leaf of the wooden doors lay on the ground, the other was -hanging half off its hinges. Both were splintered and torn, for they -had been burst open by the explosion of a mine at the taking of Pekin. -The many‐windowed tower above was roofless and shattered. On either -hand, on the outer face of the wall, deep dints and scars showed where -the Japanese shells had rained upon them in the early hours of that -August morning, when the gallant soldiers of Dai Nippon[6] had come to -the rescue of the hard‐pressed Muscovites. - -When the Allied Armies arrived at Tung‐Chow, thirteen miles from Pekin, -a council of war was held by the generals on the 13th August, at which -it was decided that the troops should halt there on the following day, -to rest and prepare for the attack on the capital which was settled for -the 15th. For the stoutest hearts may well have quailed at the task -before them. A cavalry reconnaissance from each army was to be made on -the 13th, with orders to halt three miles from Pekin and wait there for -their main bodies to reach them on the 14th. - -But the Russian reconnoitring party, eager to be the first into the -city and establish their claim to be its real captors, pushed on right -up to the walls and attacked the Tung Pien gate. They thus upset -the plans for a concerted attack, and precipitated a disjointed and -indiscriminate assault. For they stumbled on a far more difficult task -than they had anticipated, and it was indeed fortunate for the wily -Muscovites that the Japanese, probably suspicious of their intentions, -were not far off. For the Chinese flocked to the threatened spot and -from the comparative safety of the wall poured a devastating fire upon -the Russians. The fiercest efforts of their stormers were unavailing. -General Vasilievski fell wounded. In vain the bravest officers of the -Czar led their men forward in desperate assaults. Baffled and beaten, -they recoiled in impotent fury. Retreat or annihilation seemed the -only alternatives; when the Japanese troops attacked the Tong Chih -gate. There, too, a terrible task awaited the assailants. Again and -again heroic volunteers rushed forward to lay a mine against the -ponderous doors, only to fall lifeless under the murderous fire of the -defenders. But the soldiers of the Land of the Rising Sun admit no -defeat. As men dropped dead, others stepped forward and took the fuses -from the nerveless fingers. The gate was at length blown open. Fierce -as panthers, the gallant Japanese poured into the doomed city. The -pressure relieved, the Russians again advanced to the assault. An entry -was effected at last; and, furious at their losses, they raged through -the streets, dealing death with a merciless hand, heedless of age or -sex. - -Meanwhile the other Allies, roused by the sound of heavy firing, were -lost in amazement as to its meaning; and dawn came before the truth was -known. The British and Americans then attacked the Chinese city and met -with a less stubborn resistance. An entry effected, the Indian troops -wandered through the maze of streets until met by a messenger sent out -from the Legations to guide them. He led them through the water‐gate, -the tunnel in the wall between the Tartar and the Chinese city, which -serves as an exit for the drain or nullah passing between the English -and the Japanese Legations, and so right into the arms of the besieged -Europeans. Thus they arrived first to the relief, while the Japanese -and Russians were still fighting in the streets. But every nation whose -army was represented in the Allied Forces claims the credit of being -foremost of all into the Legations. I have read the diary of the -commander of the Russian marines in the siege, in which he speaks of -the arrival of the Czar’s troops to the relief and completely ignores -the presence of the other Allies. And in pictures that I have seen in -Japan of the entry of the relievers, the besieged are shown rushing -out to throw themselves on the necks of the victorious Japanese, whose -uniform is the only one represented. But, while the brunt of the -fighting fell on them and the Russians, the Indian troops were actually -the first to reach the Legations. - -As we rode up to the gate through which the soldiers of Japan had -fought their way so gallantly, a guard of their sturdy little -infantrymen at it sprang to attention. For it and the quarter near was -in the charge of their contingent, and their flag, with its red ball on -a white ground, was to be seen everywhere around. The sentry brought -his rifle to the present with the jerky movement and wooden precision -of an automatic figure. Returning the salute, we clattered through the -long tunnel of the gateway and emerged beyond the walls of the city. - -Here began a wide road, paved with large stone flags, which runs for an -immense distance through the country, stopping short at the threshold -of the capital. It was bordered in places by hedges of graceful bamboos -with their long feathery leaves. Elsewhere a narrow ditch divided -the roadway from the fertile fields, where tall crops of _kowliang_ -(a species of millet) rose higher than a mounted man’s head, almost -completely hiding the houses of tiny hamlets. Over the stone flags, -sparks flashing from under our ponies’ hoofs, we clattered past crowds -of coolies trudging towards the city, long lines of roughly built carts -laden with country produce, or an occasional long‐queued farmer perched -on the back of his diminutive steed. - -By fields of waving grain, past groves of thick‐foliaged trees, through -trim villages that showed no trace of the storm that had swept so close -to them. But here and there signs of it were not wanting. A wayside -temple stood with fire‐scorched walls and broken roof. On the threshold -lay the shattered fragments of the images that had once adorned its -shrine. But from the doorways of the houses we passed the inhabitants -looked out at us with never a vestige of fear or hate, and as little -interest. In the stream of travellers setting towards Pekin came a -patrol of Bengal Lancers, spear‐point and scabbard flashing in the sun -as they rode along with the easy grace of the Indian cavalryman, their -tall chargers towering above our small Chinese ponies as the _sowars_ -saluted. Farther on we passed two men of the German Mounted Infantry, -their tiny steeds half hidden under huge dragoon saddles. A brown dot -in the distance resolved itself into a British officer as we drew near. -He was Major De Boulay, R.A., who had charge of the treasures -of the Summer Palace. For when the English took the place over these -were collected and locked up for safe keeping in large storehouses. -When the palace was handed back to the Chinese, the Court sent a -special letter of thanks to this officer for his careful custody of the -valuables. This campaign was not Major De Boulay’s first experience -of the Far East. As an authority on the Japanese army, when few in -Europe suspected its real efficiency as a fighting machine, he had been -appointed military attaché to it when it first astonished the world in -the China‐Japan War; and he accompanied the troops that made the daring -march that ended in the capture of Wei‐hai‐wei. - -Our meeting him on his way in to Pekin was a distinct disappointment to -us; for the keys of the godowns in which the treasures of the palace -were stored never left his keeping, and in his absence we had no chance -of seeing them. With many expressions of regret for this unfortunate -circumstance, he continued on his way to the capital. - -Trotting on, we reached a long village bordering the road on each side. -It was quite a populous and thriving place. The inhabitants looked -sleek and content; and shops stocked with gay garments or weird forms -of food abounded. Half‐way down on the left‐hand side a narrow lane -led off from the highway. At the corner stood a sign‐post with the -words, “Au palais de l’été.” It was our road. We turned our ponies down -it, nothing loth, I warrant, to exchange the hard stone flags for -the soft ground now underfoot. We were soon clear of the houses and -among the fields. Passing a belt of trees that had hitherto obstructed -our view, we saw ahead of us a long stretch of low, dark hills. Far -away to our left front, from a prominent knoll a tall, slender pagoda -rose up boldly to the sky, and straight before us, standing out on -the face of the hills, was a confused mass of buildings—the Summer -Palace. We broke into a brisk canter, the canter became a gallop, and -we raced towards our goal. As we drew nearer, and could more clearly -distinguish the aspect of the buildings, we slackened speed. On the -summit was a temple which, so one of our party who had visited the -place before told us, was known as the Hall of Ten Thousand Ages. -Below it stood a curious circular edifice, with a triple yellow roof. -It was built on a huge square foundation, on the face of which were -the lines of a diamond‐shaped figure. These we afterwards found to -be diagonal staircases ascending to the superstructure which was the -Empress‐Dowager’s own particular temple. Trees hid the lower portion -and concealed from our view a lovely lake that lies at the foot of the -hills. Passing onwards by a high‐walled enclosure, we reached a wide -open space, at the far end of which were the buildings of the palace -proper. Out in the centre of it stood one of those Chinese paradoxes—a -gateway without a wall, similar to the one at the Great Lama Temple. -It was gaily painted with weird designs in bright colours. We rode -past it and reached the entrance to the outer courtyard. At it was a -guard of an Indian infantry regiment which was quartered in the Summer -Palace. Dismounting, we passed through the gate and found ourselves in -a large court. Facing us was a long, low building of the conventional -Chinese type. It was a temple. On the verandah stood large bronze -storks and dragons. We had seen too many similar joss‐houses to care -to visit it; so we secured a sepoy to guide us through the labyrinth -of courts to the pavilion that was occupied as a mess by the officers -of the troops garrisoning the palace—a British Field Battery and -the Indian regiment. Here we were warmly welcomed and ushered into a -building of particular historical interest; for in this very pavilion -the Emperor had been confined. - -The interior was elaborately furnished. Large mirrors covered the -walls. Marble‐topped tables with the inevitable clocks and vases of -artificial flowers were placed round the sides. European chairs and -Chinese blackwood stools stood about in curious contrast. But the -_pièce de résistance_ was a lovely screen. An inner chamber was used -as a mess‐room; and a long table covered with a white cloth, on which -stood common Delft plates and glass tumblers, looked out of keeping -with the surroundings. But, more regardful of the thirst induced -by a hot ride than artistic proprieties, we threw ourselves into -comfortable chairs and quaffed a much‐needed, cooling drink. - -In front of the pavilion was a square, paved yard, in which stood a -curious scaffolding of gaily painted poles, which had served to spread -an awning above the court. For here the imprisoned Emperor had been -permitted to walk; and as we sat on the verandah and gave our hosts -the latest news of Pekin, we gazed with interest on the confined space -in which the monarch of the vast Empire of China had paced in weary -anticipation of his fate. - -As it wanted an hour or two to lunch‐time, one of the officers of the -garrison volunteered to guide us round the palace. We eagerly accepted -his offer and were led out into a maze of courts surrounded by low -houses. He brought us first to his quarters in a long, two‐storied -building. From the upper windows on the far side a lovely view lay -spread before our eyes. Below the house was a large lake, confined -by a marble wall and balustrade that passed all round it. Close -to us, on the right, the long, tree‐clad hill, on which stood the -Empress‐Dowager’s temple and the Hall of Ten Thousand Ages, rose almost -from the brink. To the left a graceful, many‐arched bridge stretched -from the bank to a tiny island far out in the placid water. On it stood -a small pavilion. Near the shore a flotilla of boats was anchored. It -comprised foreign‐designed barges, dinghies, and a half‐sunken steam -launch. Patches of lotus leaves lay on the tranquil surface. And away, -far beyond the lake, a line of rugged and barren hills rose up from the -plain. - -[Illustration: A STREET IN THE TARTAR CITY, PEKIN, AFTER HEAVY RAIN] - -Emerging from the building, we walked along by the low wall and carved -balustrade bounding the water, towards the side above which stood the -Empress‐Dowager’s temple. At the corner of the lake was a gateway, at -which stood a guard of Bersagliere, clad in white with cocks’ feathers -fluttering gaily in their tropical helmets. The Italians, as I have -said, were joined with the English in the charge of the Summer Palace. -Returning the sentry’s salute, we passed on and found a roofed and -open‐pillared gallery running along beside the lake. Its shelter was -grateful in the burning sun; for the breeze was cut off by the hill -that rose almost perpendicularly above us. The slender, wooden columns -supporting the tiled roof were painted in brightly coloured designs. On -the cornices were miniature pictures of conventional Chinese scenery. -Here and there the gallery widened out or passed close to pretty little -summer‐houses built above the wall of the lake. We reached the square -white mass of masonry on which stood the temple. Before it massive -gates, guarded by bronze lions, opened on a broad staircase leading -to the foot of the substructure. But reserving the sacred edifice, -which towered above us at an appalling height, for a later visit after -lunch, we passed on around the lake until we reached the strangest -construction in the Summer Palace. - -[Illustration: THE MARBLE JUNK - -[_page_ 127] - -One of the former Empresses, whose life had been passed far from -the sea, complained that she had never beheld a ship. So a cunning -architect was found, who built in the lake close to the bank an -enormous marble junk. The hull, which has ornamented prow and stern -and small paddle‐boxes, rests, of course, on the bottom. On the deck -he erected a large two‐storied pavilion; but as the Chinese are seldom -thorough, this he constructed of wood painted to look like marble. It -formed an ideal and picturesque summer‐house, for the sides, between -the pillars, were open or closed only by blinds. But at the time of our -visit it looked dismally dilapidated; for the paint was blistered and -peeling off. The Marble Junk resembles a white house‐boat at Henley, -and at a little distance across the water looks quaint and graceful. -Close to it, spanning a small stream that runs into the lake, is a -lovely little covered bridge with carved white marble arches and -parapets. Venice can boast no more perfect gem of art on its canals. - -Our conductor, looking at his watch, tore us from our contemplation of -this masterpiece and insisted on our returning to the mess for lunch. -And in the pavilion where the powerless monarch of a mighty empire had -lain a helpless prisoner, a victim to the intrigues of his own family, -British officers sat at table; and the conversation ranged from the -events of the campaign to sport in India or criticisms of the various -contingents of the Allied Army. - -A recent occurrence, thoroughly typical of the readiness with which -the Court party snatched at every opportunity to “save face,” was -alluded to. The British Minister in Pekin, at the humble request of Li -Hung Chang, who was negotiating about the return of the Summer Palace -to the Chinese, had removed the Field Battery garrisoning it to the -capital. An Imperial Edict was immediately issued, which stated in -grandiloquent terms that the Emperor had _ordered_ this removal. Sir -Ernest Satow, who was fast proving himself a far stronger man than -had been anticipated and well fitted to cope with Oriental wiles, -promptly commanded the return of the battery as the fitting answer to -this impudent declaration. It was almost the first strong action taken -by our diplomats in a wearisome series of “graceful concessions”; and -great satisfaction was occasioned among the officers of the British -forces, who hailed it as a hopeful prelude to a firmer policy. - -After lunch we ascended the tree‐clad hill on which stood the Hall -of Ten Thousand Ages. From the summit a beautiful view over the -surrounding country was obtained. Below us was the confused jumble of -yellow‐roofed buildings that constituted the residential portion of -the Summer Palace. At our feet lay the gleaming lake, hemmed in by -its white marble walls, the tiny island united to the shore by the -graceful arches of the long bridge. The bright roof of the pretty -little pavilion on it shone in the brilliant sunlight. Along the far -bank stretched a tree‐shaded road that ran away to the right until lost -in thick foliage or fertile fields. A thin line marked the crowded -highway to the capital. The plain was dotted with villages or lay in a -chessboard‐pattern of cultivation interspersed with thickets of bamboos -or dense groves of trees. Far away the tall towers of the walls of -Pekin rose up above the level sea of roofs, broken only by the lofty -buildings of the Imperial city, the temples or the residences of the -Europeans in the Legation quarter. Over the capital a yellow haze of -smoke and dust hung like a golden canopy. Away to the right lay a -long stretch of dark and sombre hills, among which nestled the summer -residence of the members of the British Legation. Here in the hot -months they hie in search of cooling breezes not to be obtained in the -crowded city. - -The grandiloquently named Hall of Ten Thousand Ages was a rectangular, -solidly constructed building with thick walls. But inside a sad scene -of ruin met our eyes. Enormous fragments of shattered colossal statues -choked the interior, so that one could not pass from door to door. -Huge heads, trunks, and limbs lay piled in fantastic confusion. The -temple had contained a number of giant images of Buddha. Some troops, -on occupying the palace, had been informed that these were hollow and -filled with treasures of inestimable value. The tale seemed likely; so -dynamite was invoked to force them to reveal their hidden secrets. The -colossal gods were hurled from their pedestals by its powerful agency; -and their ruins were eagerly searched by the vandals. But it was found -that the interiors of the statues, though indeed hollow, were simply -modelled to correspond with the internal anatomy of a human being, -all the organs being reproduced in silver or zinc. And the gods were -sacrificed in vain to the greed of the spoilers. - -The Empress‐Dowager’s temple had escaped such rough treatment, as -it held nothing that tempted the conquerors. Under its huge shadow -lay a lovely little structure, the Bronze Pagoda. On a white marble -plinth and surrounded by a carved balustrade of the same stone, stood -a delicately modelled, tiny temple about twenty or thirty feet high. -Roof, pillars, walls—all were of the same valuable material. From -the corners of the spreading, upturned eaves hung bells. The whole -structure was a perfect work of art; and one sighed for a miniature -replica of the graceful little building. - -But while we wandered among these quaint temples we had failed to -notice dark masses of clouds that had gradually climbed up from the -horizon and overcast the whole sky. One of the heavy storms of a North -China summer was evidently in store for us. So, anxious to regain -the capital before it could break, we returned to the palace, bade -a hurried farewell to our kind hosts, and mounted our ponies. Back -through the fields and on to the paved highway we rode at a steady -pace, our ponies, refreshed by the long halt and eager to reach their -stables, trotting out willingly. The storm held off, and as we came -in view of the gate of Pekin, we congratulated ourselves on our good -fortune. But suddenly, without a moment’s warning, sheets of water -fell from the dark sky. In went our spurs, and we raced madly for the -shelter of the gateway. But long before we reached it we were soaked -through and through. Our boots were filled with water, the broad brims -of our pith hats hung limply over our eyes, and we were as thoroughly -wet as though we had swum the Peiho. - -Under the tunnelled gateway we dismounted. The water simply poured -from us, and formed in pools on the stone flags where we stood. We -found ourselves in a damp crowd of jostling, grinning Chinamen, who -were cheerfully wringing the moisture from their thin cotton garments -or laughing at the plight of others caught in the storm and racing for -shelter through the ropes of rain. Coolies, carts, ponies, mules, and -camels were all huddled together under the archway. Jests and mirth -resounded on every side; for the Celestial is generally a veritable -Mark Tapley under circumstances that would depress or irritate the -more impatient European. - -We waited for an hour beside our shivering ponies for the deluge to -cease; then, seeing little prospect of it, we mounted again and rode -on into the city. But short as was the time the rain had lasted, -the streets were already almost flooded. The ditch‐like sides were -half filled with rushing, muddy torrents; and in crossing one of the -principal roads the water rose up to our saddle‐girths in the side -channels. In one place my pony was nearly carried off his feet and I -feared that I would be obliged to swim for it. From the shelter of the -verandahs of the houses along the streets crowds of Chinese laughed at -our miserable plight, as our small steeds splashed through the pools -and their riders sat huddled up in misery under the pitiless rain. With -heartfelt gratitude we reached at last the welcome shelter of Chong -Wong Foo. So ended our visit to the famous Summer Palace, which is once -more in the possession of its former owner. The courts that echoed to -the ring of artillery horses’ hoofs, the rumble of our gun‐wheels, the -deep laughter of the British soldier, or the shriller voices of his -sepoy comrades, are now trodden only by silent‐footed Celestials. The -white man is no more a welcome guest. - -[Footnote 6: Japan.] - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN - - -The railways throughout North China and Manchuria were originally -constructed chiefly by British capital; and England had consequently -priority of claim upon them. The line from Pekin runs first to the -sea at Tong‐ku, at the mouth of the Peiho River, thence branching off -northward along the coast to Newchwang, the treaty port of Manchuria. -Its continuation passes southward from Newchwang to Port Arthur. At the -beginning of the campaign in North China it was seized by the Russians -and held by them until diplomatic pressure loosened their grasp. -Instead of restoring it direct to the British, they handed over to the -Germans the railway as far north as Shanhaikwan, a town on the coast -where the famous Great Wall of China ends in the sea; but they retained -in their own possession that portion between Shanhaikwan and Newchwang. -The Germans then held on to the remainder until they were eventually -restored to the British. - -Shanhaikwan thus became the natural boundary between the territory -under the sway of the Russians and the country in the combined -occupation of the Allies. The Czar’s servants had laid covetous eyes -upon it; for its position and a number of strong and well‐armed forts -which had been constructed by the Chinese rendered it an important -_point d’appui_ whence to dominate North China. So a powerful Russian -force was despatched by land to seize these fortifications; but it -was forestalled by the smart action of the British Admiral, who sent -a gunboat, the _Pigmy_, to Shanhaikwan. The captain of this little -craft audaciously demanded and actually received the surrender of the -forts; so that when the Russians arrived they found, to their intense -surprise, the Union Jack flying from the ramparts. Eventually, to avoid -dissensions, the various forts were divided among the Allies. - -Previous to my departure on a long‐projected trip to Japan—seeing a -little of Manchuria and Corea _en route_—I joined a small party of -officers who had arranged to pay a flying visit to Shanhaikwan. With -light luggage and the roll of bedding without which the Anglo‐Indian -seldom travels in the East, we entrained at Tientsin. A couple of -hours sufficed to bring us to Tong‐ku, where the railway branches -off to the north. The platform was thronged with a bustling crowd -of the soldiers of many nations, the place being the disembarkation -port for the Continental, the American, and the Japanese troops. In -the station buildings the British officers in charge of that section -of the railway and of the detachments guarding it had established a -mess. As we had some time to wait before the departure of the train to -Shanhaikwan, they warmly welcomed us within its hospitable, if narrow, -walls. - -When the warning bell summoned us to take our places, we established -ourselves in a comfortable first‐class carriage—partly saloon, -partly coupé. I may mention that during the occupation of North China -by the Allies the wearers of uniform travelled free everywhere on -the railways. Among our fellow‐passengers were some Japanese naval -officers, a German or two, a few Russians, and an old friend of mine, -Lieutenant Hutchinson, of H.M.S. _Terrible_, who had served with the -Naval Brigade in the defence of Tientsin. He had just returned from a -trip to Japan, and was full of his adventures in the Land of the Geisha. - -The railway to Shanhaikwan runs at first close to the sea through -a monotonous stretch of mud flats, and then reaches a most fertile -country with walled villages and substantially built houses. It was -guarded by the 4th Punjaub Infantry, detachments of which occupied -the stations along the line. Not long before, this fine regiment had -been engaged in a punitive expedition against the brigands who had -slain Major Browning. After a severe fight they captured the fortified -villages held by 4,000 well‐armed banditti, and terribly avenged their -officer. As the country was still infested by roving bands of robbers -who raided defenceless villages, the station buildings were put in a -state of defence, the walls loopholed and head‐cover provided by means -of sandbags until each resembled a miniature fort. But the brigands, -after practical experience of the fighting qualities of the gallant -Punjaubis, evinced no desire to come in contact with them again; and -the detachments along the line were left to languish in inglorious ease -and complain bitterly of the want of enterprise on the part of the -robbers. - -For some distance alongside the railway runs a canal, which is -largely used by the Chinese for transporting grain and merchandise. -As our train rattled along, we passed numbers of long, shallow boats, -fashioned like dug‐outs and loaded down until the gunwale was scarcely -a few inches from the water. The half‐naked boatmen toiling at their -oars paused to gaze with envy at the swift‐speeding iron horse, which -covered the weary miles with such apparent ease. - -The crops here were even more luxuriant than on the way to Pekin. -Fields of ripe grain stretched away on either side of the line, -interspersed with groves of trees or dotted with villages surrounded -by high walls, significant of the continual insecurity of life and -property in this debatable land. Here and there were deserted mud forts. - -The journey from Tientsin to Shanhaikwan occupied about twelve hours. -About midway the train stopped for a short time at Tongshan, a town -important for the coal mines near, which are worked under the direction -of Europeans. From the windows of our carriage we could see the tall -buildings and the machinery at the mouths of the pits, which gave -quite an English character to the landscape. For the convenience of -travellers, the British officers quartered in the place had established -a refreshment room in some Chinese buildings near the station, and -lent some Indian servants to it. As our train was due to wait some -little time, we all descended in search of lunch, and were provided -here with quite a good meal at a very reasonable rate. Our German -fellow‐passengers, ignorant of Hindustani, found some difficulty in -expressing their wants to the Indian waiters, whose knowledge of -English was very limited. We came to the rescue and interpreted, and -gained the gratitude of hungry men. - -As we journeyed on to Shanhaikwan the country began to lose its flat -appearance. Low, tree‐clad eminences broke the level monotony of the -landscape; and the train passed close to a line of rugged hills. In -their recesses bands of brigands were reported to be lurking, so we -had the pleasant excitement of speculating on the chances of the train -being held up by some of these gentry. But without mishap we reached -our destination about half‐past six o’clock in the evening. - -The railway station of Shanhaikwan was large and well built, with -roomy offices and a long platform. There were, besides, engine sheds, -machinery shops, yards, and houses for the European employees, all -of which had been seized by the Russians. We were met on our arrival -by some officers of the Gurkha Regiment in garrison, to whom we had -written from Tientsin to ask if they could find quarters for us. -But as they were exceedingly short of accommodation for themselves, -being crowded together in wretched Chinese hovels, they received us -with expressions of regret that they were unable to find room for -all our party. The two junior ones must seek shelter for themselves. -I, unfortunately, was one. There was no hotel or inn of any sort. My -companion in distress, luckily for himself, had a friend in a squadron -of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, quartered in one of the forts, and set -off to request his hospitality. So our party separated; and I was -left stranded on the platform with no prospect of a bed, and, worse -still, not the faintest idea as to where to get a meal. On appealing -to a British railway employee, I found that there were two military -officers in charge of the station—one English, the other Russian; for -the portion of the line held by the latter nationality began, as I -have said, at Shanhaikwan. Both had quarters in the station, but both, -unfortunately, had gone out to dinner; and there was no likelihood -of their return before midnight. Taking pity on my distress, this -employee promised to send me down a Chinese cane bed from his house, -and then went off, leaving me to brood over the hopelessness of my -situation. I sat down on a bench and cursed the name of Shanhaikwan. -The lunch at Tongshan seemed by now a very far‐off memory; and I -endeavoured to allay the pangs of hunger with a cigar. As I meditated -on the inefficacy of tobacco as a substitute for food, I saw the door -of a room marked “Telegraph Office” open and a smart bombardier of the -Royal Marine Artillery emerge. On seeing me he saluted, and, snatching -at every straw, I called him over and asked him if he knew of any -place where I could get anything to eat. He told me of the existence -of a low café, patronised by the Continental soldiers of the garrison, -where I might possibly obtain some sort of a meal. I jumped eagerly at -the chance; and, calling one of the Chinese railway porters to guide -us, he offered to show me the way. Quitting the station, we entered -a small town of squalid native houses and proceeded through narrow -and unsavoury lanes until we reached a low doorway in a high wall. -Passing through, I found myself in a small courtyard. On the muddy -ground were placed a number of rickety tables and rough benches. Here -sat, with various liquors before them, groups of Cossacks and German -soldiers, who stared with surprise at the unusual sight of a British -officer in such a den. At the far end of the court was a tumbledown -Chinese house, on the verandah of which sat the proprietor and his -wife, evidently Italian or Austrian. The lady, a buxom person of -ample proportions, was attired in a very magnificent, but decidedly -_décolleté_ evening dress. Her wrists were adorned with massive -bracelets, her fingers covered with rings. Altogether she looked a very -haughty and superb beauty and more fitted to adorn a café in the Champs -Elysées than a rough drinking‐booth in the heart of China. Her husband -came forward to meet me; and on my stating my wants in imploring tones, -he seemed at first in doubt as to whether he could supply them. My -heart sank. He turned to consult the lady. To my intense astonishment -this magnificent personage sprang up at once, called to a Chinese -servant to bring her a chicken, and then, pinning up the skirt of her -rich dress, plunged into a kitchen which opened off the verandah, and -then and there, with her own fair hands, spatch‐cocked the fowl, and -served me with a welcome and appetising meal. - -My hunger satisfied thus unexpectedly, I strolled back to the station -in a contented frame of mind, indifferent to anything Fate had in -store for me. Nothing could harm me; I had dined. I was quite ready to -wrap myself in a blanket and sleep on a bench, or on the ground for -that matter. But my star was in the ascendant. I found a comfortable -camp‐bed of a Chinese pattern awaiting me, sent by the kind‐hearted -employee. Placing it on the platform, I spread my bedding on it, -undressed, and lay down to sleep. - -But I had reckoned without the merry mosquito. I have met this little -pest in many lands. I first made his acquaintance on the night of my -arrival in India with a raw, unsalted regiment from home; when he could -batten on seven hundred fresh, full‐blooded Britishers and feast to the -full on their vital fluid unthinned by a tropical climate; when next -morning the faces of all, officers and men alike, were swollen almost -beyond recognition. I have remonstrated with him as to his claim to the -possession of the interior of a mosquito net and failed to move him. I -have scarcely doubted when a friend vowed that he had broken the back -of a hairbrush over the head of one of the giant, striped species we -knew as “Bombay tigers” or questioned the truth of the statement that a -man had lain on his bed and watched two of them trying to pull open his -curtains to get at him. I have cursed him in the jungle when sitting -up in a _machân_ over a “kill” waiting for a tiger. I have wrestled -with him when out on column and bivouacked beside a South China river, -where his home was; but never have I seen him in such wonderful vigour -and maddening persistence as during that night on the station platform -of Shanhaikwan. In vain I beat the air with frenzied hands; in vain I -smoked. I tried to cover my head with a sheet; but the heat was too -great, and I emerged panting to find him waiting for me. As Thomas -Atkins says: “It h’isn’t the bite of the beggar I ’ates so much as ’is -bloomin’ h’irritatin’ buzz”; and the air was filled with his song. It -was a concert with refreshments. _I_ was the refreshments. To make -matters worse, I had the tantalising knowledge that I had mosquito -curtains with me, which I had been unable to fix up as the bed was -without poles. - -At last, maddened by the persistent attacks of the irritating pests, -I sat up and reviewed the situation until I hit upon a plan. I shoved -the bed under the windows of a room which looked out on the platform -and which happened to be the quarters of the British Railway Station -Officer. The venetian shutters opened outward. About ten feet away was -a telegraph‐pole; and a short distance from the foot of the bed stood -a lamp‐post. Taking the cords of my Wolseley valise, the straps of my -bedding and my luggage, and some string which I looted from one of the -railway offices, I contrived to suspend my curtains from the shutters, -the pole, and the lamp‐post. It was really an ingenious contrivance, -and I lay down in triumph and security. The baffled mosquitoes uttered -positive shrieks of rage. - -Somewhere about midnight I was awakened by the sounds of revelry in a -foreign tongue. Peering through the curtains, I saw by the dim light of -the turned‐down station lamps two figures in uniform advancing along -the platform. One was a very drunken but merry Russian officer, who was -being carefully helped along by a sober and amused British subaltern. -They suddenly caught sight of the white mass of my mosquito curtains, -which swayed in ghostly folds in the wind and looked uncanny in the -uncertain light. - -“What the devil is that?” exclaimed the Englishman. - -The Russian hiccoughed a reply in words that sounded like a sneeze. - -The former, gently propping up his companion against the lamp‐post to -which he clung lovingly, advanced to my bed. I recognised him by his -uniform to be our Railway Station Staff Officer. Peering through the -curtains, he asked me who on earth I was and what I was doing there. In -a few words I explained myself and my situation. With a soldier’s ready -hospitality he said— - -“My dear fellow, I am so sorry that I was absent. Get up and move your -bed into my quarters. I shall be delighted to put you up.” - -I thanked him, but assured him that I was very comfortably fixed for -the night. - -“But you can have had no dinner. Did you get anything to eat?” he asked. - -I recounted my successful search for a meal; whereat he laughed and -again expressed his regret at his absence, explaining that he had -gone to a dinner‐party given by the wife of a Russian colonel on her -husband’s name‐day. - -Meanwhile his companion, still clinging tightly to the lamp‐post, -had been regarding with wonder my contrivance for the support of the -mosquito curtains, shaking his head, and muttering to himself. - -The Britisher, informing me that he was the Russian Railway Staff -Officer, then spoke to him in his own language, and introduced me to -him, mentioning a name that ended in —itch or —sky. I sat up in bed and -bowed. But my new acquaintance, still holding to the friendly support -of the post, stared solemnly at the network of straps and cords. At -last he broke silence. - -“Ver’ good! Ver’ practical! You English is ver’ practical nation.” Then -he hiccoughed sadly, “I am ver’ _drink_!” - -Thoroughly awakened, I got up, and we adjourned to the British -officer’s quarters, where we drank to our better acquaintance in an -iced whisky and soda; for the night was distressingly hot. - -The hospitable Englishman was Lieutenant Kell, South Staffordshire -Regiment. He was a good specimen of the linguists in our army who -surprised our Continental allies. A passed Interpreter in Russian -and Chinese, he spoke French, German, and Italian fluently; and, as -I discovered afterwards, although he had never been to India, he was -rapidly picking up Hindustani from the sepoys with whom he was brought -in contact through his station duties. He had served on General -Dorward’s staff during the hard fighting in Tientsin and had been -mentioned in his despatches. His linguistic powers had caused him to -be appointed as Railway Staff Officer at Shanhaikwan, where his ready -tact and genial qualities endeared him to the Russians and contributed -greatly to the harmonious working of affairs in that debatable garrison. - -Before we parted for the night our Russian friend gave us both a -cordial invitation to dine with him the following night and meet some -of his comrades. And then I retired again to bed, feeling no longer a -lost sheep and a homeless orphan. - -In the morning I was awakened by Lieutenant Kell’s servant, who -brought me my _chota hazri_, the matutinal tea and toast dear to the -heart of the Anglo‐Indian. He had taken my luggage into his master’s -quarters, where a bath and a dressing‐room awaited me. I found my host -busily engaged in his railway work, interviewing soldiers of every -nationality. As I was in the act of wishing him “Good morning” we -suddenly observed a heavy transport waggon, drawn by two huge horses, -being driven across the line and right on to the platform by a Cossack, -who thus thought to save himself a _détour_ to the level crossing at -the far end of the station. It was done in flat defiance of well‐known -orders. Kell spoke to him in his own language, and told him to go back. -The soldier, muttering some impertinent remark, took no notice and -drove on. At that moment a Russian colonel entered the station. Kell -immediately reported the man’s disobedience to him. The officer flew at -the culprit, abused him in loud and angry tones; and if the Cossack had -not been out of reach where he sat perched up on the waggon, I am sure -he would have received a sound thrashing. Crestfallen, he turned his -horses round and drove away; while the colonel apologised profusely to -Kell for the fault of his subordinate and promised that the man would -receive a severe punishment for his disobedience and impertinence to an -English officer. - -After breakfast one of my companions, Captain Labertouche, 22nd -Bombay Infantry, who, like me, had been unable to find quarters among -the Gurkhas the night before, but who had been given shelter by the -officers of the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, rode up to look for me. -Sending away his horse, we set out on foot to hunt up the rest of our -party in the Gurkha mess. - -Our way lay first along the railway line. On the right‐hand side were -the station yards, engine sheds, and machinery shops, all now in the -hands of the Russians, who had removed the spare rolling stock and -plant found there and sent them to Port Arthur. The Muscovite believes -in war being self‐supporting. To the left, behind the station, lay the -rookery of squalid Chinese houses, where I had hunted for a dinner -the night before. Farther away lay Shanhaikwan. High battlements -and lofty towers enclosed the city, the sides of which ran down to -the Great Wall of China. For ahead of us, a mile away athwart the -railway, lay a long line of grass‐grown earthworks, with here and there -fragments of ruined masonry peering out among the herbage and bushes -that clothed it. It was that wondrous fortification which stretches -for more than a thousand miles along the ancient boundary of China, -climbing mountains, plunging into valleys, and running through field -and forest—a monumental and colossal work that has never served to -roll back the tide of war from the land it was built to guard. Through -a wide breach in it the railway passes on to the north, to Manchuria -where the Russian Bear now menaces the integrity of the Celestial -Kingdom. Before reaching the Wall our way turned off sharp to the -right; so, leaving the railway, we followed a rough country road which -led to the Chinese village that sheltered the Gurkhas. It was crossed -by a broad stream two or three feet deep. As we were grumbling at the -necessity of taking off boots and gaiters in order to wade it, a sturdy -Chinaman strolled up and looked extremely amused at our distress. We -promptly seized him, and made signs that we wanted him to carry us -across. The Celestial smilingly assented, and kicked off his felt‐soled -shoes. Hoisting my companion on his back, he waded with him to the -other side, and then returned to fetch me. When we rewarded him with -a small silver coin he seemed extremely surprised; and he made frantic -signs, which we interpreted as meant to express his desire to remain on -the spot in readiness to ferry us over on our return. Without further -difficulty we reached the Gurkha mess, where we found our friends on -the point of setting out to visit the Great Wall. So the whole party -walked back along the road by which Labertouche and I had come, and -at the stream found our ferryman awaiting us with a beaming smile. He -eagerly proffered his services, and conveyed us all across in turn. -Payment being duly made, he expressed his gratitude in voluble, if -unintelligible, language. - -Reaching the railway, we proceeded along it in the direction of the -Wall. The country between it and us was flat and cultivated, though -at its foot lay a strip of waste ground. To our left ran a rough road -leading out, through the same gap as the line, towards some forts -to the north. Along it, behind three sturdy little ponies harnessed -abreast, sped a Russian _troiscka_, driven by a Cossack and containing -two white‐coated officers. - -Arrived at the inner face of the Wall, we climbed its sloping side -and found ourselves on a broad and bush‐grown rampart. We were twenty -or thirty feet above the ground. The outer face of this ancient -fortification, which was begun in B.C. 241, was in a better -state of preservation than the inner; though in places it bore little -resemblance to a wall. From the ruins of an old bastion we had a -splendid view of the surrounding country. Before us a level plain -stretched away to the horizon, broken by the ugly outlines of forts or -patched with cultivated fields and small woods. To the right the Great -Wall ran to the cliffs above the sea, which sparkled in the distance -under a brilliant sun. On its bosom lay the ponderous bulks of a -number of Japanese warships; for their fleet had arrived unexpectedly -at Shanhaikwan the night before. The Russian dinner‐party, which -Lieutenant Kell had attended the previous evening, had been given in -the open air, on the cliffs over the sea. The numerous guests, nearly -all officers of the Czar, could look out over the blue water as they -smoked the cigarettes with which every Russian meal is punctuated. -While the feast was proceeding merrily trails of smoke, heralding the -approach of a fleet, appeared on the horizon. The Russian officers -gazed in surprise as the ships came into view, and wonder was expressed -as to their nationality and the purpose of their coming. In those -troublous times, when national jealousies were rife, no one knew that -war might not suddenly break out among the so‐called Allies; and Slav, -Teuton, Frank, and Briton might be called on without a day’s warning -to range themselves in hostile camps. So something like consternation -fell upon the dinner‐party when the approaching ships were seen to be -the Japanese fleet. For the relations between Russia and Japan were -very strained at the time; and all present at the table wondered if the -unexpected arrival of this powerful squadron meant that the rupture had -come. But no hostile signs were made by the ships; and, with the motto -of the trooper all the world over— - - “Why, soldiers, why - Should we be melancholy, boys, - Whose business ’tis to die?” - -the interrupted revelry was renewed. - -Between us and the sea lay the strong and well‐armed forts that had -fallen before the audacious challenge of the little _Pigmy_. From their -walls floated the flags of the Allies; and Cossacks, German, Japanese, -and Indian troops could be seen upon their ramparts. Behind us lay the -ruins of what must have been a large fortified camp just inside the -Wall. - -To the left the town of Shanhaikwan lay penned in by its lofty but -antiquated fortifications. Past it the Great Wall ran away to the west -until lost to our sight among the slopes of a range of hills. Here -and there the climbing line was seen topping the summit of a steep -eminence, and one could appreciate the magnitude of the task of its -builders when they set themselves to fence China from the ravaging -hordes of the unknown lands. - -And away north and south stretched the thin shining line of the -railway, along which the soldiers of the Czar hope to swarm one day to -plant their eagles once more in Pekin, never again to be removed. As -we stood on the Great Wall flocks of snipe and duck flew past us to -the south, already fleeing before the approach of the dread winter of -Northern Asia. - -We went on to pay a visit to the forts, which, when they were held by -the Chinese, had been armed with powerful and modern guns. Concerning -one of these forts an amusing story, illustrative of foreign guile, -was told. The place was occupied by one Power, who had quartered in -it a battery of artillery. In the re‐arrangement of the garrison of -Shanhaikwan, at a council of the allied commanders, it was decided -that this fort should be handed over to the English. But although the -foreign General agreed at the time, all the subsequent endeavours of -the British to induce him to name a day for the evacuation and transfer -were fruitless. Regrets, excuses, indefinite promises were freely made; -but some unexpected and insurmountable obstacle invariably intervened. -At length when the surrender of the fort could no longer be refused, a -certain date for the foreign troops to march out and the place to be -handed over to the English was fixed. The day arrived. The relieving -British garrison marched up to the gate. There they were met by the -apparently bewildered foreign commander, who expressed considerable -astonishment at their presence. When reminded that this was the day -agreed upon, he smiled politely, and assured the British officers that -they had made a mistake. He pointed out that they had apparently -calculated by the modern style calendar, forgetting that the old style -was still in vogue in some countries and had been adopted by him in his -reckoning. Consequently the day had not yet come. Lost in unwilling -admiration at this clever instance of duplicity, the British were -obliged to withdraw. - -On the eve of the day on which he declared that the fort would really -be evacuated, the battery garrisoning it marched out with much pomp and -publicity. The British smiled as they watched them go, well pleased at -having got rid of them at last. They plumed themselves on their moral -victory; and they marched up next morning to the fort in triumph. But -the other flag was still flying, and inside they saw the same battery -whose departure they had witnessed the evening before. They stared in -bewilderment. They could recognise some of the officers and men. Then -an explanation was angrily demanded. It was readily forthcoming. This -was _not_ the same battery as before. Far from it. That was by this -time well on its way to the North. But by an extraordinary coincidence -another battery had suddenly and most unexpectedly arrived during the -night to the foreign General’s utter astonishment, as no intimation of -their coming had been vouchsafed him. And as he had no other place to -quarter them in but the fort, he had been obliged most reluctantly -to send them there. He was desolated at the unfortunate necessity. He -offered his profoundest regrets, and trusted that his dear allies would -realise that he was helpless. So the outwitted British had again to -withdraw. As a matter of fact the battery had simply marched out of -sight in the evening and come back during the night. So with baffling -ingenuity the foreign General contrived to retain the fort for some -time longer in his hands; though he was forced to surrender it in the -end. - -After inspecting several of the forts, some of our party went off to -pay a visit to the town, while others walked down to the shore and -gazed out at the Japanese fleet and the long hull of H.M.S. _Terrible_, -which was lying at anchor. As we looked at the water sparkling in the -bright sunlight, it was difficult to realise that in the winter the sea -here is frozen for several miles out from the shore. From this fact one -can form some idea of the intense cold of the winter months in North -China. And yet the Indian troops, natives of a warm climate, suffered -comparatively little and the percentage of admissions into hospital -from our contingent was remarkably small, so well were they looked -after by their officers and so generous was the free issue of warm -clothing by the Indian Government. - -In the afternoon some of us attended a cricket match between the crew -of the _Terrible_ and the British garrison. Hardly had the stumps been -drawn and the players gone into the refreshment tent when some snipe -settled on the pitch. An officer quartered in a fort close to the -cricket ground sent for his gun, and secured a couple then and there. - -I dined that night with the Russian Railway Staff Officer in his -quarters in the station. They consisted of two or three large and -comfortable rooms. The furniture, which had been supplied to him by -his Government, was almost luxurious, in marked contrast with the -indifferent tables and the camp chairs with which Lieutenant Kell had -to provide himself. All through the combined occupation the Continental -Powers endeavoured to enable their officers to present a good -appearance among the other nationalities. The Germans were especially -generous in the pay and allowances they gave to the commissioned ranks -of their expeditionary force. - -The guests that evening comprised, besides Kell and myself, three -Russian officers, one of whom spoke English, one French, while the -third could converse only in his own language, so the conversation -was of a polyglot character. The dinner began by the preliminary -_sakouski_—that is the nearest approach I can make to its name—a -regular little meal in itself of _hors d’œuvres_. Caviare, -sturgeon’s roe, very salt ham, brawn, and a dozen other comestibles -were served. My host asked me if I had ever tasted vodki, and although -I assured him that I had, proceeded to make me try five differently -flavoured varieties of the national liquor. With the regular dinner -the nauseatingly sweet champagne, so much in favour with Continental -peoples, was served. On my declaring that champagne was a wine I -never drank, I was allowed to have a decanter of whisky and a syphon -of soda‐water and permitted to help myself. Kell adhered faithfully -to claret and soda throughout the evening; but our Russian comrades -indiscriminately mixed champagne, beer, and red or white wines, with -the result that they soon became exceedingly merry. We were served by -Chinese and a Russian soldier, whose manner of waiting at table was -perfection. The best‐trained London butler could not have moved with -more noiseless tread, or decanted the wine more carefully. - -As the meal wore on and the bottles were emptied, the conversation -waxed somewhat noisy. Our friends were filled with the most generous -sentiments towards England and lamented the estrangement of our -nations. They confessed that they had come to China prepared to dislike -the British officers intensely; but, in common with all their comrades -who had been brought in contact with us, their feelings had entirely -changed. They said frankly that the hostility to England was mainly -owing to the continual opposition she offers to the natural desire of -Russia to find an outlet to the sea. As they pointed out with truth, a -great and rising nation like theirs will not submit to be confined for -ever to the land; that it was intolerable that their vast Empire had -not a single port free from ice all the year round or entirely at their -own disposal. For Odessa is practically an inland harbour; and the -Baltic is frozen in winter. Their ambition to reach the Mediterranean -entangled them in the campaign against Turkey; and one can understand -their indignation against England, who stepped in at the last moment -when Constantinople was almost in their grasp and despoiled them of -the fruits of victory achieved at the cost of many sacrifices and a -long and bloody war. Foiled in the attempt to reach the open sea there, -they embarked on the marvellous career of conquest which carried them -across Asia to the Pacific. And there they found their first port, -Vladivostock, useless in winter. And if other nations had had the -courage of their convictions, they would never have been suffered to -retain Port Arthur. - -But although the talk was largely political, there was absolutely no -bitterness on the part of our host and his comrades. The conversation -passed on to a comparison of the various systems of the armies of the -world and a frank criticism of our own as well as the other contingents -of the Allied forces. They were not very much impressed by our Indian -army. They admired the regiments they had seen, but pitied us for -the necessity we were under of having coloured troops at all. They -forgot that a large portion of their own army can scarcely be called -European. Like all the Russians I have met, from a Grand Duke to a -subaltern, they exhibited a rancorous hatred to Germany. What they had -seen of her troops in this campaign had added neither to their respect -nor their love for that nation. In fact, the Germans did not succeed in -making themselves cordially liked by those with whom they were brought -in contact; just as their country may find, when her day of trouble -comes, that her friends are few. Our friends betrayed a contempt, not -altogether unmixed with fear, for the Japanese; and they marvelled at -our friendship for them. They acknowledged their bravery in the present -campaign, but doubted if they would exhibit the same courage when -pitted against white troops. Their doubts will be resolved when the -time comes. - -The wine passed freely between our Russian comrades; but with the -truest hospitality they forbore to press us to drink against our wish. -The dinner was extremely good, even luxurious; and Kell laughingly -lamented to me his inability to entertain his friends as well as his -Russian colleague could contrive to do. But here, again, I think he was -helped by his Government, for I fancy that he received an entertainment -allowance. As the wine circulated rapidly our companions became -boisterous and showed some signs of inebriation. - -Beside me sat an officer who filled the post of military director -of the railway between Shanhaikwan and Newchwang. I had long been -desirous of visiting Manchuria by this route, but had always been -assured that the Russians were very unwilling to allow any foreigner, -especially a British officer, to use it; that it was hopeless to try to -obtain their permission. As my neighbour’s tongue seemed a good deal -loosened by his potations, I determined to get him off his guard and -sound him as to the possibility of my proceeding northward to Manchuria -from Shanhaikwan. I began by telling him that I hoped to sail in a few -days from Taku for Newchwang, and remarked that it was a pity that -the Russian authorities were so averse to British officers visiting -Manchuria. He waxed quite indignant at the idea, and assured me that -they were sadly misrepresented. - -“But,” said I, “we would not be allowed to travel from here to -Newchwang by your railway.” - -“Not be allowed? Absurd! Of course you would,” he replied. “I am the -director of that section of the line; it is under my charge. Surely I -know best.” - -“Oh, come,” I said chaffingly, “you know that if I wanted to travel by -it you would not permit me.” - -“Most certainly I would. I should be delighted.” - -I shall pin you to that, I thought. I felt very pleased at achieving a -result that everyone had told me was impossible, Kell among them; so I -glanced in triumph at him. He smiled. - -“Do you mean to say that I could go to Newchwang whenever I liked by -your line?” I continued to my neighbour. - -“Certainly you could,” he replied, draining his glass, which I had -taken care had not stood idle during our conversation. Wine in, wit -out, I thought. - -“Well, in that case,” said I, “I will cancel my passage by steamer and -start by rail from here to‐morrow.” - -“Eh? Oh! You are serious? You really wish to go by train?” he -stammered, taken aback. - -“Yes; I shall telegraph to the Steamship Company at Tientsin in the -morning, and start by the first train I can get.” - -For a second my friend seemed disconcerted. The other Russians had -been following our conversation with interest. Suddenly sobered, my -neighbour spoke to them in a low tone; and a muttered colloquy took -place. Then he turned again to me and said, with a smile of innocent -regret— - -“I am _so_ sorry. It would be impossible for you to start so soon. -The railway has been breached in several places by floods, and three -bridges have been washed away. The line is broken and all traffic -suspended. It is _most_ unfortunate.” - -I realised that I had caught my Tartar. - -“How soon do you think I could travel?” I asked. - -“Oh, not for several days, I am afraid,” was the answer, in a tone of -deep sympathy for my disappointment. “The repairs will take some time -as the damage is extensive.” - -I saw that I was no match for Russian wiliness, and retired from the -contest. - -“It is very unfortunate. But perhaps, after all, it would be best to go -by sea.” - -“Yes, yes,” he assented eagerly. “It would be very difficult, even -dangerous, by the railway.” - -Then the host interposed and changed the conversation. But at the end -of the evening, when all the Russians had imbibed freely, my neighbour -forgot his caution. When bidding me good‐night, he insisted on giving -me his address in Newchwang, where he usually resided, being then only -on a visit to Shanhaikwan. He cordially invited me to come and see him. - -“But I fear that I shall have come and gone before you can possibly -arrive there,” I said. “We leave Taku in three or four days; and it is -not twenty‐four hours’ sail from there to Newchwang. So I shall have -left before you can get there.” - -“Oh, not at all,” he said unguardedly. “I am leaving Shanhaikwan for -Newchwang to‐morrow morning by a train starting at ten o’clock. So be -sure to come and see me.” - -I smiled to myself as I shook his hand. No wonder Russian diplomacy -prospers. - -That dinner was the merriest function at which I had assisted for -a long time. Our friends were excellent boon companions, and the -conversation in divers tongues never flagged. Tiny cigarettes -were handed round between each course; and the menu comprised many -delicacies that came as a pleasant surprise in the wilds of China. -When the meal was ended and cigars were lit, my host asked me whether -I would prefer coffee or _thé à la Russe_. As I had always understood -that this latter beverage was prepared from a special and excellent -blend of tea and flavoured with lemons, I voted for it. To my -horror, the soldier‐servant brought me a long tumbler filled with an -amber‐coloured liquid and proceeded to stir a large spoonful of _jam_ -in it. The mixture was not palatable, but courtesy demanded that I -should drink it. I declared the concoction delicious, drained my glass -and set it down with relief. The attendant promptly filled it up again, -my host insisting that as I liked it so well, I must have more. It -nearly sufficed to spoil my enjoyment of the whole dinner. - -During the evening, whenever our companions were not observing me, I -replenished my glass with plain soda‐water, and my brother officer -had remained faithful to his weak beverage. Consequently, at the end -of dinner we were perfectly sober; while our host and his friends who -had imbibed freely were—well, the reverse. Conscious of their own -state and contrasting it with ours, they gazed at us in admiration, -and exclaimed, “These English officers have the heads of iron.” We -parted at a late hour. With many expressions of mutual friendship and -goodwill, the party broke up; and so ended a very interesting and -enjoyable evening. No longer a homeless outcast, I retired to rest in -the friendly shelter of Kell’s quarters. - -During the night I was dimly conscious of heavy rain but slept on -unregarding. When I rose in the morning I found that a change had come -over the scene. A burning sun no longer blazed overhead. The sky was -dark with leaden clouds; the rain was falling with tropical violence, -and all the landscape beyond the station was almost invisible. Already -the line was covered with water; and fears were expressed by the staff -that a freshet might occur in the hills and the railway be rendered -impassable and possibly be breached. As the day wore on, these -apprehensions became intensified. In the afternoon the train from -Tong‐ku steamed in, literally ploughing its way through the water. -The driver reported that not many miles from Shanhaikwan the floods -were out and as his engine passed through them the fires were nearly -extinguished. Another hour would render the line impassable. Pleasant -tidings these for me; for our party purposed returning to Tientsin on -the morrow, and some of us were starting for Japan the day after. - -My rambles that afternoon were confined to the station platform and the -house of some friends of Kell’s, who, learning of my forlorn state, had -most kindly asked him to bring me there for lunch and dinner. They were -connected with the railway; and the ladies of the family had passed -through an anxious time during the troubles, but had bravely refused to -seek safety in flight. - -Next day the rain still continued. Reports came in that the line was -impassable. The station was completely isolated from the rest of the -world. Those of my party who were living with the Gurkhas, ignorant -of the fact that no train could start, essayed to drive down to it in -native carts. The stream over which the friendly Chinaman had carried -us was in flood; and as they endeavoured to cross it, horses, vehicles, -and passengers were nearly swept away. One smaller cart with their -luggage was carried some distance down from the ford; and kit‐bags -and portmanteaus were only rescued with the greatest difficulty. An -invaluable collection of films and negatives belonging to one of the -party, who was an expert photographer, was entirely spoilt. It was a -real loss, as they contained a complete pictorial record of North China. - -The low ground behind the station was flooded. I watched with amusement -the antics of a number of Cossacks, who, heedless of the rain, had got -together planks and old doors torn off ruined houses, and, using them -as rafts, had organised a miniature regatta on the pond thus formed. -Exciting races took place; and a friendly dispute over one resulted -in a naval battle full of comic incidents. Like schoolboys, they -charged each other’s rafts and if capsized continued the struggle in -the water. One, diving beneath the surface, would suddenly reappear -beneath an enemy’s vessel, tilt it on end, and precipitate the -occupants into the muddy flood, to be immediately grappled by them and -ducked. - -In the morning a letter from Captain Labertouche was brought me by a -trooper of the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, who had been forced to swim -his horse across a swollen stream in order to reach the station. I -chatted for some time with the man—a fine, lithe specimen of the -Indian sowar. Anxious to hear every expression of the impression which -the Russian troops had made upon our native rank‐and‐file, I asked him -his opinion of them. - -“They are not bad, sahib,” he replied in Hindustani. Then, with an -expressive shrug, he added, “But they will never get into India.” - -The remark was significant, for it showed not only what our men thought -of the soldiers of the Czar, but also that the possibility of the -Russian invasion is occasionally discussed amongst them, only to be -dismissed with contempt. - -Our Indian contingent, one and all, have conceived a wonderful disdain -of most of the troops of the other nationalities with whom they -were brought in contact in China. They had the greatest admiration -and affection for the gallant little Japanese, but considered their -training obsolete. The Russians they regarded with little respect and -no dread, and looked upon them as scarcely civilised. The Infanterie -Coloniale, of whom they saw a good deal, filled them with the greatest -contempt, undeserved though it was, for the whole French army. And I -wish that the armchair critics, who condemn our forces and hold up the -Germans as models to be slavishly followed in every respect, could have -heard the opinion formed of them by these shrewd fighting men, Sikh, -Gurkha, and Punjaubi, whose lives have been passed in war. - -An instance of the friendship existing between our sepoys and the -Japanese came under my notice that day. On the railway platform some -Gurkhas and a few of the 4th Punjaub Infantry were loitering or sitting -about watching the heavy rain. Three or four Japanese soldiers came -into the station and promptly sat down beside the Gurkhas, greeting -them with effusive smiles. I was struck by the similarity in feature -between the two races. Dressed in the same uniform, it would be -difficult to distinguish between them. They are about the same height -and build, and very much alike in face; though the Japanese is lighter -coloured. Before long the mixed party were exchanging cigarettes and -chatting away volubly; though the few words of English each knew, eked -out by signs, could have been the only medium of intercourse. - -A Pathan sepoy was sitting alone on a bench. To him came up another -little white‐clad soldier of Dai Nippon. He proffered a cigarette and -gesticulated wildly. Before I realised his meaning, he had removed -the Pathan’s _pugri_ from his head, replaced it with his own cap, and -donned the borrowed headgear himself. Then he strutted up and down the -platform amid the laughing applause of his comrades and the Gurkhas. -The Pathan, highly amused, joined in the merriment. I had noticed a -Dogra sepoy standing by himself with eyes fixed on the ground, lost -in deep thought. Suddenly a cheery little Japanese soldier, motioning -to the audience on the benches not to betray him, stole up quietly -behind the Dogra, seized him round the waist, and lifted the astonished -six‐foot sepoy into the air. Then with a grin he replaced him on his -feet, and with mutual smiles they shook hands. - -When the day comes for our Indian army to fight shoulder to shoulder -with its comrades of Japan, a bond stronger than a paper alliance will -hold them; and their only rivalry will be as to which shall outstrip -the other in their rush on the foe. - -All that day reports of houses used as barracks half collapsing under -the heavy rain reached the station. My friends who were living with the -Gurkha officers were nearly washed out. - -Once during the occupation of Shanhaikwan, when a similar deluge -rendered the Chinese huts occupied by some foreign troops there -untenable, their commander sought the aid of the colonel of the Gurkha -Regiment, who offered to share the village in which his men were -quartered with the others. The offer was gratefully accepted. The -Gurkhas made their guests welcome; but the latter soon began to jeer -at and insult them, and call them coolies—the usual term of reproach -which the Continental troops hurled at our sepoys. Now, the Gurkhas -are not naturally either pacific or humble; and it was only with the -greatest difficulty that the fiery little soldiers were restrained -from drawing their deadly _kukris_ and introducing the guests to that -national and favourite weapon. On the conduct of his men being reported -to the foreign commander, he sent a written, but not very full, apology -to the Gurkha colonel. - -Towards evening the rain ceased, and the floods subsided as rapidly -as they had arisen. So the following day saw us on our way back to -Tientsin. At one of the stations an old friend of mine entered our -carriage. He was an officer of the 4th Punjaub Infantry, Captain Gray, -the son of a well‐known and very popular Don of Trinity College, -Dublin. He had just received a report from the native officer -commanding a detachment in a village near the canal which runs beside -the railway. This jemadar had been sitting in front of his quarters -watching the boats pass, when something about one of them aroused his -suspicion and caused him to order the boat to stop and come into the -bank. Three Chinamen in it sprang out and rushed away into the high -crops. The boat was laden with cases, which, on search, proved to -contain eighty new barrels of Mauser and Mannlicher magazine rifles. -Besides these there were five boxes of cartridges and several casks of -powder. This is but a small instance of the enormous extent to which -the smuggling of arms goes on. The brigands were provided with weapons -of the latest pattern and excellent make. The Germans are the chief -offenders here as in Africa and elsewhere. - -Another officer of the 4th Punjaub joined our train later on. He was -Lieutenant Stirling, who worthily gained the D.S.O. for his -brave exploit when Major Browning, of his regiment, fell in an attack -with eighty men on walled villages held by thousands of brigands. -Stirling refused to abandon the body, and carried it back, retiring -slowly over seven miles of open country, attacked by swarms of mounted -robbers, who feared to charge home upon the steady ranks of the gallant -Punjaubis. He was wounded himself in the fight. - -In the evening we arrived at Tientsin. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST - -HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND - - -HONG KONG - -Geographically, of course, Hong Kong is very far from North China. But -it was the base of our expeditionary force in the recent campaign. From -it went the first troops that helped to save Tientsin; and one brigade -of Indian regiments was diverted from General Gaselee’s command to -strengthen its garrison. For in the event of disturbances in Canton, or -a successful rebellion in the southern provinces, it would have been in -great danger. As our base for all future operations in the Far East, -it is of vast military as well as naval and commercial importance and -well merits description. In complications or wars with other Powers, -Hong Kong would be the first point in the East threatened or assailed. -Lying as it does on what would be our trans‐Pacific route to India, -it is almost of as much importance to our Empire as Capetown or the -Suez Canal. Its magnificent dockyards, which are capable of taking our -largest battleships on the China station, are the only ones we possess -east of Bombay; and so it is of equal value to our fleet, besides being -the naval base for coal, ammunition, and supplies, without which the -finest ship that floats would be helpless. - -Looked at from other than a military point of view, Hong Kong is an -object‐lesson of our Empire that should fill the hearts of Imperialists -with pardonable pride. A little more than half a century ago it was -but a bleak and barren island, tenanted only by a few fisherfolk. It -produced nothing, and animal life could scarce be supported on it. But -now, touched by the magic wand of British trade, how wonderful is the -transformation! A magnificent city, with stately buildings climbing in -tier after tier from the sea. The most European town between Calcutta -and San Francisco. The third, some say the second, largest shipping -port in the world. The harbour to which turn the countless prows of -British, American, German, French, Austrian, and Japanese vessels; -where the vast current of the trade of the world with the Far East -flows in, to issue forth again in an infinitude of smaller streams to -every part of China and the Philippines. - -Yet, though the barren hillsides are covered with houses, though a -large population of white men and yellow inhabit it, and its harbour is -crowded with shipping, the island itself is still as unproductive as -ever. Not merely is mineral wealth unknown and manufactures practically -_nil_, but Hong Kong cannot provide enough of foodstuffs to support -its inhabitants for half a day. From Canton, almost a hundred miles -away up the Pearl River, comes everything required to feed both -Europeans and Chinese. Each morning the large, flat‐bottomed steamers -that ply between the two cities carry down meat or cattle, fish, rice, -vegetables of all kinds, fruit, even flowers; and were communications -interrupted by storm or war for a few days, Hong Kong would starve. For -neither the island nor the couple of hundred square miles of adjacent -mainland, the Kowloon Hinterland, which we took over in 1898, could -produce enough to feed one regiment; and although two months’ supply of -provisions for the whole population, white and yellow, is supposed to -be stored, it is never done. Therein lies Hong Kong’s great danger. Let -Canton refuse or be prevented from feeding her, and she must starve. - -The secret of her rapid rise and present greatness lies in the fact -that she is the great mart, the distributing centre, whence European or -American goods, arriving in large bottoms, are sent out again in small -coasting steamers or junks to reach the smallest markets for Western -commerce. And her prosperity will continue and be vastly increased -if the long‐projected railway to Canton, to meet another tapping the -great inland resources of China, is ever built; although the Americans -fondly hope that Manilla under their energetic rule will one day rival -and even excel her. - -Hong Kong is an island of irregular shape, about nine miles in length -and six miles broad in its widest portion, and consists of one long -chain of hills, that rise almost perpendicularly from the sea. Scarcely -the smallest spot of naturally level ground is to be found. Around are -countless other islands, large and small, all equally mountainous. It -lies close to the Chinese mainland, the Kau‐lung, or Kowloon Peninsula; -and the portion of sea enclosed between them forms the harbour. At one -extremity of the island this is a mile across; and at the other it -narrows down to a strait known as the Lyeemoon Pass, only a quarter -of a mile broad. In the centre the harbour is about two miles in -width. The high hills of island and mainland—for the latter is but -a series of broken, mountainous masses rising two or three thousand -feet—shelter it from the awful typhoons that ravage the coast. - -Approaching Hong Kong by steamer there lies before us a confused jumble -of hills, which gradually resolve themselves into islands fronting -the mountainous background of the mainland. All, without exception, -spring up from the water’s edge in steep slopes, with never a yard of -level ground save where an occasional tiny bay shows a small stretch -of sparkling sandy beach. Granite cliffs carved into a thousand quaint -designs, or honeycombed with caverns by the white‐fringed waves; -steep grassy slopes, with scarcely a bush upon them, rising up to a -conical peak; here and there a fisher’s hut, the only sign of human -habitation—such are they almost all. At last one larger than the -others. On the long ridge of the lofty summits of its hills the slated -roofs and high walls of European buildings outlined against the sky, -and we know that we are nearing Hong Kong. Swinging round a bluff -shoulder of this island, we enter the land‐locked harbour. On the -right the myriad houses climbing in terraces above each other from the -water’s edge, long lines of stately buildings, the spires of churches -come into view. It is the city of Victoria, or Hong Kong. The harbour, -sheltered by the lofty hills of island and mainland, is crowded with -shipping. The giant bulks of battleships and cruisers, the tall masts -of sailing vessels, the gaily painted funnels of passenger and merchant -steamers, the quaint sails and weird shapes of junks, the countless -little _sampans_ or native boats, a numerous flotilla of steam -launches, rushing hither and thither. Ahead of us the hills of island -and mainland approach each other until they almost touch, and tower up -on either hand above the narrow channel of the Lyeemoon Pass. On the -left a small, bush‐clad, conical isle, with a lighthouse—Green Island; -another, long and straggling—Stonecutters’ Island, with the sharp -outlines of forts and barracks and the ruins of an old convict prison. - -Behind them the mainland. A small extent of comparatively level land -covered with houses, the curving line of a pretty bay, low, pine‐clad -hills. This is the very modern suburb of Kowloon, which has been -created to take the overflow of European and Chinese population from -Hong Kong. Here will be the terminus of the railway to Canton—when it -is built. And behind, towering grim and dark to the sky, stands a long -chain of barren mountains that guard the approach from the landward -side. Behind them range upon range of other hills. Such is the Kowloon -Peninsula. - -Hong Kong, with the blue water of its harbour, the dark hills towering -precipitously above the town, the walls of whose houses are gaily -painted in bright colours, is one of the loveliest places on earth. -After long days on board ship, where the eye tires of the interminable -monotony of sea and sky, it seems doubly beautiful. And one marvels -to find this English lodgment on the coast of China a city of stately -buildings, of lofty clubs and many‐storied hotels, of magnificent -offices and splendid shops, of well‐built barracks and princely villas. - -The town of Victoria—for Hong Kong, though used for it, is really -the name of the island—stretches for miles along the water’s edge, -being for the most part built on reclaimed ground; for the hills -thrust themselves forward to the sea. Up their steep sides the houses -clamber in tier upon tier until they end under the frowning face of a -rocky precipice that reaches up to the summit. And there along its -ridge, which is called the Peak, 1,800 feet above the sea, are more -houses. Large hotels, villas, and barracks—for it is fast becoming -the residential quarter for Europeans—are perched upon its narrow -breadth, seemingly absolutely inaccessible from below. But a thin, -almost perpendicular, line against the face of the hill shows how they -are reached by a cable tramway, which, in ten minutes, brings its -passengers from the steamy atmosphere of Victoria to the cool breezes -of the Peak—another climate altogether. - -The city practically consists of one long street, which runs from end -to end of the island and is several miles in length. On the steep -landward side smaller streets run off at right angles and climb the -hills, many of them in flights of steps. On the slopes above the town -are one or two long roads parallel to the main street and consisting -altogether of residential buildings, churches, convents, and schools. - -But this main street—Queen’s Road as it is named—is wonderful. At -the western extremity near Belcher’s Fort, the end of the island round -which our steamer passed, it begins in two or three‐storied Chinese -houses, the shops on the ground floor being under colonnades. Then come -store and warehouses, offices, and small Chinese shops where gaudy -garments and quaint forms of food are sold, interspersed with saloons, -bars, and drinking‐shops of all kinds, which cater for merchant -sailors, soldiers, and bluejackets of every nationality, the well‐paid -American tars being most in evidence among their customers. Beyond this -the Queen’s Road is lined with splendid European‐looking shops with -extensive premises and large plate‐glass fronts, finer than many in -Bond Street or Regent Street, though not as expensive. Some of them, -mostly kept by Chinamen, sell Chinese or Japanese curios, silver‐work -or embroideries, pottery or blackwood furniture. Others, generally, -though not always, run by Europeans, are tailoring and millinery -establishments, chemists, book or print shops. The side‐walks run under -colonnades which afford a grateful shade. Here are found a few of the -smaller hotels; and the magnificent caravanserai of the high Hong Kong -hotel stretches from the harbour to the street. Then come some fine -banks, the building of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation -being a splendid piece of architecture. Opposite it a sloping road, -with lovely fern‐clad banks and trees, leads upward to the cathedral -and to Government House. Past the banks, a little back from the -thoroughfare, is the fine City Hall, which contains a museum and a -theatre, as well as large ball and concert rooms, in which most of the -social gaieties of Hong Kong take place. - -Here occurs the one break in the long line of the Queen’s Road. On -the seaward side, fenced in by railings, lies the cricket‐ground with -its pretty pavilion. Between it and the harbour stands the splendid -structure of the Hong Kong Club, a magnificent four‐storied building. -Few clubs east of Pall Mall can rival its palatial accommodation. -From the ground‐floor, where billiard‐rooms and a large bowling -alley are found, a splendid staircase, dividing into two wings, -leads to a magnificent central hall on the first floor. Off this is -a large reading‐room, where a great number of British, American, and -Continental journals are kept. Electric fans, revolving from the -ceiling, cool the room in the damp, hot days of the long and unpleasant -summer. On the same floor are the secretary’s offices, a luxurious -public dressing‐room, and a large bar, which opens on to a wide -verandah overlooking the harbour. From it one can gaze over the water, -crowded with shipping, to the rugged hills of the mainland. In front -lie the warships of many nations. Close inshore is a small fleet of -_sampans_ crowded together, their crews, male and female, chattering -volubly or screaming recriminations from boat to boat. From a tiny -pier near the Club the steam pinnace of an American man‐o’‐war shoots -out into the stream, passing a couple of gigs from British warships -conveying officers in mufti ashore. - -On the next floor are the dining‐rooms and a splendid library. Above -these again are the members’ bedrooms, bath and dressing rooms. -Altogether, internally and externally, the Club is worthy to rank with -almost any similar institution in the Empire. - -On Queen’s Road, facing the cricket‐ground, is a small, square open -space below the cathedral, raised above the level of the street, as -the ground slopes upward. It is known as the Garrison Brigade Parade -Ground. During the recent campaign it was used as the store‐ground -of the Indian Commissariat, where huge mat‐sheds covered enormous -piles of supplies for the troops in China. Here the hard‐worked base -commissariat officer, Major Williams, watched the vast stores arriving -daily from India, and despatched the supplies for the army in the North -and the Indian brigades at Shanghai and Kowloon. Beside the parade -ground a road climbs the hill and passes the station for the cable -tramway, which is but a short distance up. - -Beyond this one gap in its continuous fencing of houses the Queen’s -Road runs on past the Naval Dockyard—where Commodore Sir Francis -Powell, K.C.M.G., had such heavy labour all through the -troublous time in China—and the Provost Prison on the seaward side, -and the barracks of the British troops and the arsenal on the other. -Then the military hospital and the ordnance yards, crowded with guns, -from the twelve‐inch naval monsters to the stubby howitzers or long -six‐inch on field‐carriages. Then more barracks. Then it runs on -again into Chinese shops, their upper stories used as boarding‐houses -for Celestials; and, turning down to the harbour and following the -shore line, it is bordered with coal‐yards, godowns, and warehouses. -Near this end are the two open spaces of the island, where the hills, -retreating from the sea, have left valleys which the sport‐loving -Britisher has seized upon for recreation grounds. The first and larger -one, known as the Happy Valley, is a lovely spot. All around the -tree‐clad hills ring it in, rising precipitously from its level stretch -on which is a racecourse, its centre portion being devoted to other -games. A fine grand stand is flanked by a block of red‐brick buildings, -the lower stories of which are used during race meetings as stables for -the horses and ponies running. The upper, with open fronts looking out -on the course, are used as luncheon rooms, where the regimental messes, -the members of the clubs, and large _hongs_ (or merchant firms) and -private residents entertain their friends during the meetings. Surely -no other racecourse in the world is set in such lovely scenery as -this in its arena, surrounded by the mountains that tower above it on -every side. And that a _memento mori_ may not be wanting in the midst -of gaiety, just behind the grand stand lie the cemeteries—Christian, -Mussulman, Hindu, and Parsee. Up the sides of the steep hills the white -crosses and tombstones gleam amongst the dark foliage of the trees; and -the spirits of the dead can look down from their graves upon the scene -of former pleasures. - -A little farther on is another and smaller valley used as a polo -ground. Previous to the advent of the Indian troops in 1900 the game -was played here almost exclusively on Chinese ponies. But the Arabs -used by the officers of the 22nd Bombay Infantry, by that excellent -sportsman, H. H. Major, the Maharajah of Bikanir, and other members of -the China expeditionary force, so completely outclassed the diminutive -Chinese ponies that a revolution was caused in the class of animals -required for the game. Small Walers from Australia and Arabs from India -have been freely introduced, much to the benefit of polo in Hong Kong. - -At the polo ground the city ends at present; though every day its -limits are extending. From here the road runs along close to the sea, -protected from the waves by a wall, and clinging to the flanks of -the hills. It passes an occasional row of Chinese‐occupied houses, -a lone hotel or two, the site of the immense new docks in process -of construction, large sugar works, with a colony of houses for its -employees, and an overhead wire tramway leading to their sanatorium -on the high peak above, until it reaches the Lyeemoon Pass. Here the -hills narrow in and press down to the sea, thrusting themselves forward -to meet the hills of the mainland on the other side. A strait, only -a quarter of a mile broad, separates them; and here on either hand, -high above the water, stand modern and well‐armed forts, which, with a -Brennan torpedo, effectually close the narrow entrance of the harbour -to any hostile ships that venture to force a passage. - -Thus ends the northern and more important side of the island. On -the southern and ocean‐ward shore lie the ill‐fated and practically -deserted towns of Stanley and Aberdeen, where many years ago the -British troops garrisoning them were so decimated by fever and disease -that this side of the island was abandoned, and Victoria has become -practically Hong Kong. - -The Peak is altogether another world from the city that lies in the -steamy atmosphere below. Let us ascend in one of the trams that are -dragged up to the summit by the wire cables. Seated in the car, we are -drawn up rapidly at a weird and uncomfortable angle; for the slope of -the line is, in places, 1 in 2. Up the steep sides of the hill we go, -feeling a curious sensation as we are tilted back on the benches and -see the trees and houses on each side all leaning over at an absurd -angle. Even such a respectable structure as a church seems to be lying -back towards the hillside in a tipsy and undignified manner. This -curious optical effect is caused by the inclined position of the roof -and floor, as well as of the passengers, with the horizontal. We pass -over a bridge across a pretty road lined with stone villas, by large -and well‐built houses that grow fewer and fewer as we mount upward. -Here and there we stop at a small platform representing a station, -where passengers come on or leave the tram. The down car passes us -with a rush. The long ridge of the Peak, crowned with houses, comes -into view. Turning round in our slanting seats we look down on the -rapidly diminishing city and the harbour, now a thousand feet below -us. At last we reach the summit and step out on a platform with -waiting‐rooms, the terminus of the line. Now we see how the wire cable -runs on over pulleys into the engine‐house and is wound round the huge -iron drums. - -As we stand on the platform there towers above us, on the left, a large -and many‐windowed hotel, the Mount Austin. Along the fronts of its -three stories run verandahs with arched colonnades. This is a favourite -place of resort for visitors; and many residents, unwilling to face the -troubles of house‐keeping, take up their permanent abode here. - -Outside the station is a line of waiting coolies, ready to convey -passengers in their open cane sedan chairs with removable hoods. A -Sikh policeman standing close by keeps them in order and cuts short -their frequent squabbles. The road and paths, which are cemented and -provided with well‐made drains running alongside to carry off the -torrential rains of the summer and thus prevent the roadway from being -washed away, are too steep in their ascents and descents to make the -ricksha—Hong Kong’s favourite vehicle—useful up here. - -Standing on the narrow ridge of the Peak, we can look down upon the -sea on either hand. A wonderful view unfolds itself to our gaze. On -the northern side the city of Victoria lies almost straight below us, -its streets and roofs forming a chessboard‐pattern. We can easily -trace the long, sinuous line of the Queen’s Road. From this height -the largest battleships and mail steamers in the harbour look no -bigger than walnuts. Beyond, the suburb of Kowloon lies in sharp lines -and tiny squares; and behind it rise up the hills of the mainland, -dwarfed in size. Now we can see plainly the interminable ranges of -mountains—chain after chain—of the Kowloon Peninsula, with the lofty -peaks of Tai‐mo‐shan and Tai‐u‐shan over 3,000 feet high. The coastline -is straggling and indented with numerous bays, the shores rising up in -steep, grassy slopes to the hills or presenting a line of rocky cliffs -to the waves. Here and there pretty cultivated valleys run back from -the sea to the never‐far‐distant mountains. - -Turning round, we look down the grass‐clad slopes of the south side -of the island to tiny, sandy bays and out over the broad expanse of -the sea, in which lie many large and small islands. Over a hundred -can be counted from the elevation of the Peak. Close by, to the west, -is the largest of them all—the barren and treeless Lantau, which was -once nearly chosen instead of Hong Kong as the site of the British -settlement. Below us, on the southern shore of our island, lie the -practically abandoned towns of Stanley and Aberdeen. - -Along the ridge the road passes by large and well‐built villas, -barracks, the Peak Club, a church, and many boarding‐houses. The -European inhabitants of Hong Kong are rapidly abandoning the lower -levels and taking up their residence here, where the climate, with its -cool and refreshing breezes, is delightful in the long summer when -Victoria swelters in tropical heat. During the rainy season, however, -the Peak is continually shrouded in damp mists; and fires are required -to keep rooms and spare garments dry. The saying in Hong Kong is: “If -you live on the Peak your clothes rot; if in Victoria _you_ do. Choose -which you value more and take up your habitation accordingly.” - -The cable tramway is a comparatively recent institution; so that when -the houses on the summit were being built all the materials had to be -carried by coolies up a steep, zigzagging road from below. Even now -most of the supplies for the dwellers on the heights are brought up -in the same primitive and laborious fashion. In the morning the trams -are crowded with European merchants, bankers, solicitors and their -clerks, descending to their offices in the city. In the afternoon they -are filled with the gay butterflies of society going up or down to -pay calls, shop, or play tennis and croquet at the Ladies’ Recreation -Ground, half‐way between the Peak and Victoria. The red coats of -British soldiers are seen in the cars after parade hours or at night, -when they are hurrying back to barracks before tattoo. - -The harbour of Hong Kong is remarkable for the large “floating -population” of Chinese, who live in sampans and seldom go ashore -except to purchase provisions. Their boats are small, generally not -twenty feet in length, with a single mast, decked, and provided with -a small well, covered with a hood, where passengers sit. Under the -planking of the deck, in a tiny space without ventilation, with only -room to lie prone, the crew—consisting, perhaps, of a dozen men, -women, and children—sleep. Their cooking is done with a brazier or -wood fire placed on a flat stone in the bows. The children tumble about -the deck unconcernedly in the roughest weather. The smaller ones are -occasionally tied to the mast to prevent them from falling overboard. -The babies are bound in a bundle behind the shoulders of the mothers, -who pull their oars or hoist and lower the sail with their burdens -fastened on to them. Thus they live, thus they die; never sleeping on -land until their corpses are brought ashore to be buried amid much -exploding of crackers and burning of joss‐sticks. - -These sampans are freely used to convey passengers to and from ships or -across the harbour. Formerly cases of robbery and murder were frequent -on board them; and even now drunken sailors occasionally disappear -in mysterious fashion. The hood over the passengers’ seats could be -suddenly lowered on the occupants of the well; a few blows of a hatchet -sufficed to end their efforts to free themselves; the bodies were then -robbed and flung overboard, and their fate remained a secret to all -but the murderers. But stringent police regulations now render these -crimes almost impossible. At night all sampans must anchor at least -thirty yards from the shore. If hailed by intending passengers they are -allowed to come only to certain piers where European or Indian police -officers take their numbers as well as the names and destinations of -those about to embark on them. So that the Hong Kong sampan is now -nearly as safe a conveyance as the London hansom. - -Communication between Victoria and Kowloon is maintained by a line of -large, two‐decked, double‐ended steam ferries, that cross the mile of -water between them in ten minutes. The suburb on the mainland is of -very recent growth. Ten years ago the Observatory, a signal station, -and a few villas were almost the only buildings; and the pinewoods -ran uninterruptedly down to the sea. Now Kowloon possesses large -warehouses, two hotels, two fine barracks, long streets lined with -shops chiefly for Chinese customers, and terraces of houses occupied by -Europeans. These are generally employees in the dockyards or clerks, -or the families of engineers and mates of the small steamers that have -their headquarters in Hong Kong. New streets are continually springing -up, connecting it with Yaumati, a large Chinese suburb, or spreading -down towards Old Kowloon City, three miles off. Near the ferry pier -long wharves run out into the harbour, alongside which the largest -vessels of the P. and O. or Norddeutscher‐Lloyd can berth and discharge -their cargo. Close by is a naval yard, with a small space of water -enclosed by stone piers for torpedo craft. Beside it are huge stacks -of coal for our warships. Just above rise the grass‐covered ramparts -of a fort. Near this are the fine stone and brick barracks built for -the Hong Kong Regiment—a corps raised and recruited in Northern -India about ten years ago for permanent service in this Colony. It -was recently disbanded when Hong Kong was added to the list of places -over‐seas to be garrisoned by the Indian army. Its material was -excellent; for the high rate of pay—eighteen rupees a month with free -rations as compared with the nine rupees and no rations offered to the -sepoy in India—gave its recruiting officers the pick of Mussulman -Punjaub, for it was a completely Mohammedan regiment. But it suffered -from the disadvantage of being permanently stationed in one cramped‐up -garrison with much guard duty, and of being officered by men coming at -random from various Indian regiments rarely of the Punjaub, or, worse -still, by others from British regiments, who knew absolutely nothing of -the sepoy and were attracted chiefly by the higher pay. - -On the Kowloon side two companies have built large and ample docks, -which can take the finest battleships we have in the China seas. -H.M.S. _Goliath_, _Ocean_, _Albion_, _Glory_; U.S.S. _Brooklyn_ and -_Kentucky_ have all been accommodated there. As they are the only docks -in the Far East, with the exception of those at Nagasaki in Japan, they -are used by all foreign as well as British warships and merchantmen; -and the dividends they pay are very large. Small steamers and a yacht -for the King of Siam have been constructed in them. In Yaumati and -Kowloon many Chinese boat‐building yards have sprung up, where numbers -of large junks and sampans are turned out every year. - -Past the Kowloon Docks, above which tower a couple of forts, the -open country is reached. The road runs down through patches of -market‐gardens to Old Kowloon City, a quaint walled Chinese town, with -antique iron guns rusting on its bastions. This was the last spot of -territory in the peninsula handed over to the British by the Chinese. -“Handed over” is, perhaps, hardly an accurate description. Although -ordered by their Government to surrender it, the officials refused to -do so. A show of force was necessary; and a body of regular troops, -accompanied by the Hong Kong Volunteers, marched upon the place. The -Chinese, locking the gates and throwing away the keys, disappeared over -the walls and bolted into the country. It was necessary to effect an -entry by burglary. High hills tower above the city; and just beyond it -they close in to the Lyeemoon Pass. - -To one unused to the East, Hong Kong is intensely interesting. The -streets, lined with European‐looking shops, are crowded with a strange -medley of races—white, black, or yellow. Daintily garbed English -ladies step from their rickshas and enter millinery establishments, -the windows of which display the latest fashions of Paris and London. -Straight‐limbed British soldiers, clad in the familiar scarlet of the -Line and blue of the Royal Artillery or in the now as well‐known khaki, -stroll along the pavement, bringing their hands to their helmets in a -smart salute to a passing officer. Sturdy bluejackets of our Royal Navy -walk arm‐in‐arm with sailors from the numerous American warships in the -harbour. A group of spectacled Chinese students move by, chattering -volubly. Long, lithe Bengal Lancers, in khaki blouses reaching to -the knee, blue putties, and spurred ankle‐boots, gaudy pugris and -bright shoulder‐chains, stop to chat with sepoys of a Bombay infantry -regiment or tall Sikhs of the Asiatic Artillery. Neat, glazed‐hatted -Parsis, long‐haired Coreans, trousered Chinese women, and wild, unkempt -Punjaubi mule‐drivers go by. German man‐o’‐war’s men, with flat caps -and short jackets covered with gilt or silver buttons, turn to look -back at a couple of small but sturdy Japanese bluejackets. Pig‐tailed -Chinese coolies push their way roughly along the side‐walk, earning -a well‐deserved cut from the swagger‐cane of a soldier against whose -red coat they have rubbed their loads. Even the weird figure of a -half‐naked Hindu fakir, his emaciated body coated with white ashes, -the trident of Vishnu marked in scarlet on his ghastly forehead, -carrying his begging‐bowl and long‐handled tongs, is seen. Europeans, -in white linen coats and trousers or smartly‐cut flannel suits, rush -across the road and plunge hurriedly into offices. These are probably -brokers, busily engaged in floating some of the numerous companies -that spring up daily in Hong Kong like mushrooms. Globe‐trotters, in -weird pith hats, pause before the windows of curio‐shops which display -the artistic efforts of Japan or Canton. The street is crowded with -rickshas bearing ladies, soldiers, civilians, or fat Chinamen in bowler -hats and long, blue silk coats. Carriages are seldom seen, for horses -are of little use in the colony, owing to its hilly character. Queen’s -Road is almost the only thoroughfare where they could be employed. Tall -Sikh and Mussulman policemen in blue or red pugris direct the traffic -or salute a white‐helmeted European inspector as he passes. - -Society in Hong Kong is less official than in India, where almost every -male is to be found in either the Army or the Civil Service List. The -Governor and the General are, of course, the leaders, and in a small -way represent Royalty in the colony. The merchant class is supreme, -and their wives rule society; naval and military people being regarded -as mere birds of passage in a city where Europeans practically settle -for life and England seems a very far‐off country indeed. Altogether -life in Hong Kong is of a more provincially English character than -it is in India. The warm‐hearted hospitality of the Anglo‐Indian has -but a faint echo in this very British colony. One is not brought into -such daily contact with friends and acquaintances. In every station, -large and small, throughout the length and breadth of Hindustan there -is always a club which acts as the rallying‐place of European society. -Ladies as well as men assemble there in the afternoons when the sun -is setting, and polo, tennis, and cricket are over for the day. The -fair inhabitants of the station sit on the lawn, dispense tea to their -friends, talk scandal or flirt; while their husbands play whist, -bridge, and billiards, or gather in jovial groups round the bar and -discuss the events of the day. - -But in Hong Kong, despite the large European population, there is no -similar institution or gathering‐place. The clubs are sternly reserved -for men. Save at an occasional race meeting or gymkhana, one never -sees all the white inhabitants assembled together. In the summer the -climate is far too hot for indoor social functions. Even tennis parties -are too exhausting. So hospitable hostesses substitute for their “At -Homes” weekly mixed bathing parties; and in the comparative cool of the -afternoons gay groups gather on the piers near the club and embark on -the trim steam launches that lie in shoals alongside. Then out they go -to some sandy bay along the coast, where mat‐sheds have been erected -to serve as bathing‐boxes for the ladies, who go ashore and attire -themselves for the water. The gentlemen of the party don their swimming -costume in the cabin of the launch, and, plunging overboard, make their -way to the beach to join their fair companions. When tired of bathing, -the ladies retire to the mat‐sheds, the men to the launch. Then, -dressed again and reunited, all steam back to Hong Kong, refreshing -themselves with tea and drinks on the way. This is the favourite form -of amusement in Hong Kong society during the summer. - -In the cold weather dances at Government House, Headquarter House (the -General’s residence), and in the City Hall are frequent; and theatrical -companies from England and Australia occupy the theatre. Picnics, -walking or by launch, to the many charming spots to be found on the -island or the mainland are given. Polo, racing, cricket, tennis, and -golf are in full swing; and, as the climate during winter is cold and -bracing, life is very pleasant in the colony then. - -To the newly arrived naval or military officer society in Hong Kong is -full of pitfalls and surprises. The English merchant or lawyer over -seas is usually a very good fellow, though occasionally puffed up by -the thought of his bloated money‐bags; but his wife is often a sad -example of British snobbery, the spirit of which has entered into her -soul in the small country town or London suburb from which she came. -Society in the boarding‐houses of West Kensington is a bad preparation -for the rôle of _grande dame_ in the hospitable East. And so the naval -or military officer, accustomed to broader lines of social demarcation -in England, is puzzled and amused at the minute shades of difference in -Hong Kong society. He fails to see why Mrs. A., whose spouse exports -tea, is to be considered quite of the _haut ton_ of the colony; while -Mrs. B., whose husband imports cigars, and who is by birth and breeding -a better man than A., is not to be called on. - - “Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite ’em, - And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so, _ad infinitum_.” - -And Hong Kong looks down on Kowloon with all the well‐bred contempt of -Belgravia for Brixton. And even in the despised suburb on the mainland -these social differences are not wanting. The wives of the superior -dock employees are the leaders of Kowloon society; and the better half -of a ship captain or marine engineer is only admitted on sufferance -to their exclusive circle. When the first Indian troops to strengthen -the garrison of Hong Kong in 1900 arrived, they were quartered in -Kowloon; where the presence of a number of strange young officers, who -dashed about their quiet suburb on fiery Arabs and completely eclipsed -the local dandies, caused a flutter in the hearts of anxious mothers -and indignant husbands. The fires of civilian prejudice against -the military burned fiercely; and I verily believe that many of the -inhabitants of Kowloon would have preferred an invasion of ferocious -Chinese. - - -THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND. - -The island of Hong Kong was ceded to England in 1841. Later on a strip -of the adjacent mainland, from two to three miles deep, running back to -a line of steep hills from 1,300 to 2,000 feet high, was added. Then -for many years the colony rested content under the frowning shadow of -these dangerous neighbours; until it dawned at last upon our statesmen -that the Power who possessed this range of hills had Hong Kong at its -mercy. For heavy guns planted on their summits could lay the city of -Victoria in ruins at the easy range of two or three miles; and no -answering fire from the island forts so far below them could save it. -So in 1898, by a master‐stroke of diplomacy, China was induced to lease -to England the Kowloon Peninsula, about 200 miles square; and our -frontier was removed farther back to the safer distance of about twenty -miles from Hong Kong. - -The peninsula is an irregularly shaped tongue of land with rugged and -indented coast‐line jutting out from the province of Kwang‐tung. It is -of little value except to safeguard the possession of Hong Kong. It -consists of range after range of rugged, barren hills, grass‐clad, -with here and there tangled vegetation but with scarcely a tree upon -them, separated by narrow valleys thinly occupied by Chinese. It could -only support a small population; for arable land is scarce, and the -few inhabitants are forced to add to their scanty crops by terracing -small fields on the steep sides of the hills. Villages are few and -far between. Those that exist are well and substantially built; for, -as in Hong Kong, granite is everywhere present on the mainland, the -soil being composed of disintegrated granite. Cattle‐breeding and even -sheep‐raising seem difficult; for the rank grass of the hills will -scarcely support animal life. Experiments made on the islands near Hong -Kong, which are of similar nature to the mainland, seem to bear this -out. - -Winding inlets and long, narrow bays run far into the land on both -sides and considerably diminish the space at the disposal of the -cultivator. Occasionally narrow creeks are dammed by the villagers, and -the ground is roughly reclaimed. The supply of fresh water is limited -to the rainfall and the small streams that run down the hillsides. The -presence of mineral wealth is unsuspected and unlikely. Altogether the -Hinterland is poor and unproductive. Efforts are being made to develop -its scanty resources; and if cattle, wheat, and vegetables could be -raised, a ready market would be found for them in Hong Kong. - -The present frontier line is exceedingly short—about ten miles if I -remember aright—as at the boundary the sea runs far into the land on -each side of the peninsula in two bays—Deep Bay on the west, Mirs Bay -on the east. The latter is being used as the winter training‐ground -of the ships of our China squadron. The former is very shallow, being -almost dry at low tide, and earns its name from the depth of its -penetration into the land. - -One strongly defined portion of the boundary is the shallow, tidal -Samchun River which runs into Deep Bay. Across it the Chinese territory -begins in a fertile and cultivated valley surrounding an important and -comparatively wealthy market‐town, Samchun. Beyond that again rises -another line of rugged hills. I have never penetrated into the interior -here farther than Samchun, so cannot speak with accuracy of what the -country is like at the other side of these hills; but I have been -told that it is flat and fertile nearly all the way on to Canton. The -English firm in Hong Kong who projected the railway to Canton employed -a Royal Engineer officer to survey the route for the proposed line. -He told me, as well as I can remember, that he had estimated the cost -from Kowloon to about ten miles north of Samchun at about £27,000 a -mile, and from there on to Canton at £7,000 a mile. That seems to show -that the country beyond these hills is flat and easy. The cutting, -tunneling, and embanking required for the passage of a railway line -through the continuous hills of the Kowloon Hinterland would be a very -laborious undertaking. There is no long level stretch from Hong Kong -harbour to the frontier; and the hills are mainly granite. - -Since the Hinterland has come into their possession the colonial -authorities have made an excellent road from Kowloon into their new -territory. It is carried up the steep hills and down again to the -valleys in easy gradients. It is of more importance for military than -for commercial purposes; as the peninsula produces so little and -wheeled transport is unknown. - -The cession of the Hinterland in 1898 was very strongly resented by -its few inhabitants. Owing to their poverty and inaccessibility, they -were probably seldom plagued with visits from Chinese officials; -and they objected to their sudden transfer to the care of the more -energetic “foreign devils.” So when the Governor of Hong Kong arranged -a dramatic scene to take place at the hoisting of the British flag on -the frontier, and invitations were freely issued to the officials and -their wives and the society in general of the island to be present -on this historic occasion, the evil‐minded inhabitants prepared a -surprise for them. The police and the guard of honour went out on the -previous day to encamp on the ground on which the ceremony was to take -place. To their consternation they found that the new subjects of the -British Empire had dug a trench on the side of a hill close by, not -800 yards from the spot on which the flagstaff was to be erected, -and had occupied it in force, armed with jingals, matchlocks, Brown -Besses, and old rifles—antique weapons certainly, but good enough to -kill all the ladies and officials to be present next day. Information -was immediately sent back to Hong Kong; and quite a little campaign -was inaugurated. Companies of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Hong Kong -Regiment, and the Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion Royal Artillery, -with detachments of bluejackets, chased their new fellow‐subjects over -the hills, exchanged shots with them, and captured enough ancient -weapons to stock an armoury. Lieutenant Barrett, Hong Kong Regiment, -while bathing in a pond in a Chinese village, discovered a number of -old smooth‐bore cannons, which had been hurriedly thrown in there. -Little resistance was made; but the picnic arrangements for the -dramatic hoisting of the flag did not come off. - -The inhabitants of the peninsula were speedily reconciled to British -rule and have since given no further trouble. A few European and Indian -police constables, armed with carbines and revolvers, are stationed -in it and patrol the country in pairs, frequently armed with no more -lethal weapon than an umbrella. - -The possession of the Hinterland has strengthened enormously the -defence of Hong Kong from the landward side. Three passes, about 1,500 -feet high, cross the last range of hills above Kowloon; and these can -be easily guarded. The situation of a hostile army which had landed -on the coast some distance away and endeavoured to march through the -difficult and mountainous country of the mainland, would be hopeless -in the presence of a strong defending force. Entangled in the narrow -valleys, forced to cross a series of roadless passes over which even -field‐guns must be carried bodily, fired at incessantly from the -never‐ending hilltops, it would be unable to proceed far. A couple of -regiments of Gurkhas or Pathans would be invaluable in such a country. -Moving rapidly from hill to hill they could decimate the invaders -almost with impunity to themselves. - -The garrison of Hong Kong previous to 1900 consisted of a few batteries -R.A. to man the forts, some companies of the Asiatic Artillery or Hong -Kong and Singapore Battalion Royal Artillery (a corps of Sikhs and -Punjaubis raised in India for the defence of these two coast ports), -one British infantry regiment, the Hong Kong Regiment (ten companies -strong), and the Hong Kong Volunteers, Europeans, and Portuguese -half‐castes. The Asiatic Artillery were armed with muzzle‐loading -mountain guns. Such a force was absurdly small for such a large and -important place. General Sir William Gascoigne, K.C.M.G., -was forced to still further denude it of troops in order to send -men hurriedly to North China to defend Tientsin. He was left with -his garrison companies of Royal Artillery, half of the Royal Welch -Fusiliers and Asiatic Artillery, and four‐fifths of the Hong Kong -Regiment. The situation would have been one of extreme danger had a -rising occurred in Canton and the southern provinces; and two regiments -of General Gaselee’s original force were stopped on their way to -the North. The 3rd Madras Light Infantry, under Lieutenant‐Colonel -Teversham, was composed of men of that now unwarlike presidency. But -the 22nd Bombay Infantry, under the command of Lieutenant‐Colonel R. -Baillie, was formed from the fighting races of Rajputana and Central -India and won many encomiums for their smartness in manœuvres over -the steep hills and their satisfactory work altogether. - -A story is told of a War Office official who, ignorant of the -mountainous character of Hong Kong, wished to add a regiment of British -cavalry to its garrison. The general in command at the time, being -possessed of a keen sense of humour, gravely requested that the men -should be mounted on goats, pointing out that no other animal would -prove useful on the Hong Kong hills. But even in the mountainous -country of the mainland mounted infantry would be of great use to -enable commanding points to be speedily gained. When stationed in -Kowloon I organised mounted infantry on mules captured in North -China—splendid animals most of them, one standing fifteen hands high. -Even in that broken and rugged country I found that the men could move -swiftly around the bases of the hills, across the narrow valleys, and -up the easier slopes at a speed that defied all pursuit from their -comrades on foot. In an advance overland to Canton, mounted infantry -would be invaluable when the flat and cultivated country past Samchun -was reached; for cavalry would be useless in such closely intersected -ground. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -ON COLUMN IN SOUTHERN CHINA - - -A shallow, muddy river running between steep banks. On the grassy -slopes of a conical hill the white tents of a camp. Before the -quarter‐guard stands a Bombay Infantry sentry in khaki uniform and -pugri, the butt of his Lee‐Metford rifle resting on the ground, his -eyes turned across the river to where the paddy‐fields of Southern -China stretch away to a blue range of distant hills. Figures in -khaki or white undress move about the encampment or gather round -the mud cooking‐places, where their frugal meal of _chupatties_ and -curry is being prepared. A smart, well‐set‐up British officer passes -down through the lines of tents and lounging sepoys spring swiftly -to attention as he goes by. On the hilltop above a signaller waves -his flag rapidly; and down below in the camp a Madrassi havildar -spells out his message to a man beside him, who writes it down in a -note‐book. Coolies loaded with supplies trudge wearily up the steep -path. Before the tents four wicked‐looking little mountain guns turn -their ugly muzzles longingly towards a walled town two thousand -yards away across the stream, where spots of red and blue resolve -themselves through a field‐glass into Chinese soldiers. All around -on this side of the river the country lies in never‐ending hills and -narrow valleys, with banked paddy‐fields in chess‐board pattern. And -on these hills small horseshoe‐shaped masonry tombs or glazed, brown -earthen‐ware pots containing the bones of deceased Chinamen fleck the -grassy slopes. Across the stream the cultivation is interspersed with -low, tree‐crowned eminences or dotted with villages. There on the -boundary line, between China and the English territory of the Kowloon -Hinterland, a small column guards our possessions against rebel and -Imperial soldier, both possible enemies and restrained from violating -British soil by the bayonets of the sepoys from our distant Eastern -Empire. Twenty miles away Hong Kong lies ringed in by sapphire sea. -From the land it has no danger to dread while a man of this small but -resolute force guarding its frontier remains alive. - -The outburst of fanaticism in North China, the attacks on the foreign -settlements in Tientsin and Pekin, the treachery of the Court, had -their echo in the far‐off southern provinces. Canton, turbulent and -hostile, has ever been a plague‐spot. Before now English and French -troops have had to chasten its pride and teach its people that the -outer barbarian claims a right to exist even on the sacred soil of -China. In the troublous summer of 1900 10,000 Black Flags, the unruly -banditti who long waged a harassing war against the French in Tonkin, -were encamped near this populous city. Fears were rife in Hong Kong -that, fired by exaggerated accounts of successes against the hated -foreigners in the North and swelled by the fanatical population of the -provinces of the two Kwangs, they might swarm down to the coast and -attack our possessions on the mainland, or even endeavour to assail -the island itself. Li Hung Chang, the Viceroy of Canton, had sounded a -note of warning. Purporting to seek the better arming of his soldiery -to enable him to cope with popular discontent, he induced the colonial -authorities to allow him to import 40,000 new magazine rifles through -Hong Kong; but there was no security that these weapons might not -be turned against ourselves. As it was well known that the Imperial -troops in the North had made common cause with the Boxers, the wisdom -of permitting this free passage of modern arms may be questioned. -Rumours of a rising among the Chinese in Victoria itself, of threatened -invasion from the mainland, were rife; and the inhabitants of our -colony in the Far East were badly scared. The first Indian brigade -under General Gaselee passed up to the more certain danger in the -North; but representations made to the home authorities caused the -stopping of his two line‐of‐communication regiments, the 3rd Madras -Light Infantry and 22nd Bombay Infantry, to strengthen the denuded -garrison of Hong Kong. This and the subsequent detention of his 2nd -Brigade to safeguard Shanghai left his command in the Allied Armies on -the march to Pekin numerically weak and forced him into a subordinate -position in the councils of the Generals. Hong Kong was by no means -in such imminent peril; and the troops thus diverted would have made -his force second only to the Japanese in strength, and enabled him to -assert his authority more emphatically among the Allies. - -Pekin fell on August 14th, 1900. But long after that date this was -not credited in Canton; and the wildest rumours were rife as to the -splendid successes of the Chinese, who were represented as everywhere -victorious. This large southern city is situated well under a hundred -miles from Hong Kong, either by river or by land. It has constant -intercourse with our colony; and large, flat‐bottomed steamers with -passengers and cargo pass between the two places every day. Yet it -was confidently stated in the vernacular newspapers, and everywhere -believed, that two regiments from India arriving in Hong Kong Harbour -had heard such appalling tales of the prowess of the Chinese braves -that the terrified soldiers had jumped overboard from the transports -and drowned themselves to a man. They had preferred an easy death to -the awful tortures that they knew awaited them at the hands of the -invincible Chinese. Long after the Court had fled in haste from Pekin -and the capital had been in the hands of the Allies for months, their -columns pushing out everywhere into the interior, it was asserted that -all this apparent success was but a deep‐laid plan of the glorious -Empress‐Dowager. She had thus enticed them into the heart of the land -in order to cut them off from the sea. She now held them in the hollow -of her hand. The luckless foreigners had abjectly appealed for mercy. -Her tender heart had relented, and she had graciously promised to -spare them in return for the restoration of all the territory hitherto -wrested from China. Tientsin, Port Arthur, Kiao‐Chau, Shanghai, Tonkin, -even Hong Kong, were being hastily surrendered. And such preposterous -tales were readily believed. - -But another confusing element was introduced into the already -sufficiently complicated situation. Canton and the South contains, -besides the anti‐foreign party, a number of reformers who realise that -China must stand in line with modern civilisation. Only thus will -she become strong enough to resist the perpetual foreign aggression -which deprives her of her best ports and slices off her most valuable -seaboard territory. The energetic inhabitants of Canton freely emigrate -to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Australia, and America. There they -learn to take a wider view of things than is possible in their own -conservative country. When they return they spread their ideas, and -are the nucleus of the already fairly numerous party of reform, who -justly blame the misfortunes of China on the effete and narrow‐minded -Government in Pekin and work to secure the downfall of the present -Manchu dynasty. In the southern provinces they have their following; -and rumours of a great uprising there against the corrupt officialdom, -and even the throne itself, were rife in the autumn of 1900. The -much‐talked‐of but little‐known Triad Society—who claimed to advocate -reform, but who were regarded with suspicion, their tenets forbidden, -and their followers imprisoned in Hong Kong—started a rebellion in -the Kwang‐tung province. They were supposed to be led, or at least -abetted, by Sun Yat Sen, an enlightened reformer. As the revolt began -close to the Kowloon frontier, fears were expressed lest, despite their -advertised views, the rebels should prove unfriendly to foreigners and -invade our territory. Little was known of the progress of the movement. -The Chinese Imperial Government, through the Viceroy of Canton, sent -Admiral Ho with 4,000 troops to Samchun to suppress the rising. The -rebels, hearing of his coming, moved farther inland. The soldiers, -having no great stomach for bloodshed, generously forebore to follow, -and settled themselves comfortably in and around the town. Lest either -party should be tempted to infringe the neutrality of our territory, -the Hong Kong newspapers urged the Governor to take immediate measures -to safeguard our frontier. After some delay a small, compact column -was despatched to the boundary under the command of Major E. A. -Kettlewell, an officer of marked ability and energy, who had seen much -service in Burma and in the Tirah, and who had had long and intimate -connection with the Imperial Service troops in India. The composition -of the force, known as the Frontier Field Force, was as under:— - - _Commanding Officer._ - Major E. A. Kettlewell, 22nd Bombay Infantry. - - _Staff Officer._ - Lieutenant Casserly, 22nd Bombay Infantry. - - _Troops._ - - Three Companies, 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Captain Hatherell and - Lieutenants Melville and Burke. - - Four mountain guns and 50 men, Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion - Royal Artillery, under Lieutenants Saunders and Ogilvie. - - Detachment Royal Engineers (British and Chinese sappers), under - Lieutenant Rundle, R.E. - - Maxim Gun Detachment, 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Jemadar Lalla - Rawat. - - Signallers, 3rd Madras Light Infantry, under Captain Sharpe. - - Section of Indian Field Hospital, under Captain Woolley, I.M.S. - -With the mobility of Indian troops the column embarked within a few -hours after the receipt of orders on a flotilla of steam launches, -which were to convey us along the coast to Deep Bay, and thence up the -Samchun River to the threatened point on the frontier. Stores, tents, -and a few mules to carry the Maxim and ammunition, as well as to -supplement coolie transport, were towed in junks. - -Our tiny vessels loaded down with their living freight, the sepoys -excited at the prospect of a fight, we steam away from Kowloon and -out through the crowded harbour. We pass a number of torpedo‐boat -destroyers and a small fleet of obsolete gunboats rusting in -inglorious ease. To our right, with its huge cylindrical oil‐tanks -standing up like giant drums and its docks containing an American -man‐o’‐war, lies the crowded Chinese quarter of Yaumati. Above it -towers the long chain of hills, their dark sides marked with the white -streak of the new road that crosses their summit into the Hinterland. -On the left is Hong Kong, the Peak with the windows of its houses -flashing in the sun, the city at its feet in shadow. We pass the long, -straggling Stonecutter’s Island, with the solid granite walls of its -abandoned prison, the tree‐clad hills and the sharp outlines of forts. -In among an archipelago of islands, large and small, we steam; and -ahead of us lies the narrow channel of the Cap‐sui‐moon Pass between -Lantau and the lesser islet of Mah Wan. On the latter are the buildings -of the Customs station—the Imperial Maritime Customs of China. High -hills on islands and mainland tower above us on every side. The lofty -peak of Tai‐mo‐shan stands up in the brilliant sunlight. The coast is -grim with rugged cliffs or gay with the grassy slopes of hills running -down to the white fringe of beach. Bluff headlands, black, glistening -rocks on which the foam‐flecked waves break incessantly, dark caverns, -and tiny bays line the shore. A lumbering junk, with high, square stern -and rounded bows—on which are painted large eyes, that the ship may -see her way—bears down upon us with huge mat sails and its lolling -crew gazing over the side in wonderment at the fierce, dark soldiers. A -small sampan dances over the waves, two muscular women pushing at the -long oars and the inevitable children seated on its narrow deck. - -Along the coast we steam, gazing at its interminable masses of green -hills, until it suddenly recedes into a wide bay surrounded on every -side by high land. This is Deep Bay, an expanse twenty‐five miles in -extent which, though now covered by the sea, becomes at low tide one -vast mud flat, with a small stream winding through the noisome ooze. -Towards the land on the right we head. Far out from shore lies a trim, -white gunboat. From the stern floats the yellow Imperial standard of -China with its sprawling dragon; for the vessel belongs to the Maritime -Customs Service. On the decks brass machine‐guns glitter. A European in -white clothing watches us through binoculars from the poop. The Chinese -crew in blue uniforms, with pigtails coiled up under their straw hats, -are spreading an awning. - -At length we reach the mouth of the Samchun River, a small tidal -stream, which, when the sea is low, is scarcely eighteen inches deep. -Up between its winding banks we steam. High hills rise up on each side. -We pray that neither rebel nor hostile Imperial soldier is waiting here -to stop our coming; for a machine‐gun or a few rifles would play havoc -with our men crowded together on the little launches. Up the river -we go in single file, playing “follow my leader” as the first launch -swings sharply round the frequent curves. By virtue of my position -“on the Staff,” I am aboard it and am consequently resentful when a -bump and a prolonged scraping under the keel tell us that we have gone -aground. The next launch avoids the shoal and passes us, its occupants -flinging sarcastic remarks and unkind jibes at us as they go by. But -“pride cometh before a fall,” and a little farther on their Chinese -steersman runs them high and dry. Then the others leave us behind until -by dint of poling we float again and follow in their wake. Round a bend -in the river we swing; and ahead of us we see a number of weird‐looking -Chinese war‐junks. From their masts stream huge pennants and gaudy -flags of many colours; on their decks stand old muzzle‐loading, -smooth‐bore cannon. Their high, square sterns tower above the banks. -The motley‐garbed crews are squatting about, engaged with chop‐sticks -and bowls of rice. The sudden appearance of our flotilla crowded with -armed men startles them. They drop their food and spring up to stare -at us, uncertain whether to bolt ashore or continue their interrupted -meal. Seeing no signs of hostility on our part, they grin placatingly -and shout remarks to us, the tenor of which it is perhaps as well -that we do not understand. These are Government war‐junks and, like -the Customs steamer outside, are stationed here to prevent assistance -reaching the rebels from the sea; but anyone who had successfully -forced their way past the gunboat would have little to fear from these -ill‐armed Noah’s Arks. Close by stand a few substantial buildings—a -Customs station. From the verandah of a bungalow two white men in -charge of it watch us as we go by. - -As evening was closing in we reached the spot selected for our first -camping‐ground and disembarked. On our side of the river a few -hundred yards of level ground ran back to the steep, bare slopes of a -straggling hill which rose to a conical peak five hundred feet above -our heads. All around lay similar eminences, their grassy sides devoid -of trees. Behind us the Hinterland stretched away to the south in range -after range of barren mountains divided by narrow, cultivated valleys. -Beyond the river lay a plain patched with paddy‐fields or broken by -an occasional low hill. In it, little more than a mile away, stood -the walled town of Samchun. The British and Indian police in the new -territory had been instructed to give us intelligence of any hostile -movements in the neighbourhood; and from them we learned that no -immediate danger was to be apprehended. Nevertheless all precautionary -measures to guard against a possible surprise were taken; for Admiral -Ho’s troops still lingered in Samchun, and considerable doubt existed -as to their attitude towards the British. Piquets having been posted -and a strong guard placed over the ammunition and supplies, the men -cooked their evening meal and bivouacked for the night. But sleep was -almost impossible. The heat was intense. We had evidently intruded upon -a favourite haunt of the mosquitoes who attacked us with malignant -persistence until dawn. - -The following day was employed in strengthening our position, -reconnoitring our surroundings and laying out our camp. Our arrival -had evidently taken the Chinese army across the river completely -by surprise. From the hill, on which our tents stood, Samchun was -plainly visible about 2,000 yards away; and our field‐glasses showed -a great commotion in the town. Soldiers poured out of the gates or -crowded on to the walls and gazed in consternation—apparent even at -that distance—at the British force that had so suddenly put in an -appearance on the scene. They were evidently extremely dubious as -to our intentions; and we watched the troops falling in hurriedly -and being marshalled under an imposing array of banners. When the -Hinterland had been ceded to us, Samchun had at first been included, -and was for a short time occupied by us; but the boundary was -afterwards fixed at the river as being a natural frontier, and the town -was restored to the Chinese. They apparently feared that we had changed -our minds and contemplated appropriating it again. As our column made -no move—for our orders had been not to enter Chinese territory or -take any hostile action unless attacked—they soon disappeared into -the town again. Later on, on a hill that rose close to the river on -their side of the boundary‐line, a regiment appeared and observed us -narrowly all day, endeavouring to keep out of sight themselves as much -as possible. It was very tantalising to see the materials for a pretty -little fight ready to hand being wasted, and we longed for the smallest -hostile act on their part to give us an excuse for one. But none came; -and we sighed discontentedly at the loss of such a golden opportunity. -Although the Chinese force numbered 4,000, armed with guns, Mausers and -Winchesters, and our column counted barely 400 all told, we felt little -doubt as to the result of a fight between us. - -By the following morning Admiral Ho and his mandarins had evidently -come to the conclusion that we were more dangerous neighbours than -the rebels; so he proceeded to move off from our vicinity. All that -day and the next we watched bodies of troops, clad in long red or -blue coats, with enormous straw hats slung like shields on their -backs or covering their heads like giant mushrooms, marching out of -the town and stringing out into single file along the narrow paths -between the paddy‐fields as they moved off into the mountains beyond -Samchun. Above their heads waved innumerable banners—green, red, blue, -parti‐coloured, or striped in many lines horizontally or vertically. By -the following evening all had disappeared, with the exception of about -400, as we afterwards ascertained, left behind to garrison the town. -This forlorn hope, I doubt not, were none too well pleased at remaining -in such unpleasant proximity to us. - -Our arrival at the frontier was undoubtedly responsible for the -retirement of Admiral Ho’s army. For he had been for some time -comfortably settled in Samchun without evincing the least anxiety -to follow up the rebels, who were reported to be laying waste the -country farther on, pillaging the villages, torturing the officials, -and levying taxes on the inhabitants. His departure removed a constant -source of danger; for his undisciplined troops might have been tempted -to cross the boundary into our territory and harass the villagers under -our protection. - -We now employed ourselves in patrolling the frontier, exercising -the troops and making sketches to supplement the very inadequate -information as to the surrounding country in our possession. Although -the Hinterland had been ceded to the British two years before, and -although it lies in such close proximity to Hong Kong, no accurate -survey of it had ever been made. The only map which could be found -to provide the expedition with was one done by a Jesuit missionary -in 1840. It was fairly correct as regards outlines, but contained -absolutely no details except a number of names, which might refer to -villages or to features of the ground. For instance, at the spot on -the map where our camp stood, we read the word “Lo‐u.” This, before we -arrived there, we concluded referred to a village. But there was not a -house in the vicinity, and we found that it was the name of the hill on -which our tents were pitched. Our energetic commander employed himself -in surveying and filling in the details of the surrounding country, -marking the positions of the hamlets and paths—for roads there were -none—and ascertaining the ranges and heights of the various prominent -features around us. - -About a mile away down the river lay the Chinese Customs station that -we had passed on our way up. I strolled there one afternoon and made -the acquaintance of the officers in charge. They were both Britishers. -One of them, Mr. Percy Affleck‐Scott, told me that our arrival had -been a great relief to them. When the rebels had been in the vicinity -they had received several messages from the leaders who threatened to -march down upon their station, burn it, and cut their heads off. In -view of the repeated declarations of the Triads, that no hostility is -felt by them to foreigners, these threats are significant. As they had -little reliance on the prowess of the Chinese soldiers if attacked by -the rebels, these two Britishers had been considerably relieved at the -arrival of our force, in whose neighbourhood they knew that they would -be safe. - -The position of the European Custom House officials in the Outdoor -Branch, stationed as they generally are in out‐of‐the‐way places in -Chinese territory with no society of their own kind, is scarcely -enviable. Their work, which consists in levying duty on imports into -the country, frequently brings them into unpleasant contact with -Chinese officials, who regard the existence of their service with -intense dislike, as it robs them of chances of extortion. Those -employed in the Indoor Branch are generally stationed in cities like -Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pekin, or other large centres where life is -enjoyable. - -When visiting the Samchun Custom House on another occasion, at a later -period, I saw a number of small, two‐pounder rifled breechloading -guns belonging to Admiral Ho’s force being embarked on a war‐junk. -I examined them with interest. They were mounted on small‐wheeled -carriages and bore the stamp of the Chinese arsenal where they had been -made. The breech ends were square, with a falling block worked by a -lever at the side. They were well finished; for the work turned out at -these arsenals by native workmen, often under European supervision, is -generally very good. - -Early one morning, a few days after Admiral Ho’s departure, the camp -was roused by a sudden alarm. About four a.m., when it was still pitch -dark, we were awakened by the sound of heavy firing in the Chinese -territory. The continuous rattle of small arms and the deeper booming -of field‐guns were distinctly audible. We rushed out of our tents and -the troops got ready to fall in. The firing seemed to come from the -immediate neighbourhood of Samchun; and it appeared that a desperate -fight was in full swing. Our impression was that the rebels, learning -of Ho’s departure, had eluded his force and doubled back to attack the -town, which, being wealthy, would have proved a tempting prize. We -gazed from the hillside in the direction from which the sound came; -but a thick mist lay over the fields beyond the river and prevented -the flashes from being visible. We waited impatiently for daylight. -The rattle of rifle‐firing now broke out suddenly from around the -Customs station; and we trembled for the safety of Affleck‐Scott -and his companion. As the sound came no nearer in our direction, it -became evident that no hostile movement against us was intended. We -cursed the tardy daylight. At last day broke; but still the low‐lying -mists obscured our view of the town and the plain beyond the river. -Then the sun rose. The fog slowly cleared away. We looked eagerly -towards Samchun, expecting, as the firing still continued, to see the -contending forces engaged in deadly battle. But to our surprise, -though every house in the town, every field and bank around it, stood -out distinct in the clear light, scarcely a human being was visible. -Before the gates a few soldiers lounged about unconcernedly. But the -firing still continued. We could see nothing to account for it and -began to wonder if it was a battle of phantoms. Gradually it died away -and left us still bewildered. Later on in the day came the explanation. -In view of our imaginary combat it was simple and ludicrous. The day -was one of the innumerable Chinese festivals; and the inhabitants of -Samchun and the neighbouring villages had been ushering it in in the -usual Celestial fashion with much burning of crackers and exploding -of bombs. To anyone who has heard the extraordinary noise of Chinese -fireworks, which accurately reproduces the rattle of musketry and -the booming of guns, our mistake is excusable. At the attack on the -Peiyang Arsenal outside Tientsin, on June 27th, 1900, by the British, -Americans, and Russians, the Chinese defenders, before evacuating it -when hard pressed, laid strings of crackers along the walls. As our -marines and bluejackets, with the Americans, advanced to the final -assault these were set fire to. The explosions sounded like a very -heavy fusillade and the assailants took cover. The Chinese meanwhile -bolted out of the arsenal and got safely away before the attackers -discovered the trick and stormed the place. - -A week or two after this false alarm, I obtained permission to cross -into Chinese territory and visit Samchun. The town looked very -interesting at a distance, with its high walls and two square stone -towers, which were in reality pawn‐shops. For these establishments in -China are looked upon as safe deposit offices. A rich man about to -leave home for any length of time removes his valuables to the nearest -pawn‐shop and there stores them. They are the first places attacked -when a band of robbers seizes some small town, as frequently happens. -So they are built in the form of strong towers with the entrance -generally several feet from the ground, in order that the proprietor -and his friends may retire within and defend them. - -Accompanied by Captain Woolley, I.M.S., I set out to visit the -town, having received many injunctions to be careful not to embroil -ourselves with the inhabitants or the soldiery, who were not likely -to prove over friendly. We were provided with interpreters in the -persons of a Chinese policeman in British employ and a Sikh constable -who had learned to converse very well in the language of the country. -As we intended to make a formal call on the mandarin in command of -Samchun and had heard that in China a man’s importance is gauged -by the size of his visiting‐card, we wrote our names on sheets of -foolscap—the largest pieces of paper we could find. Red, however, is -the proper colour. In mufti and taking no weapons, we left the camp -and crossed the river in a small, flat‐bottomed ferry‐boat. Landed on -the far side, we set off along the tops of the mud banks between the -paddy‐fields, the only roads available. Those which are used as general -paths are laid with flat stones, which, not being fastened in any -way, occasionally tilt up and slide about in a disconcerting manner. -As we neared the town we were observed with interest by a number of -Chinese soldiers lounging about in front of the principal gateway. We -felt a little nervous as to our reception but putting a bold face on -the matter directed our way towards them. We were stopped, however, -by our Chinese policeman, who told us that we should not approach -this entrance as it faced the mandarin’s Yamen and was reserved for -important individuals. We being _merely_ foreigners—this although -he was in British employment!—must seek admittance through the back -gate into the town. Irritated at his insolent tone, the Sikh constable -shoved him aside, and we approached the guard. The soldiers, though not -openly hostile—for the white tents of our camp, plainly visible across -the river, had a sobering effect—treated us with scarcely‐veiled -contempt. On our Sikh interpreter informing them that we were English -officers who had come to visit their mandarin, they airily replied -that that dignitary was asleep and could not see us. Annoyed at -their impertinent manner, we ordered them to go and wake him. Rather -impressed by our audacity, they held a consultation. Then one went -into the Yamen. He returned in a few minutes with a message to the -effect that the mandarin regretted that he could not see us as he was -not dressed. Seeing the effect of our previous curtness, we haughtily -bade the soldier tell the mandarin to put on his clothes at once; see -him we must. Visibly impressed this time, he hastened inside again and -promptly returned with an invitation to enter the Yamen. We passed -through the gate with as important an air as we could assume. It had -been a game of bluff on both sides and we had won; for on the verandah -of the house inside the entrance we were received by the mandarin, -correctly attired. With hands folded over each other, he bowed low -and led the way into the interior. The room was small and plainly -furnished. High‐backed, uncomfortable chairs stood round a square -blackwood table. On the walls hung crude pictures or tablets painted -with Chinese characters. Our host, who was really a most courteous old -gentleman, bowed again and, pointing to the chairs, begged us—as we -judged from his manner—to be seated. We politely refused until he had -taken a chair himself. He then addressed us in sing‐song Chinese words, -which our Sikh interpreter assured us were an expression of the honour -he felt at our condescending to visit such an unworthy individual. We -framed our reply in equally humble terms. He then inquired the reason -of the coming of our force to the frontier. We informed him that it -was merely to guard our territory from invasion and assured him that -we had no evil designs on Samchun. He pretended to feel satisfied at -this, but doubt evidently still lingered in his mind. The conversation -then dragged on spasmodically until we asked his permission to visit -the town. He seemed to hail our request with relief as a chance of -politely ridding himself of us and ordered four soldiers to get ready -to accompany us as an escort. One of the attendants, at a sign from -him, then left the room and returned with three little cups covered -with brass saucers. - -“Now we shall taste really high‐class Chinese tea,” said Woolley to me -in an undertone. - -We removed the saucers. The cups were filled with boiling water. At -the bottom lay a few black twigs and leaves. Imitating the mandarin’s -actions, we raised our cups in both hands and tried to drink the hot -and tasteless contents. The Chinese tea was a distinct failure. - -A few black, formidable‐looking cigars were now placed upon the table. -Mindful of the vile odours that inevitably possess the filthy streets -of the native towns in China, we took some. Then as our escort appeared -in the courtyard in front of the house, we rose. Expressing profuse -thanks to our courteous host through the interpreter, we folded our -hands and bowed ourselves out in the politest Chinese fashion. - -Following our military guides, we entered the town. They led us -first to the house of a lesser mandarin, whom we visited. He was -as surly as his superior was amiable. He very speedily ordered tea -for us as a sign of dismissal. However, as a mark of attention, he -sent two lantern‐bearers to accompany us. Quitting him with little -hesitation, we followed our escort and plunged again into the town. -The streets were narrow and indescribably filthy. Deep, open drains -bordered them, filled with refuse. Extending our arms, we could nearly -touch the houses on each side. On either hand were shops, some with -glass‐windowed fronts, others open to the street. Some were fairly -extensive, filled with garments or rolls of cloth. Others exhibited for -sale clocks, cheap embroidery, tinsel jewellery, or common pottery. -Every third one at least sold food, raw or cooked. Dried fish or ducks -split open, the heads and necks of the latter attached to the bodies; -pork, meat, and sucking‐pigs; rice, flour, or vegetables. Near one shop -stood a grinning Chinaman who spoke to us in pidgin‐English. Beside him -was an open barrel filled with what looked like dried prunes. I pointed -to them and asked what they were. - -“That?” he said, popping one into his mouth and munching it with -evident relish. “That belong cocky‐loachee. Velly good!” - -They were dried cockroaches! - -Farther on another pig‐tailed individual spoke to us in fluent English -with a Yankee twang. - -“Do you live in Samchun?” I asked him, in surprise. - -“Not much, you bet!” he replied. “I don’t belong to this darned country -any more. I live in ’Frisco.” - -He explained that he had come to Hong Kong as a sailor on an American -vessel, and had wandered out to Samchun to see a relative. With a “So -long, boss!” from him we passed on. - -Every fifth or sixth house was a gambling‐den. Around the tables were -seated Chinamen of all ages engaged in playing _fan‐tan_, that slowest -and most exasperating of all methods of “plunging.” The interiors of -these establishments were gay with much elaborate gilt carving. - -It was now growing dark, and our lantern‐bearers lighted the paper -lamps swinging at the end of long sticks they carried. We directed -our escort to lead us out of the town. We wished to dismiss them at -the gate; but they assured the interpreter that their orders were -strict—not to quit us until they had seen us safely out of Chinese -territory. So we made our way to the river. Arrived there, my companion -and I discussed the question as to whether we should reward our escort -with a tip or whether they would be insulted, being soldiers, at the -offer. Finally we resolved to give them a dollar. If they did not look -satisfied, we would increase the amount. So a bright English dollar -was handed to the Sikh to be given to them. Satisfied! They seemed as -if they had never seen such wealth before. They crowded round us with -voluble thanks; and with quite an affecting farewell we went down to -the water’s edge. To our surprise we found our commanding officer with -a party of armed sepoys crossing over to us in the ferry‐boat. Alarmed -at our long absence, he had feared that something untoward had happened -to us and was coming in search of us. When we arrived at the camp we -found the others rather uneasy about us; though some cheerfully assured -us that they had been hoping that the Chinese had at least captured us -to give them an excuse for attacking and looting Samchun. - -Shortly afterwards, interested at our description of our adventures, -our commanding officer determined to visit Samchun. A letter in Chinese -was sent to the mandarin to acquaint him with our chief’s intention. -Next morning we were surprised by the sight of eight Chinese soldiers, -armed with carbines and accompanied by the Sikh interpreter, crossing -the river and ascending the path to the camp. As they approached the -tents our sepoys, anxious to see the redoubtable warriors at close -range, rushed out and flocked round them. Terrified at the sight of -these strange black men, the Chinese soldiers dropped on their knees, -flung their carbines on the ground, and held up their hands in abject -supplication, entreating the interpreter to beg the fierce‐looking -foreign devils not to beat them. The sepoys roared with laughter, -patted them on the backs, and bore them off to their tents to soothe -them with tea and cigarettes. The Sikh constable was the bearer of a -message from the mandarin, expressing his pleasure at the intended -visit of our commandant and informing him that an escort had been sent -as a mark of honour. Accompanied by twenty of our tallest sepoys we -crossed the river and set out for Samchun. - -As we approached the town we found that the whole garrison of 400 men -had been turned out to welcome us and were formed up to line the road -near the gate of the Yamen. Fourteen huge banners of many colours -waved above the ranks. In front of the entrance stood the mandarin and -his suite in their gala dress, waiting to receive us. Our commanding -officer had ridden up on his Arab charger, which must have seemed -an immense horse to the Chinamen present, accustomed only to the -diminutive ponies of their own country. The mandarin came forward to -welcome our chief and apologised for not receiving him with a salute of -cannon, as, he said, he had been afraid of startling his steed! - -While compliments were being exchanged, I walked down the ranks of the -Chinese troops and inspected them closely. They were nearly all small -and miserable‐looking men, clad in long red or blue coats, with huge -straw hats. They were armed with single‐loading Mausers or Winchester -repeating carbines. I looked at a few of these. The outside of the -barrels were bright and had evidently been cleaned with emery paper; -but inside they were completely choked with rust and the weapons were -absolutely useless. The men were evidently merely coolies, hurriedly -impressed by the mandarins when called upon by the Viceroy of Canton -to produce the troops for whom they regularly drew pay. This is a -favourite device of the corrupt Chinese officials, who receive an -allowance to keep up a certain number of soldiers. They buy and store -a corresponding number of uniforms and rifles. When warned of an -approaching inspection by some higher authority, they gather in coolies -and clothe and arm them for the duration of his visit. The superior -official—his own palm having been well greased—forbears to inspect -them too closely, and departs to report to the Viceroy of the province -that the troops are of excellent quality. Then the uniforms and rifles -are returned to store, and the coolies dismissed with—or more probably -without—a few cents to recompense them for their trouble. - -Latterly in the North this does not always occur; and some of the -troops, trained by foreigners and armed with the latest quick‐firing -guns and magazine rifles, are very good. The Imperial forces which -opposed Admiral Seymour’s advance and attacked Tientsin were of very -different calibre to those employed in the suppression of the Triad -rebellion. The shooting of their gunners and riflemen was excellent. -The army of Yuan‐Shi‐Kai, who was Governor of the province of Shantung -during the troubles in the North, is a good example of what Chinese -soldiers can be when well trained. - -The interview between the mandarin of Samchun and our commanding -officer was an elaborate repetition of my own experience. The visit -over, we entered the town, inspected some of the temples, and bought -some curiosities in the shops. Then, escorted by our original party of -Chinese soldiers, we returned to the river. - -At the end of November we were roused one night by urgent messages -from the British police in the Hinterland to the effect that parties -of rebels were hovering on the frontier and it was feared that they -intended to raid across into our territory. In response to their -request, a strong party was sent out at once to reinforce them. About -four a.m. a European police sergeant arrived in breathless haste with -the information that the rebels had crossed the boundary and seized two -villages lying inside our border. They had fired on the police patrols. -Two companies of the 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Captain Hatherell and -Lieutenant Burke, fell in promptly and marched off under the guidance -of two Sikh policemen sent for the purpose. Preceded by scouts and a -strong advanced guard, under a Pathan native officer, Subhedar Khitab -Gul, they bore down at daybreak on the villages reported captured. But -the rebels had apparently received information of their coming and -had fled back across the border. The troops, bitterly disappointed at -being deprived of a fight, returned about nine a.m. to camp, where the -remainder of the force had been ready to support them if necessary. - -No further attempts were ever made against our territory, and shortly -afterwards the Frontier Field Force returned to headquarters. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONY OF MACAO - - -Forty miles from Hong Kong, hidden away among the countless islands -that fringe the entrance to the estuary of the Chukiang or Pearl -River, lies the Portuguese settlement of Macao. Once flourishing and -prosperous, the centre of European trade with Southern China, it is now -decaying and almost unknown—killed by the competition of its young and -successful rival. Long before Elizabeth ascended the throne of England -the venturesome Portuguese sailors and merchants had reached the Far -East. There they carried their country’s flag over seas where now it -never flies. An occasional gunboat represents in Chinese waters their -once powerful and far‐roaming navy. - -In the island of Lampacao, off the south‐eastern coast, their traders -were settled, pushing their commerce with the mainland. In 1557 the -neighbouring peninsula of Macao was ceded to them in token of the -Chinese Emperor’s gratitude for their aid in destroying the power of a -pirate chief who had long held sway in the seas around. The Dutch, the -envious rivals of the Portuguese in the East, turned covetous eyes on -the little colony which speedily began to flourish. In 1622 the troops -in Macao were despatched to assist the Chinese against the Tartars. -Taking advantage of their absence, the Governor of the Dutch East -Indies fitted out a fleet to capture their city. In the June of that -year the hostile ships appeared off Macao and landed a force to storm -the fort. The valiant citizens fell upon and defeated the invaders; and -the Dutch sailed away baffled. Until the early part of the nineteenth -century the Portuguese paid an annual tribute of five hundred taels to -the Chinese Government in acknowledgment of their nominal suzerainty. -In 1848, the then Governor, Ferreira Amaral, refused to continue this -payment and expelled the Chinese officials from the colony. In 1887, -the independence of Macao was formally admitted by the Emperor in a -treaty to that effect. - -But the palmy days of its commerce died with the birth of Hong Kong. -The importance of the Portuguese settlement has dwindled away. Macao -is but a relic of the past. Its harbour is empty. The sea around has -silted up with the detritus from the Pearl River until now no large -vessels can approach. A small trade in tea, tobacco, opium, and silk is -all that is left. The chief revenue is derived from the taxes levied on -the numerous Chinese gambling‐houses in the city, which have gained for -it the title of the Monte Carlo of the East. - -Macao is situated on a small peninsula connected by a long, narrow -causeway with the island of Heung Shan. The town faces southward and, -sheltered by another island from the boisterous gales of the China -seas, is yet cooled by the refreshing breezes of the south, from which -quarter the wind blows most of the year in that latitude. Victoria in -our colony, on the other hand, is cut off from them by the high Peak -towering above it; and its climate in consequence is hot and steamy in -the long and unpleasant summer. So Macao is, then, a favourite resort -of the citizens of Hong Kong. The large, flat‐bottomed steamer that -runs between the two places is generally crowded on Saturdays with -inhabitants of the British colony, going to spend the week‐end on the -cooler rival island. - -The commercial competition of Macao is no longer to be dreaded. But -this decaying Portuguese possession has recently acquired a certain -importance in the eyes of the Hong Kong authorities and our statesmen -in England by the fears of French aggression aroused by apparent -endeavours to gain a footing in Macao. Attempts have been made to -purchase property in it in the name of the French Government which -are suspected to be the thin end of the wedge. Although the colony -is not dangerous in the hands of its present possessors, it might -become so in the power of more enterprising neighbours. Were it -occupied by the French a much larger garrison would be required in -Hong Kong. Of course, any attempt to invade our colony from Macao -would be difficult; as the transports could not be convoyed by any -large warships owing to the shallowness of the sea between the two -places until Hong Kong harbour is reached. One battleship or cruiser, -even without the assistance of the forts, should suffice to blow out -of the water any vessels of sufficiently light draught to come out of -the port of Macao. If any specially constructed, powerfully armed, -shallow‐draught men‐o’‐war—which alone would be serviceable—were -sent out from Europe, their arrival would be noted and their purpose -suspected. Still an opportunity might be seized when our China squadron -was elsewhere engaged and the garrison of Hong Kong denuded. On the -whole, the Portuguese are preferable neighbours to the aggressive -French colonial party, which is constantly seeking to extend its -influence in Southern China. In 1802 and again in 1808 Macao was -occupied by us as a precaution against its seizure by the French. - -When garrison duty in Hong Kong during the damp, hot days of the summer -palled, I once took ten days’ leave to the pleasanter climate of Macao. -I embarked in Victoria in one of the large, shallow‐draught steamers -of the Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company, which keeps up -the communication between the English and Portuguese colonies and the -important Chinese city by a fleet of some half‐dozen vessels. With the -exception of one, they are all large and roomy craft from 2,000 to -3,000 tons burden. They run to, and return from, Canton twice daily -on week‐days. One starts from Hong Kong to Macao every afternoon and -returns the following morning, except on Sundays. Between Macao and -Canton they ply three times a week. The fares are not exorbitant—from -Hong Kong to Macao three dollars, to Canton five, each way; between -Macao and Canton three. The Hong Kong dollar in 1901 was worth about -1_s._ 10_d._ - -The steamer on which I made the short passage to Macao was the -_Heungshan_ (1,998 tons). She was a large shallow‐draught vessel, -painted white for the sake of coolness. She was mastless, with one -high funnel, painted black; the upper deck was roomy and almost -unobstructed. The sides between it and the middle deck were open; and a -wide promenade lay all round the outer bulkheads of the cabins on the -latter. Extending from amid‐ships to near the bows were the first‐class -state‐rooms and a spacious, white‐and‐gold‐panelled saloon. For’ard of -this the deck was open. Shaded by the upper deck overhead, this formed -a delightful spot to laze in long chairs and gaze over the placid -water of the land‐locked sea at the ever‐changing scenery. Aft on the -same deck was the second‐class accommodation. Between the outer row of -cabins round the sides a large open space was left. This was crowded -with fat and prosperous‐looking Chinamen, lolling on chairs or mats, -smoking long‐stemmed pipes with tiny bowls and surrounded by piles of -luggage. - -Below, on the lower deck, were herded the third‐class passengers, -all Chinese coolies. The companion‐ways leading up to the main deck -were closed by padlocked iron gratings. At the head of each stood an -armed sentry, a half‐caste or Chinese quartermaster in bluejacket‐like -uniform and naval straw hat. He was equipped with carbine and revolver; -and close by him was a rack of rifles and cutlasses. All the steamers -plying between Hong Kong, Macao, and Canton are similarly guarded; for -the pirates who infest the Pearl River and the network of creeks near -its mouth have been known to embark on them as innocent coolies and -then suddenly rise, overpower the crew and seize the ship. For these -vessels, besides conveying specie and cargo, have generally a number of -wealthy Chinese passengers aboard, who frequently carry large sums of -money with them. - -The _Heungshan_ cast off from the crowded, bustling wharf and threaded -her way out of Hong Kong harbour between the numerous merchant ships -lying at anchor. In between Lantau and the mainland we steamed over the -placid water of what seemed an inland lake. The shallow sea is here so -covered with islands that it is generally as smooth as a mill‐pond. -Past stately moving junks and fussy little steam launches we held our -way. Islands and mainland rising in green hills from the water’s edge -hemmed in the narrow channel. In about two and a half hours we sighted -Macao. We saw ahead of us a low eminence covered with the buildings of -a European‐looking town. Behind it rose a range of bleak mountains. -We passed along by a gently curving bay lined with houses and fringed -with trees, rounded a cape, and entered the natural harbour which -lies between low hills. It was crowded with junks and sampans. In the -middle lay a trim Portuguese gunboat, the _Zaire_, three‐masted, with -white superstructure and funnel and black hull. The small Canton‐Macao -steamer was moored to the wharf. - -The quay was lined with Chinese houses, two‐ or three‐storied, with -arched verandahs. The _Heungshan_ ran alongside, the hawsers were -made fast, and gangways run ashore. The Chinese passengers, carrying -their baggage, trooped on to the wharf. One of them in his hurry -knocked roughly against a Portuguese Customs officer who caught him -by the pigtail and boxed his ears in reward for his awkwardness. It -was a refreshing sight after the pampered and petted way in which the -Chinaman is treated by the authorities in Hong Kong. There the lowest -coolie can be as impertinent as he likes to Europeans, for he knows -that the white man who ventures to chastise him for his insolence will -be promptly summoned to appear before a magistrate and fined. Our -treatment of the subject races throughout our Empire errs chiefly in -its lack of common justice to the European. - -Seated in a ricksha, pulled and pushed by two coolies up steep -streets, I was finally deposited at the door of the Boa Vista Hotel. -This excellent hostelry—which the French endeavoured to secure for a -naval hospital, and which has since been purchased by the Portuguese -Government—was picturesquely situated on a low hill overlooking the -town. The ground on one side fell sharply down to the sea which lapped -the rugged rocks and sandy beach two or three hundred feet below. On -the other, from the foot of the hill, a pretty bay with a tree‐shaded -esplanade—called the Praia Grande—stretched away to a high cape about -a mile distant. The bay was bordered by a line of houses, prominent -among which was the Governor’s Palace. Behind them the city, built on -rising ground, rose in terraces. The buildings were all of the Southern -European type, with tiled roofs, Venetian‐shuttered windows, and walls -painted pink, white, blue, or yellow. Away in the heart of the town the -gaunt, shattered façade of a ruined church stood on a slight eminence. -Here and there small hills crowned with the crumbling walls of ancient -forts rose up around the city. - -Eager for a closer acquaintance with Macao, I drove out that afternoon -in a ricksha. I was whirled first along the Praia Grande, which runs -around the curving bay below the hotel. On the right‐hand side lay a -strongly built sea‐wall. On the tree‐shaded promenade between it and -the roadway groups of the inhabitants of the city were enjoying the -cool evening breeze. Sturdy little Portuguese soldiers in dark‐blue -uniforms and _képis_ strolled along in two and threes, ogling the -yellow or dark‐featured Macaese ladies, a few of whom wore mantillas. -Half‐caste youths, resplendent in loud check suits and immaculate -collars and cuffs, sat on the sea‐wall or, airily puffing their cheap -cigarettes, sauntered along the promenade with languid grace. Grave -citizens walked with their families, the prettier portion of whom -affected to be demurely unconscious of the admiring looks of the -aforesaid dandies. A couple of priests in shovel hats and long, black -cassocks moved along in the throng. - -The left side of the Praia was lined with houses, among which were -some fine buildings, including the Government, Post and Telegraph -Bureaus, commercial offices, private residences, and a large mansion, -with two projecting wings, the Governor’s Palace. At the entrance -stood a sentry, while the rest of the guard lounged near the doorway. -At the end of the Praia Grande were the pretty public gardens, shaded -by banyan trees, with flower‐beds, a bandstand, and a large building -beyond it—the Military Club. Past the gate of the Gardens the road -turned away from the sea and ran between rows of Chinese houses until -it reached the long, tree‐bordered Estrada da Flora. On the left lay -cultivated land. On the right the ground sloped gently back to a bluff -hill, on which stood a lighthouse, the oldest in China. At the foot -of this eminence lay the pretty summer residence of the Governor, -picturesquely named Flora, surrounded by gardens and fenced in by a -granite wall. Continuing under the name of Estrada da Bella Vista, the -road ran on to the sea and turned to the left around a flower‐bordered, -terraced green mound, at the summit of which was a look‐out whence -a charming view was obtained. From this the mound derives the name -of Bella Vista. In front lay a shallow bay. To the left the shore -curved round to a long, low, sandy causeway, which connects Macao with -the island of Heung Shan. Midway on this stood a masonry gateway, -Porta Cerco, which marks the boundary between Portuguese and Chinese -territory. Hemmed in by a sea‐wall, the road continued from Bella Vista -along above the beach, past the isthmus, on which was a branch road -leading to the Porta, by a stretch of cultivated ground, and round the -peninsula, until it reached the city again. - -After dinner that evening, accompanied by a friend staying at the -same hotel, I strolled down to the Public Gardens, where the police -band was playing and the “beauty and fashion” of Macao assembled. -They were crowded with gay promenaders. Trim Portuguese naval or -military officers, brightly dressed ladies, soldiers, civilians, -priests and laity strolled up and down the walks or sat on the benches. -Sallow‐complexioned children chased each other round the flower‐beds. -Opposite the bandstand stood a line of chairs reserved for the Governor -and his party. We met some acquaintances among the few British -residents in the colony; and one of them, being an honorary member of -the Military Club situated at one end of the Gardens, invited us into -it. We sat at one of the little tables on the terrace, where the élite -of Macao drank their coffee and liqueurs, and watched the gay groups -promenading below. The scene was animated and interesting, thoroughly -typical of the way in which Continental nations enjoy outdoor life, -as the English never can. Hong Kong, with all its wealth and large -European population, has no similar social gathering‐place; and its -citizens wrap themselves in truly British unneighbourly isolation. - -The government of Macao is administered from Portugal. The Governor -is appointed from Europe; and the local Senate is vested solely with -the municipal administration of the colony. The garrison consists of -Portuguese artillerymen to man the forts and a regiment of Infantry of -the Line, relieved regularly from Europe. There is also a battalion -of police, supplemented by Indian and Chinese constables—the former -recruited among the natives of the Portuguese territory of Goa on -the Bombay coast, though many of the sepoys hail from British India. -A gunboat is generally stationed in the harbour. The troubles all -over China in 1900 had a disturbing influence even in this isolated -Portuguese colony. An attack from Canton was feared in Macao as well as -in Hong Kong; and the utmost vigilance was observed by the garrison. -One night heavy firing was heard from the direction of the Porta -Cerco, the barrier on the isthmus. It was thought that the Chinese -were at last descending on the settlement. The alarm sounded and the -troops were called out. Sailors were landed from the _Zaire_ with -machine‐guns. A British resident in Macao told me that so prompt were -the garrison in turning out that in twenty minutes all were at their -posts and every position for defence occupied. At each street‐corner -stood a strong guard; and machine‐guns were placed so as to prevent -any attempt on the part of the Chinese in the city to aid their -fellow‐countrymen outside. However, it was found that the alarm was -occasioned by the villagers who lived just outside the boundary, firing -on the guards at the barrier in revenge for the continual insults to -which their women, when passing in and out to market in Macao, were -subjected by the Portuguese soldiers at the gate. No attack followed -and the incident had no further consequences. At the close of 1901 or -the beginning of 1902, more serious alarm was caused by the conduct -of the regiment recently arrived from Portugal in relief. Dissatisfied -with their pay or at service in the East, the men mutinied and -threatened to seize the town. The situation was difficult, as they -formed the major portion of the garrison. Eventually, however, the -artillerymen, the police battalion, and the sailors from the _Zaire_ -succeeded in over‐awing and disarming them. The ringleaders were seized -and punished, and that incident closed. - -The European‐born Portuguese in the colony are few and consist chiefly -of the Government officials and their families and the troops. They -look down upon the Macaese—as the colonials are called—with the -supreme contempt of the pure‐blooded white man for the half‐caste. For, -judging from their complexions and features, few of the Macaese are of -unmixed descent. So the Portuguese from Europe keep rigidly aloof from -them and unbend only to the few British and Americans resident in the -colony. These are warmly welcomed in Macao society and freely admitted -into the exclusive official circles. - -On the day following my arrival, I went in uniform to call upon the -Governor in the palace on the Praia Grande. Accompanied by a friend, -I rickshaed from the hotel to the gate of the courtyard. The guard at -the entrance saluted as we approached; and I endeavoured to explain the -reason of our coming to the sergeant in command. English and French -were both beyond his understanding; but he called to his assistance -a functionary, clad in gorgeous livery, who succeeded in grasping the -fact that we wished to see the aide‐de‐camp to the Governor. He ushered -us into a waiting‐room opening off the spacious hall. In a few minutes -a smart, good‐looking officer in white duck uniform entered. He was the -aide‐de‐camp, Senhor Carvalhaes. Speaking in fluent French, he informed -us that the Governor was not in the palace but would probably soon -return, and invited us to wait. He chatted pleasantly with us, gave us -much interesting information about Macao, and proffered his services -to make our stay in Portuguese territory as enjoyable as he could. We -soon became on very friendly terms and he accepted an invitation to -dine with us at the hotel that night. The sound of the guard turning -out and presenting arms told us that the Governor had returned. Senhor -Carvalhaes, praying us to excuse him, went out to inform his Excellency -of our presence. In a few minutes the Governor entered and courteously -welcomed us to Macao. He spoke English extremely well; although he -had only begun to learn it since he came to the colony not very long -before. After a very pleasant and friendly interview with him we took -our departure, escorted to the door by the aide‐de‐camp. - -On the following day I paid some calls on the British and American -residents and then went down to the English tennis‐ground, which is -situated close to Bella Vista. Here, in the afternoons, the little -colony of aliens in Macao generally assemble. The consuls and their -wives and families, with a few missionaries and an occasional merchant, -make up their number. Close by the tennis‐courts, in a high‐walled -enclosure shaded by giant banyans, lies the English cemetery. - -That night a civilian from Hong Kong, Mr. Ivan Grant‐Smith, and I had -an unpleasant adventure which illustrates the scant respect with which -the ægis of British power is regarded abroad. We are prone to flatter -ourselves that the world stands in awe of our Empire’s might, that the -magic words, “I am an English citizen!” will bear us scatheless through -any danger. The following instance—by no means an isolated one—of how -British subjects are often treated by the meanest officials of other -States may be instructive. - -We had dined that evening at the house of one of the English residents -in Macao. The dinner, which was to celebrate the birthday of his son, -was followed by a dance; so that it was after one o’clock in the -morning before we left to walk back to the hotel, about a mile away. -Leaving the main streets, we tried a short cut along a lonely road -hemmed in by high garden walls. The ground on one side sloped up, -so that the level of the enclosures was but little below the top of -the wall fronting the road. As we passed one garden some dogs inside -it, roused by our voices, climbed on the wall and began to bark -persistently at us. In the vain hope of silencing them, Grant‐Smith -threw a few stones at the noisy animals. They barked all the more -furiously. A small gate in the wall a little distance farther on -suddenly opened and a half‐dressed Portuguese appeared. I had happened -to stop to light a cigar, and my companion had gone on ahead. The -new‐comer on the scene rushed at him and poured forth a torrent of what -was evidently abuse. My friend very pacifically endeavoured to explain -by gestures what had happened; but the Portuguese, becoming still more -enraged, shouted for the police patrol and blew a whistle loudly. -An Indian constable ran up. The infuriated citizen spoke to him in -Portuguese and then returned inside his garden, closing the gate. The -sepoy seized Mr. Grant‐Smith by the shoulder. I asked him in Hindustani -what my friend had done. The constable replied that he did not know. I -said, “Then why do you arrest the sahib?” - -“Because that man”—pointing to the garden—“told me to do so.” - -“Who is he?” I demanded, naturally concluding that we must have -disturbed the slumbers of some official whom the sepoy recognised. - -To my astonishment he replied— - -“I do not know, sahib. I never saw him before.” - -As Grant‐Smith was ignorant of Hindustani and the Indian of English, I -was forced to act as interpreter. - -“Then,” said I, “as you don’t know of what the sahib is guilty or even -the name of his accuser, you must release him.” - -“I cannot, sahib. I must take him to the police‐station.” - -Another Indian constable now came on the scene. I explained matters -to him and insisted on his entering the garden and fetching out the -complainant. He went in, and in a few minutes returned with the -Portuguese hastily clad. He was in a very bad temper at being again -disturbed; for, thinking that he had comfortably disposed of us for the -night, he had calmly gone to bed. - -We all now proceeded to a small police‐station about a mile away, -passing the hotel on the road. Furious at the unjust arrest and -irritated at the coolness of the complainant and the stupidity of the -sepoy, my friend and I were anxious to see some superior authority. We -never doubted that a prompt release and apology, as well as a reprimand -to the over‐zealous constable, would immediately follow. British -subjects were not to be treated in this high‐handed fashion! - -Arrived at the station, we found only a Portuguese constable, with -a Chinese policeman lying asleep on a guard‐bed in the corner. The -accuser now came forward and charged my companion with “throwing -stones at a dwelling‐house,” as the Indians informed me. Using them -to interpret, I endeavoured to explain the affair to the Portuguese -constable. He simply shrugged his shoulders, wrote down the charge, -and said that the prisoner must be taken to the Head Police Office for -the night. He added that, there being no charge against me, I was not -concerned in the matter, and could go home. - -However, as my unfortunate friend required me as interpreter, I had no -intention of abandoning him, and accompanied him when he was marched -off to durance vile. The Portuguese policeman at first wished to send -him under the charge of the Chinese constable, whom he woke up for the -purpose; but we explained that if such an indignity were offered us we -would certainly refuse to go quietly with the Chinaman and might damage -him on the way. He then allowed the Indian sepoys, who were very civil, -to escort us. My luckless companion was then solemnly marched through -the town until the Head Police Office was reached, over two miles away. -It was a rambling structure in the heart of the city, with ancient -buildings and tree‐shaded courts. Down long corridors and across a -grass‐grown yard we were led into a large office. A half‐open door in -a partition on the left bore the inscription, “Quarto del Sargento.” -On the right, behind a large screen, a number of Portuguese policemen -lay asleep on beds. The sepoys roused a sergeant, who sat up grumbling -and surveyed us with little friendliness. The scene was rather amusing. -My friend and I in correct evening dress, as haughtily indignant as -Britishers should be under such circumstances, the Indian sepoys -standing erect behind us, the surly complainant, whom the light of the -office lamps revealed to be a very shoddy and common individual, the -half‐awakened policemen gazing sleepily at us from their beds, would -have made a capital tableau in a comedy. The sergeant rose and put -on his uniform. Seating himself at a table in the office he read the -charge. Without further ado he ordered a bed to be brought down and -placed for the prisoner in the empty “Quarto del Sargento.” He then -rose from the table and prepared to retire. I stopped him and demanded -that our explanation should be listened to. I told him, through the -interpreters, that if the ridiculous charge against my friend was -to be proceeded with, he could be found at the hotel. There was no -necessity for confining him for the night, as he could not leave -Macao without the knowledge of the authorities. The sergeant curtly -replied that as there was no complaint against me I had better quit -the police‐station as soon as possible. If I wished to give evidence -for my friend, I could attend at the magistrate’s court in the morning -and do so. I informed him that I was an officer in the British Army, -and demanded to see a Portuguese officer. He replied that he was a -sergeant, and quite officer enough for me. His manner throughout was -excessively overbearing and offensive. I then threatened to appeal to -the British Consul. I am afraid that this only amused the Portuguese -policemen, who had left their beds to come into the office and listen -to the affair. They laughed amusedly; and the sergeant, smiling grimly, -bade the interpreting sepoy tell me that he did not care a snap of -his fingers for our Consul. I then played my trump card. I demanded -that a message should be immediately conveyed to the aide‐de‐camp -of the Governor, to the effect that one of his English friends with -whom he had dined the previous night had been arrested. The effect -was electrical. As soon as my speech had been translated to them, all -the Portuguese policemen became at once extremely civil. The sergeant -rushed to a telephone and rang up the police officer on duty. I caught -the words “ufficiales Inglesos” and “amigos del Senhor Carvalhaes.” -After a long conversation over the wire he returned smiling civilly, -saluted, and said that my companion could leave the station at once. -Would he have the supreme kindness to attend at the magistrate’s court -at ten o’clock in the morning? If he did not know where it was, a -constable would be sent to the hotel to guide him. - -We marched out with the honours of war. With profuse courtesy we were -escorted out of the police‐station, a sentry shouldering arms to us as -we passed; and the sergeant accompanied us to the outer gate, where he -parted from us with an elaborate salute. - -We reached the hotel about 3.30 a.m. Before nine o’clock I presented -myself at the palace, where I interviewed Senhor Carvalhaes and -recounted the whole affair to him. He was indignant at the conduct of -the police. He told me that we need not attend the court, as he would -settle the matter himself. Later on my friend and I saw the British -Consul, whom we knew personally, and told him all that had happened. -He said that he could not have helped us in the least had we appealed -to him. Some time previous an English colonel, in company with several -ladies, had been arrested by the police for not removing his hat when -a religious procession passed. As this officer happened to be a Roman -Catholic, his action was not meant to be disrespectful. He was not -released until the British Consul had interviewed the Governor. By a -curious coincidence I met this colonel some months later in Seöul, the -capital of Corea. - -That afternoon Grant‐Smith and I were invited to the Portuguese Naval -Tennis Club ground near Flora, the Governor’s summer residence. -Carvalhaes, who was present, came to me and told me that the affair -was settled. The trumpery charge had been dismissed; and the Indian -constable who had arrested Grant‐Smith had been punished with six -weeks’ imprisonment. As the unfortunate sepoy had only done what he -considered his duty and had been very civil throughout, as well as -helping me considerably by interpreting, I begged that the punishment -should be transferred from him to the discourteous Portuguese -sergeant. On my representations the Indian was released; but I doubt if -the man of the dominant caste received even a reprimand. - -Our adventure was now common property. We were freely chaffed about the -arrest by the Portuguese officers and the British residents present at -the Tennis Club. The wife of the Governor laughingly bade one of the -English ladies bring up the “prisoner” and present him to her. - -When one reflects that this quaint and old‐world little Portuguese -colony is only forty miles from Hong Kong with its large garrison, our -treatment by its insolent subordinate officials does not say much for -the respect for England’s might which we imagine is felt throughout the -world. - -I had another experience of an arrest in Japan. The spy mania is rife -in that country; and no photographing is permitted in the fortified -seaports or in large tracts of country “reserved for military -purposes.” In the important naval station of Yukosŭka, an hour’s -journey by train from Yokohama, an American gentleman and I were taken -into custody by a policeman for merely carrying a camera which, knowing -the regulations, we had been careful not to use. We found afterwards -that our ricksha coolies had given information. I was fortunately able -to speak Japanese sufficiently well to explain to our captor that we -had no intention of taking surreptitious photographs of the warships -in the harbour. I pointed out that as most of these vessels had been -built in England it was hardly necessary for a Britisher to come to -Japan to get information about them. Our little policeman—with the -ready capacity of his countrymen for seeing the feeblest joke—was -immensely tickled. He laughed heartily and released us. But shortly -afterwards an Italian officer, on his way to attend the Japanese -military manœuvres, innocently took some photographs of the scenery -near Shimoneseki. He was promptly arrested and subsequently fined forty -yen (£4) for the offence. A few days later an Englishman at Moji was -taken into custody for the same crime. Moral: do not carry a camera in -Japan; content yourself with the excellent and cheap photographs to be -obtained everywhere in that country of delightful scenery. - -To return to Macao. Its greatly advertised attraction is the famous -Chinese gambling‐houses, from the taxes on which is derived a large -portion of the revenues of the colony. Most visitors go to see them and -stake a dollar or two on the _fan‐tan_ tables. I did likewise and was -disappointed to find the famed saloons merely small Chinese houses, -the interiors glittering with tawdry gilt wood carving and blazing -at night with evil‐smelling oil lamps. On the ground floor stands a -large table, at the head of which sits the _croupier_, generally a -very bored‐looking old Chinaman. Along the sides are the players, -who occasionally lose the phlegmatic calm of their race in their -excitement. On the “board” squares are described, numbered 1, 2, 3, -and 4. On them the money is staked. The _croupier_ places a handful -of “cash,” which are small coins, on the table and covers them with -an inverted bowl. The number of them is not counted, as he takes them -at random from a pile beside him. As soon as all the stakes are laid -down, he lifts the bowl and with a chopstick counts the coins in -fours. The number left at the end, which must be one, two, three, or -four, represents the winning number. The bank pays three times the -stake deposited, less ten per cent., which is kept as its own share -of the winnings. In a gallery overhead sit European visitors and more -important Chinamen who do not wish to mix with the common herd around -the table. Their stakes are collected by an attendant who lowers them -in a bag at the end of a long string, and the _croupier_ places them -where desired. _Fan‐tan_ is not exciting. The counting of the coins -is tedious and the calculations of the amounts to be paid out to the -winners takes so long that the game becomes exceedingly wearisome. - -Other attractions of Macao are the ruins of the old cathedral of San -Paulo, built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835, of which the façade -still remains in good preservation; and the Gardens of Camoens, with -a bust of the famous Portuguese poet placed in a picturesque grotto -formed by a group of huge boulders. Camoens visited Macao, after -voyaging to Goa and the East by way of the Cape of Good Hope. - -In the basements of some of the older houses in Macao are the -Barracoons, relics of the coolie traffic suppressed in 1874. They -are large chambers where the coolies, to be shipped as labourers to -foreign parts, were lodged while awaiting exportation. Among other -points of interest near the city is the curious natural phenomenon -known as the Ringing Rocks. They are reached by boat to Lappa. They -consist of a number of huge granite boulders, supposed to be of some -metallic formation, picturesquely grouped together, which, when struck, -give out a clear bell‐like note, which dies away in gradually fainter -vibrations. Altogether Macao is well worthy of a visit. The contrast -between the sleepy old‐world city, which looks like a town in Southern -Europe, and bustling, thriving Hong Kong, all that is modern and -business‐like, is very striking. For the moneymaker the English colony; -for the dreamer Macao. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -A GLIMPSE OF CANTON - - -Canton is, to foreigners, probably the best‐known and most frequently -visited city of China. Its proximity to, and ready accessibility -from Hong Kong, whence it is easily reached by a line of large river -steamers, renders it a favourite place with travellers to the East to -spend a portion of the time the mailboats usually stop in the English -harbour. A small colony of Europeans, consuls and merchants of several -nationalities, reside in its foreign settlement. Its considerable trade -and its occupation by the Allies after the war of 1856‐7 directed much -attention to it. Owing to its easy access, no other city in the Chinese -Empire has been so frequently described by European writers. Rudyard -Kipling, in his fascinating “From Sea to Sea,” paints a marvellous -word‐picture of the life in its crowded streets. But it is so bound up -with the interests of Hong Kong, its constant menace to our colony, -and the suspected designs of French aggression, that still something -new may be said about it. Despite its constant trade intercourse with -Europeans, Canton remains anti‐foreign. Its inhabitants have not -forgotten or forgiven its capture and occupation by the English and -French in the past. After the Boxer movement in the North in 1900, -many fears were entertained in Hong Kong lest a still more formidable -outbreak against foreigners in the South might be inaugurated by the -turbulent population of the restless city. The Europeans in Canton -sent their families in haste to Hong Kong and Macao; wealthy Chinamen -transferred their money to the banks in the former place; gunboats -were hurried up; and the garrison of our island colony stood ready. -The history of Canton’s intercourse with foreigners dates as far back -as the eighth century. Two hundred years later it was visited by Arab -traders, who were instrumental in introducing Mohammedanism, which -still remains alive in the city. In 1517 Emmanuel, King of Portugal, -sent an ambassador with a fleet of eight ships to Pekin; and the -Chinese Emperor sanctioned the opening of trade relations with Canton. -The English were much later in the field. In 1596, during the reign of -Elizabeth, our first attempt to establish intercourse with China ended -disastrously, as the two ships despatched were lost on the outward -voyage. The first English vessel to reach Canton arrived there in -1634. In the light of the present state of affairs in the East, it is -curious to note that an English ship which visited China in 1673 was -subsequently refused admittance to Japan. In 1615 the city was captured -by the Tartars. - -About half a century later the famous East India Company established -itself under the walls of Canton, and from there controlled the foreign -trade for nearly one hundred and fifty years. After much vexatious -interference by the native authorities, the influence of the Company -was abolished early in the nineteenth century. The conduct of the -Chinese Government as regards our commerce led to our declaring war in -1839. In 1841 a force under Sir Hugh (afterwards Lord) Gough surrounded -Canton and prepared to capture it. But negotiations were opened by -the Chinese, which ended in their being allowed to ransom the city -by the payment of the large sum of six million dollars. The war was -transferred farther north and ended with the Nanking Treaty of August, -1842, which threw open to foreign trade the ports of Shanghai, Ning‐po, -Foochow, and Amoy. It was further stipulated that foreigners were to -be permitted to enter the city of Canton. This provision, however, the -Chinese refused to carry out. More vexatious quarrels and an insult to -the British flag by the seizure of a Chinaman on the _Arrow_, a small -vessel sailing under our colours, led to a fresh war in 1856. The -outbreak of hostilities was followed by the pillaging and destruction -of the “factories” of the foreign merchants in Canton by an infuriated -mob in the December of that year. In 1857 the city was taken by storm -by a force under Sir Charles Straubenzee. For four years afterwards it -was occupied by an English and French garrison. The affairs of the -city were administered by three allied commissioners—two English and -one French officer—under the British General. They held their court in -the Tartar General’s Yamen, part of which is still used by the English -Consul for official receptions. Since the allied garrison was withdrawn -Canton has been freely open to foreigners. - -On the conclusion of peace it was necessary to find a settlement for -the European merchants whose factories had been destroyed. It was -determined to fill in and appropriate an extensive mud‐flat lying -near the north bank of the river and south‐west of the city. This -site having been leased, was converted into an artificial island by -building a massive embankment of granite and constructing a canal, 100 -feet wide, between the northern face and the adjacent Chinese suburb. -The ground thus reclaimed measures about 950 yards in length and 320 -yards broad in its widest part. It is in shape an irregular oval, and -is called Shameen, or, more proper, Sha‐mien, _i.e._ sand‐flats. The -island is divided into the English and the French Concessions. On it -the consulates and the residences of the foreign merchants are built. -The canal is crossed by two bridges, called respectively the English -and the French, which can be closed by gates. They are guarded by the -Settlement police. The cost of making the island amounted to 325,000 -dollars (Mex.); of which the English Government paid four‐fifths and -the French one‐fifth. At first foreigners hesitated to occupy it; but -after the British Consulate was erected in 1865, our merchants began to -build upon it with more confidence. - -The journey from Hong Kong to Canton is very comfortably performed -on the commodious shallow‐draught steamers that ply between the two -cities. I left the island one afternoon with a party of friends. The -scenery along the rugged coast and among the hilly islands to the flat -delta at the mouth of the estuary with its countless creeks, still -haunted by pirates, is charming. As we steamed up the river we could -see, moving apparently among the fields, the huge sails of junks which -in reality were sailing on the canals that intersect the country. After -dinner I sat on deck with a very charming companion and watched the -shadowy banks gliding past in the moonlight. Turning in for the night -in a comfortable cabin, I slept until eight o’clock next morning, and -awoke to find the steamer alongside the river bank at Canton. - -The scene from the deck was animated and picturesque. On one side lay -the crowded houses and grim old walls of the city. The wharves were -thronged with bustling crowds. On the other, beyond the island suburb -of Honam, the country stretched away in cultivation to low hills in the -distance. The river was thronged with countless covered boats; for the -floating population of Canton amounts to about a quarter of a million -souls, and the crowded sampans lying in a dense mass on the water form -a separate town from the city on the land. It is almost self‐containing -and its inhabitants ply every imaginable trade. Peddlers of food, -vegetables, fruit, pots, pans, and wares of all kinds paddled their -boats along and shouted their stock‐in‐trade. Here and there a sampan -was being extricated with difficulty from the closely packed mass, its -crew earning voluble curses from their neighbours as they disentangled -their craft and shot out into the stream. - -I gazed over the steamer’s side at the crowded wharf. Chinese or -half‐caste Portuguese Customs officers rapidly scanned the baggage of -the pig‐tailed passengers as they landed, now and then stopping one and -making him open the bundles he carried. Opium‐smuggling is the chief -thing they guard against, for Hong Kong is a free port. - -The city of Canton lies on the north bank of the Pearl River, about -seventy or eighty miles from the sea. It is surrounded by an irregular -masonry wall, twenty‐five feet high, twenty feet thick, and six or -seven miles in circumference. This fortification is by no means as -strong as the famous Wall of the Tartar city in Pekin and could be -easily breached by the fire of heavy guns. Good artillery positions are -to be found all round. A few miles north of the city lie hills rising -1,200 feet above the river. As the southern wall is only a few hundred -yards from the bank, it could be destroyed and the city bombarded -without difficulty by gunboats, some of which—English, French, and -German—are nearly always lying off Shameen. The Chinese, however, are -reported to be quietly erecting modern, well‐armed forts around the -city; but were a powerful flotilla once anchored opposite it, it would -be doomed. - -Canton is divided into the old and the new city. The latter, the -southern enclosure, was added in 1568, extending the ramparts almost -to the river bank. The wall of the older portion still divides the two -as in Pekin. On the north this wall rises to include a hill. On the -other three sides Canton is surrounded by a ditch, which is filled by -the rising tide. There are twelve outer gates and four in the partition -wall. Two water‐gates admit boats along a canal which pierces the new -city east and west. The gates are closed at night; and in the daytime -soldiers are stationed near them to preserve order. As the policing of -the city is very bad, the inhabitants of streets and wards frequently -join in maintaining guards for the protection of their respective -quarters. - -The old city, which is very much the larger of the two, contains most -of the important buildings. In it are the yamens of the Viceroy, the -Major‐General, the Treasurer, the Chancellor, the Tartar General and -Major‐General, and of the British Consul, as well as the prisons, the -Examination Hall, the pagodas, and the numerous temples, of which -there are over 120 in or about Canton. The streets number over 600 in -both cities. - -In the new town facing the river is the French Missions Roman Catholic -Cathedral, a beautiful building of the perpendicular Gothic style of -architecture with lofty spires. It is embellished with magnificent -stained‐glass windows and polished teak‐wood carvings. It is built on -the site of the old residence of the Governor‐General, destroyed during -the bombardment by the Allies. - -On the south, west, and east sides of the city and across the river -on Honam Island, suburbs have sprung up, and including them it has a -circumference of nearly ten miles. The houses stretch for four miles -along the river; and the banks of boats extend for four or five miles. -Out in the stream may often be seen huge junks 600 to 1,000 tons -burden, which trade with the North and the Straits Settlements. - -In 1874 the population of Canton was 1,500,000, including the floating -town of 230,000, and the inhabitants of Honam 100,000. The number has -probably largely increased. - -Going ashore we installed ourselves in long‐poled open chairs, borne -by energetic coolies. As they went along rapidly at a shambling -half‐trot, they shouted loudly to the lounging crowds to clear the -way. Into the network of narrow streets in the city we plunged. The -houses are different to those in Pekin. They are generally of more -than one story, well built of brick, with thick walls and verandahs -along the fronts of the upper floors. The shops have little frontage, -but extend far back. The streets, paved with stone or brick, are -darkened by overhead reed matting, supported by wooden frames, which -stretch across them to shade them from the sun. So narrow are even the -principal thoroughfares that two chairs can hardly pass each other. -With much shouting and sing‐song abuse the coolies carrying one are -forced to back into the nearest shop and let the other go by. The -vistas along these narrow, shaded streets, with their long, hanging, -gilt‐lettered sign‐boards—red, white, or black—are full of quaint -charm. The busy crowds of Chinese foot passengers hurry silently along, -their felt‐soled shoes making no sound on the pavement. Contrary to -what I had always heard of them, the Canton populace struck me as not -being so insolent or hostile to Europeans as they are reputed. As our -chairs moved along, the bearers thrusting the crowds aside with scant -ceremony, very little notice was taken of us. A few remarks were made -by the bystanders, which one of our party, who spoke Cantonese, told me -were anything but complimentary. But all that day throughout the city I -found the demeanour of the people much less offensive than a Chinaman -in the lower quarters of London would. - -The shops were filled with articles of European manufacture. Clocks, -cloth, oleographs, lamps, kerosene oil tins, even sewing‐machines were -for sale. Eating‐houses, tea shops, stalls covered with the usual weird -forms of food, raw or cooked, abounded. The Chinaman has a catholic -taste. Horseflesh, dogs, cats, hawks, owls, sharks’ fins, and birds’ -nests are freely sold in Canton for human consumption. Carpenters were -busy making the substantial furniture to be found in almost every -Chinese house. Blacksmiths and coppersmiths added the noises of their -trades to the din that resounded through the narrow streets. Peddlers -with their wares spread about them on the ground helped to choke the -congested thoroughfares. Beggars shouted loudly for alms and drew the -attention of the passers‐by to their disgusting sores and deformities. - -Canton is famous for its ivory carvers and the artists in the beautiful -feather work, the making of which seems to be confined to this city. -As I wished to purchase some specimens of this unique art, our party -stopped at an establishment famed for its production. The shop was -lofty but dark. The owner came forward to receive us, and spread on the -counter a large selection of ornaments for our inspection. Trinkets -of all kinds, lace‐pins, pendants, brooches were exhibited, all -evidently made for European purchasers. The designs were very pretty. -Large butterflies shone with the reflected lights and golden lustre of -the beautiful green and blue plumage of the kingfisher. Tiny fishes -delicately fashioned, birds of paradise, flowers were all reproduced -in flimsy gold or silver work. Learning that I was anxious to see the -process of the manufacture, the proprietor led me over to watch one -of the workmen who sat around busily employed. On a metal ground‐work -with raised edges and lines the feathers are fastened to reproduce -the colours of the designs. With nimble fingers and delicate pincers -the tiny strips of plumage are laid on and cemented. Keen sight is -required for the work; and the proprietor told me that the eyes of the -workmen engaged in it soon fail. It takes five years for an apprentice -to thoroughly learn the art; and after he has laboured at it for two -years more his vision becomes so obscured that he has to give it up -and seek some other occupation. It is little wonder; for the shops in -these narrow, shaded streets are always dark, and the artificial light -generally used is furnished only by the cheapest European lamps. The -prices of the various articles are very moderate, when one considers -the delicacy and beauty of the work. Butterflies an inch across can be -purchased for two or three dollars. - -Our next visit was paid to the workers in ivory. Here, in a -similarly dark shop, men were employed in carving most exquisitely -delicate flowers, scenes, and figures. Brushes, mirror‐frames, fans, -glove‐stretchers, penholders, card‐cases, and boxes of all sizes were -being fashioned and adorned. I was particularly interested in the -making of those curious Chinese puzzle‐balls, which contain one within -another a dozen or more spheres, all down to the innermost one covered -with beautiful carvings which can be seen through the round holes -pierced in the sides. The owner of the shop showed me an apprentice -learning how to make them and practising on an old billiard ball. -Holes are drilled down to the depth which will be the circumference -of the second outermost ball. A graving tool, hooked like a hoe, is -introduced into them and worked round until there is a complete solid -sphere detached inside. It is then carved in designs, every part being -reached by turning the ball round until each portion of the surface has -come opposite one of the holes through which the carving instrument can -reach it. Then a similar process is gone through at a greater depth -from the outside, which gives the third outermost sphere; and so on -until the innermost ball is reached, which is carved and left solid. -There are sometimes as many as twenty‐four of these graduated spheres. -To one who has never seen how they are made it seems impossible to -understand how these balls within balls are carved. Sections of -elephants’ tusks lay about in the shop to prove to the customers that -only real ivory is employed; but bone is often used in the making of -cheaper articles. - -In this trade, too, good sight is necessary; and the proprietor of -this establishment told me that the eyes of his workmen soon give out. -Here, again, the bad light was responsible. In Kioto, in Japan, I have -watched men engaged in damascene or inlay work in dingy attics lighted -only by small, smoky oil lamps, and was not surprised to learn that -their sight did not last long. - -We next inspected some embroidery shops, where specimens of wonderful -work, both new and old, were to be seen. The latter come chiefly from -the numerous pawnshops, the tall towers of which rise everywhere -throughout the city; for they receive annually large quantities of -old garments, sold by members of ancient but impoverished families -who are forced to part with the wardrobes that have come down to them -through many generations. Magnificent mandarins’ state costumes may be -obtained for from forty to eighty or a hundred dollars. Some of the -embroidery is undoubtedly antique and valuable; but a good deal of it -sold as old consists of new and inferior substitutions and even of -European‐manufactured imitations of the real article. This the white -man in his innocence buys and goes on his way rejoicing, until some -connoisseur among his female friends points out his error and leaves -him abashed at his own ignorance. - -Porcelain, jade, blackwood furniture, silk, bronze, and curio shops -abound in the city. The contrast between the energetic, business‐like -tradesmen of Canton, always ready to cater for the European market, and -the phlegmatic shopkeepers of Pekin is very marked. - -[Illustration: THE CANGUE] - -We now visited the Flowery Forest Monastery or Temple of the Five -Hundred Genii, which is said to have been founded in A.D. -500, and which was rebuilt some forty years ago. It stands outside the -western wall of the city. It comprises many buildings and courts; but -the most interesting portion is the hall, which contains the images of -the five hundred disciples of Buddha. The statues are life‐size. Their -countenances are supposed to represent the supreme content of Nirvana; -but their weird and grotesque expressions and the air of jollity and -devil‐may‐careness on some of them is unintentionally ludicrous. Among -the images is one said to represent Marco Polo, one of the earliest -pioneers of discovery in the East. No one knows why the celebrated -Italian traveller is included among the immortals. - -A more interesting sight was the prison in the old city. On a stone -outside the open gate sat a criminal weighted down with the _cangue_, -a heavy board fastened round the neck. It prevents the luckless wearer -from using his hands to feed himself or brush away the tormenting -swarms of flies which settle on his face. He cannot reach his mouth, -and must starve unless a relative or some charitable person can be -found to give him food. As the _cangue_ is never removed night or day -he cannot lie down, but is forced to sit on the ground and prop himself -against a wall and snatch what sleep he can in that uncomfortable and -constrained position. I must say that this particular gentleman seemed -very indifferent to his wooden collar. He was chatting pleasantly with -some passers‐by in the street and turned his head to survey us with -mild curiosity. The _cangue_, by the way, is only a minor penalty used -for thieves, petty larcenists, and such small fry. For the punishment -of graver crimes much more elaborate tortures have been reserved. As -we passed into the prison we saw a few offenders chained to iron bars -in the outer court. A Chinese warder unlocked a gate leading into a -small yard crowded with prisoners, who rushed towards us and insolently -demanded alms; for the Government waste no money in feeding their -criminals who are obliged to rely on the kindness of the charitable. -One particularly cheeky youth—a pickpocket, I was told—coolly -demanded the cigar I was smoking. When I gave it to him he put it in -his mouth and strutted up and down the yard to the amusement of his -companions in misfortune. His gratitude was not overpowering, for he -uttered some remarks, which my Cantonese‐speaking friend told me were -particularly insulting. As the prisoners became very troublesome in -their noisy demands, the warder pushed them back into the yard and shut -the gate, having to rap some of them over the knuckles with his keys -before he could do so. There were no especial horrors to be seen. The -prisoners seemed cheerful enough; and none of the awful misery I had -always associated with Chinese jails was apparent. - -But when the Celestial authorities wish to punish an offender severely -they have a varied and ingenious collection of tortures on hand. The -_ling‐chi_, or death of a thousand cuts, is hardly to be surpassed -for fiendish cruelty. The unfortunate criminal is turned over to the -executioner, who stabs him everywhere with a sharp sword, carefully -avoiding a vital spot. Then he cuts off fingers, toes, hands, feet, -arms, and legs in succession, and finally severs the head, if the -unhappy wretch has not already expired. If the doomed man is possessed -of money he can bribe the executioner to kill him at the first blow; -and the subsequent mutilations are performed only on a lifeless corpse. -Another ingenious device is to place the criminal naked in a net and -trice it up tightly around him, until his flesh bulges out through the -meshes. Then, wherever it protrudes the executioner slices it off with -a sharp knife. The unhappy wretch is taken back to prison, released -from the net and thrown into a cell. No attempt is made to staunch the -blood or salve the wounds unless death is feared. This must be averted; -for a week or so later he has to be brought out again and the process -repeated. Along the river bank near Canton criminals were exposed in -cages, through the top of which their heads protruded in such a fashion -that the weight of the body was supported only by the chin and neck. -The feet did not touch the bottom of the cage, but a sharp spike was -placed to rest them on when the strain on the neck became unendurable. -Here the poor wretches were left to expire of exhaustion or die of -starvation. After such tortures beheading seems a merciful punishment. - -When I considered the Chinaman’s innate love of cruelty, I could -understand why the next spot we visited was a very popular place of -worship and a favourite resort for all the loafers of the city. It -was the Temple of Horrors. Along each side of the principal court ran -sheds, divided by partitions. In them behind wooden palings was a weird -collection of groups of figures modelled to represent the various -punishments of the Buddhist hell. The sheds were dark and it was -difficult to see the interiors plainly. But quite enough was visible. -In one compartment a couple of horrible devils were sawing a condemned -wretch in two. In another, demons were thrusting a man into a huge -boiler. Judging from the agonised expression on his face, the water -must have been uncomfortably warm. In a third, the condemned soul or -body was being ground in a press. Others were being roasted before huge -fires, stuck all over with knives, having their eyes gouged out, being -torn limb from limb. I fancy that the artist who designed these groups -could have commanded a large salary as Inventor of Tortures from the -Chinese authorities of his day. - -Another place of interest is the Examination Hall, where every -three years candidates from all parts of China assemble to compete -for Government appointments. Young men and old, boys of eighteen and -dotards of eighty, attend, eager to grasp the lowest rung of the -official ladder which may lead them, though with soiled hands, to -rank and wealth. The coveted buttons which mark the various grades of -mandarin are here dangled before their eyes. - -When one reflects that success in these competitions will lead to -posts, not only as magistrates, but also as officers in the army, as -officials of modern‐equipped arsenals, of departments of customs and -telegraphs, or to positions which will bring them into contact with -foreigners, one naturally thinks that the previous course of studies -of the candidates will have fitted them for such appointments. Far -from it. At the examinations a single text from Confucius or some -other ancient author is set as a subject for a lengthy essay. For -twenty‐four hours or longer the candidates are shut up in their cells -to expand upon it. The examiners then read the result of their labours -and recommend them on their proficiency in composition and acquaintance -with the ancient classics of China. Even an English university -curriculum is better fitted to equip a student for success in the world. - -The Examination Hall consists of rows of closely‐packed lanes of small -brick cells (about 12,000 in number) running at right angles off a long -paved causeway, which is approached through an archway called the -Dragon Gate. At the far end of this causeway are apartments for the -examiners—twelve in number, two chiefs and ten juniors—who have been -sent from Pekin. Quarters are also provided for the Viceroy and the -Governor of the province, who are both obliged to be present during the -examinations. The cells in which the candidates are immured are 6 feet -high, 5½ feet long, and less than 4 feet broad, and open only on to -the narrow lanes between the rows of sheds. From a high tower strict -watch is kept to prevent any collusion between the competitors. - -Tired of sight‐seeing, our party now returned to the river and crossed -into Shameen by the small English Bridge spanning the canal between -island and shore. A good lunch at the pretty little hotel prepared us -for a stroll around the foreign settlement. - -Shameen is now a pretty island with fine avenues of banyan trees, -charming gardens, a row of excellent tennis‐courts, and handsome, -well‐built houses, the residences of the foreign consuls and merchants. -A tree‐shaded promenade lined the southern bank along the river. -Moored to the shore were several English, American, French, and German -gunboats. Their flags and the European‐looking houses made us almost -forget that we were still within a stone’s‐throw of a large Chinese -city. But the swarms of sampans, the curious country‐boats moved by -stern‐wheels worked by men on a treadmill‐like contrivance, the banging -of crackers and booming of gongs in a temple behind the island recalled -us to the remembrance. We walked along by the river bank, crossed the -canal by the French Bridge, and returned on board our steamer. - -Canton, with its acres of crowded houses, its old walls, and ancient -shrines, is a curious contrast to modern, up‐to‐date Hong Kong. Yet -each in its way is equally alive and humming with busy trade, for the -Chinese city exports and imports largely. It is the channel through -which the commerce of Europe flows in and the products of China -find their way out to the foreign markets. It manufactures largely -glassware, pottery, metal work, paper, blackwood furniture, preserved -ginger, medicine, etc. It is the granary and supply depôt of Hong Kong. -The Cantonese merchants are keen business men and cater largely for -the European customer. Nearly all the native silver work, embroidery, -silks, and curios in the large shops of our colony come from Canton. - -The focus of trade with Southern China, the proposed terminus of the -railway to Kowloon, the food‐supplier of Hong Kong, its development and -retention in Chinese hands is of vast importance to English commerce. -The French are freely credited with designs upon it. Their determined -efforts to firmly establish their own influence there and displace -the British favour the suspicion. In their Concession on Shameen -they have established, without the consent of China, their own post -office, where they use their colonial stamps surcharged “Canton.” Their -gunboats anchor where they like in the river, the commanders calmly -ignoring the efforts of the Chinese officials to restrict them to the -part allotted to foreign warships. On the occurrence of any outrages -on their subjects or the converts of their missionaries, the French -consuls act with energy and determination. When any such happen in the -vicinity of Canton or up the West River, not content with complaints -or remonstrances to the Chinese authorities, which usually have little -effect, they insist on immediate redress. They generally accompany in -person the official deputed to proceed to the scene of the outrage -and investigate the affair. This energetic conduct is in marked -contrast to the supineness of some of our consuls. A late British -representative aroused much disgust among naval and military officers -and our merchants by his want of resolution and his tender regard for -Chinese susceptibilities. When one of our gunboats was fired on up -the river, its commander immediately reported the matter to him. Our -official feebly remonstrated with the authorities, and instructed the -commander to return with his ship to the village near the scene of the -outrage and fire off a Maxim into the river‐bank! This was to show the -misguided peasantry of what the gunboat was capable, if action were -necessary. As the Orientals respect only those who can use as well -as show their power, the Chinese are not much impressed with us. The -contrast between our forbearance and the determined conduct of the -French is too marked. Their gunboats patrol the rivers and show the -flag of their country everywhere. Their efforts seem directed towards -spreading the region of their influence inland from the south to -meet the Russian sphere in the north. This is to cut us off from our -possessions in Burma and prevent any British railway being constructed -from that country to the eastern coast of China, thus tapping the -hitherto undeveloped resources of the interior. - -An attack on Canton from the sea would be a far more difficult task -now than formerly. The Bogue forts on the Pearl River, up which an -invading flotilla must force its way, have been modernised and re‐armed -with powerful guns. Hills are found within easy range of the river, -from which the gunboats and shallow‐draught vessels, which alone -could attempt the passage, could be shelled at a range precluding -any response from their feebler weapons. And the Chinese gunners are -not all to be despised, as Admiral Seymour’s column and the gallant -defenders of Tientsin found to their cost. - -The land approach would not be much easier. The country near the mouth -of the river is intersected by creeks and canals. Even farther up, no -roads are available for wheeled transport. An advance from the British -territory of the Kowloon Hinterland would probably be preferable to -a landing on the coast, though the route is longer. The hills beyond -Samchun might prove a formidable barrier; but those once passed -the difficulties would not be insuperable. The inhabitants of the -southern provinces are not warlike; and the troops there have not been -reorganised and disciplined like some in the north. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -CHINA—PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE - - -Looking upon the map of China to‐day, England might well say with -Clive, “I stand amazed at my own moderation.” If thirty years ago she -had seized upon the whole of that vast empire, no other Power in the -world would have dared to say her nay. She was undisputed mistress of -the Eastern seas. Russia had not then reached the shores of the Pacific -and her hands were busily employed in the centre of Asia. Germany had -only just become a nation, and had not yet dreamt of contending with -England for the commerce of the world. France lay crushed beneath the -weight of an overwhelming defeat; and her voice was unheard in the -councils of the nations. The United States of America had no thought -of realms beyond the sea; their fleet was small, and the markets of -Asia held no temptation for their merchants. Japan was but a name. The -Meiji, the eventful revolution that freed her from the iron fetters of -hide‐bound ignorance, was scarcely ten years old; and even its authors -scarce dared to hope that their little islands would one day rank high -among the civilised Powers of the world. - -And China itself, that unwieldy Colossus, lay a helpless prey to any -strong nation that placed aggrandisement before the claims of abstract -justice. The prize was tempting. An immense empire that stretched -from the snows of the North to the burning heats of the torrid zone; -a land of incredible fertility, of vast mineral wealth, the value of -which can even now be only vaguely guessed at; a teeming population of -industrious and easily‐contented millions; an enormous seaboard with -natural harbours that could shelter the navies of the world; navigable -rivers that pierced to the heart of the land and offered themselves as -veritable highways of commerce; all the riches that the earth could -bear on its surface or hide in its bosom—what a guerdon to the victor! - -The conquest of China might daunt the faint‐hearted from the apparent -immensity of the task; but few countries would have proved an easier -prize. Her army was composed of a heterogeneous collection of ill‐armed -militia, whose weapons were more frequently the spear and the bow than -the modern rifle. The Chinaman is, by nature, a lover of peace. War he -abhors; and the profession of a soldier, honoured among other races, is -held by him in utter contempt. Unpaid, uncared for, ill‐treated, and -despised, the troops had to be driven to battle and could not withstand -a determined attack. And behind them was no high‐spirited nation ready -to risk all in the defence of the motherland. Patriotism is unknown. -The love of country, so strong in other peoples, is non‐existent in -the heart of the average Chinaman. With aught beyond the limits of -his village, he has no concern. No other race in the world can boast -so deep a love of family. To save his relatives from poverty, the -Celestial will go willingly to his death. According to their laws a -criminal cannot be slain unless he has confessed his crime. To wring -this confession from him, tortures inconceivable in their fiendish -malignity are heaped upon him. A speedy death would be a boon. But to -acknowledge his guilt and die by the hands of the public executioner -would entail the forfeiture of all his property to the State, and -his family would be beggared. So, grimly uncomplaining, he submits -for their sake to agonies that no white man could endure. A rich man -condemned to death can generally purchase a substitute, can find a -poverty‐stricken wretch willing to die in his stead for a sum of money -that will place his starving relatives in comparative affluence. - -All this the poor Chinaman will do for those he loves. How many white -men would do the same? But why should he die for his country? he asks. -Why sacrifice himself and those near and dear to him for the honour of -a shadowy Emperor? Why should he lay down his life that the officials -who oppress the poor and wrest his hard‐earned money from him may -flourish unmolested? He is told that the Japanese, yellow men like -himself, have invaded the land and defeated the Imperial troops. Well, -the enemies are thousands of miles away from _him_, and the soldiers -are paid to fight. What is it to him that strangers have seized upon -some seaport, the name of which he has never heard before? Let those -whom it concerns go out and fight them. _His_ duty is to stay at home -and till the ground that his family may not lack food. - -A few of the more enlightened Chinamen of the upper classes, those -who have lived abroad in Europe or America, in Australia, Hong Kong, -and the Straits Settlements, or who have been educated in European -colleges, may be inspired with the love of country as we understand -it. But have the leaders of the nation, the nobles and the mandarins, -ever been ready to sacrifice themselves for China? They batten on -its misfortunes. The higher in rank they are the readier they prove -themselves to intrigue with its enemies and sell their country for -foreign gold. They drive the common folk to battle and stay at home -themselves. The generals and the officers, with few exceptions, -are never found in front of their troops in action, unless when a -retirement is ordered. Occasionally isolated cases occur when a -defeated commander commits suicide. But it is generally because he -prefers an easy death by his own hand to the degradation and tortures -that await the vanquished general. - -To prate of the patriotism of the Chinese is as though one spoke of -the “patriotism of India.” Still, the latter is a favourite phrase -of some of our ignorant politicians who pose as the champions of -“the down‐trodden black brother.” They talk of India being made -self‐governing and wish to fill its Civil Service with “enlightened -natives.” They fail to see why a Calcutta Babu or a Bombay Parsee, who -boasts a university degree and has passed a brilliant examination, -should not be set to rule over a Punjaub district or to deal with the -unruly Pathans on the frontier. They do not realise that Englishmen -would sooner submit to be governed by the knout of a Russian official -than the haughty Sikh or fierce Pathan would endure the sway of men -they regard as lower than dogs. Our Indian Empire is composed of a -hundred warring nations, all different in speech, in blood, almost -in religions. We, the dominant race, hold them all in the _Pax -Britannica_, and keep them from each other’s throats. - -In like manner few realise that China is not a united and homogeneous -nation. It consists of many provinces, the inhabitants of which belong -practically to different races and speak in different tongues. They -have little intercourse or sympathy with each other. Inter‐village -wars are almost as frequent as among Pathans. Rebellions are common -occurrences. The Mohammedans hold themselves aloof and regard the other -Chinese with little love. The written language is the same throughout -China; but the man of Canton cannot speak with the inhabitant of Pekin -or the coolie from Amoy. Occasionally the curious sight may be seen of -two Chinamen from different provinces holding converse with each other -in pidgin‐English, the only medium of intercourse intelligible to both. - -In the outbreak of 1900 the Boxers and the Pekinese showed themselves -almost as hostile to the Cantonese trading or residing in the north -as they were to Europeans. They considered that the southern city’s -long intercourse with the white man must have rendered its inhabitants -favourable to foreigners; though, indeed, this is very far from the -truth. - -So the Chinaman can have no patriotism. To any but the most -enlightened—or the mandarins from more sordid motives—it is a matter -of comparative indifference who rules the Empire. Provided that he -is allowed to live in peace, that taxes do not weigh upon him too -heavily or his religion be not interfered with, the peasant cares not -who reigns in Pekin. Justice he does not ask for; he is too unused to -it. All that he demands is that he be not too utterly ground down by -oppression. Patient and long‐suffering, he revolts only against the -grossest injustice. Not until maddened by famine or unable to wring a -bare living from the ground does he rise to protest against the unjust -officials, whose exactions have kept him poor. If he once realised the -fairness of European rule, he would live content under any banner, -happy in being allowed to exist in undisturbed possession of the fruit -of his toil. The Chinamen in our possessions in the East are satisfied -and happy under the mild law of England. Large numbers of them make -their home there, content to live and die under a foreign government, -and ask only that their corpses may be conveyed back to China to be -interred in its sacred soil. - -The average Celestial in his own land feels no pride or interest -in the glory of his country. In its government he has no voice. Of -its history, its achievements in the past, he is ignorant. He is -content with it because it is the only one he knows and so must be -the best. Of other lands beyond its confines he has dimly heard. -But their inhabitants are mere barbarians. Those of them who have -intruded themselves into his country are uncivilised according to his -standard. They worship false gods; their manners are laughable. All -they do is at variance with his customs, and so must be wrong. They -cannot read his books and know nothing of the maxims of Confucius. -So they must be illiterate as well as irreligious. Yet these strange -beings are content with themselves, and scorn his ways! This proves -their ignorance and their conceit. How can they boast, he asks, of -the superiority of their own countries when they cannot stay there -and, in face of contempt and hostility, seek to force their way into -his? And as their coming means interference with customs hallowed by -age and the uprooting of his dearest prejudices, he resents it. They -strive to introduce innovations which he can very well do without. What -sufficed for his father and his father’s father is good enough for him. -The barbarians come only to disturb. They wish to defile the graves -of his worshipped ancestors by constructing railways over the soil in -which their bones rest. The shrieks of the chained devils in their -engines disturb the _Feng Shui_, the tutelary deities of his fields, -and hence follow drought and famine. And that these accursed, unneeded -iron highways may be constructed, he is forced to sell the land which -has been in the possession of his family for generations. The price -for it passes through the hands of the mandarins and officials, and -so but little reaches him. Has he not heard that to secure the safety -of their bridges little children are kidnapped and buried under their -foundations? Out upon the accursed intruders! China has flourished -through countless ages without their aid, and wants them not. - -And so, in a measure, hatred of foreigners supplies the place of -patriotism. It binds all classes together. The ruling clique dread -them for the reforms they seek to introduce; for these would overthrow -the frail structure of oligarchical government in Pekin and hurl -the privileged class from power. The mandarins tremble at their -interference with the widespread corruption and unjust taxation -on which the officials now batten. The educated hate them for -their triumphs over China in the past, their continual territorial -aggression, and their constant menace to the integrity of China. The -fanatical hatred of the white man exhibited by the lower classes is -the result of the blindest ignorance. It is stirred into mad rage -by the exhortations of the priests, who naturally resent with true -clerical bigotry the introduction of other creeds. The zealous but too -often misdirected efforts of the missionaries, who tactlessly trample -on his dearest beliefs, rouse the Chinaman to excesses against the -strangers who seem to have intruded themselves upon him only to insult -all that he holds most sacred. Every misfortune, whether it be drought -and subsequent famine or devastating floods, storm or pestilence, is -ascribed to the anger of the gods, irritated at the presence of the -unbelievers. If the crops fail or small‐pox desolates a village, the -eyes of the frenzied peasants turn to the nearest mission house where -live the accursed strangers whose false teachings have aroused the -anger of the immortals. Urged on by the priests and mandarins, they -fall upon it and slay its inmates. But retribution comes swiftly. Their -own Government are forced by dread of foreign interference to punish -the misguided wretches who have, as they consider, wreaked only a just -revenge. The officials are degraded. Heads fall and houses are razed -to the ground. The Imperial troops quarter themselves on the luckless -villagers who pay dearly in blood and silver for the harm they have -wrought in their madness. And a sullen hatred of the white man spreads -through all classes and bears bitter fruit in subsequent graver -outbreaks. - -Can we justly blame them? Would we act differently in their place? What -if the cases were reversed? Suppose England to be a weak and backward -country and China wealthy and powerful, with a great navy and a large -army. Her merchants are enterprising and seek to push their trade into -other countries, even against the wish of the inhabitants. Chinese -vessels force their way up the Thames and sell the cargoes they carry -to our merchants in defiance of the laws we have passed against the -importation of foreign commodities. Refusing to leave, they are fired -upon. Chinese missionaries make their way into England and preach -ancestor‐worship and the tenets of Buddha in the East End of London. -The scum of Whitechapel mob them—as the Salvation Army has often been -mobbed. A missionary or two is killed. The Chinese Government seeks -revenge. A strong fleet is sent to bombard the towns along the South -Coast. Bristol is seized. A demand is made that the Isle of Wight -should be ceded in reparation for the insult to the Dragon flag. We -are forced to surrender it. A Chinese town grows up on it; and the -merchants in it insist that their goods should have the preference -over home‐made articles. The Chinese Government demands that tea from -the Celestial Kingdom should be admitted duty free and a tax put upon -Indian growths. A criminal or an anarchist, fleeing from justice, takes -refuge on a small Chinese ship, which is boarded and the fugitive -seized. We are only an ignorant people, and do not understand the Law -of Nations. We are soon instructed. Again China sends a fleet; a force -is landed and Liverpool captured. To redeem it we must pay a large -ransom. To obtain peace we are obliged to grant the Chinese settlements -in Liverpool, Bristol, and Southampton. This inspires other Asiatic -Powers—Corea, Kamschatka, and Siam, which we will imagine to be as -progressive and powerful as our supposititious China—to demand equal -privileges and an occasional slice of territory. Kent, Hampshire, and -Norfolk pass into their hands. - -Buddhist and Taoist missionaries now flood the land. The common people -regard them with fear and hatred. The clergy of the Church of England -preach against them. The ignorant peasantry and the lowest classes in -the towns at last rise and expel them. A few of them are killed in the -process. The flame spreads. The settlements of the hated intruders -are everywhere assailed. The Asiatic Embassies in London are attacked -by the mob. Our Government, secretly sympathising with the popular -feeling, are powerless to defend them. Even if they wished to do so, -the soldiers would refuse to fire on the rioters. - -Then the Allied nations of Eastern Asia band together; a great army -invades our unhappy country. A dire revenge is taken for the outrages -on the missionaries and the attacks on the Embassies. Middlesex is -laid waste with fire and sword; neither age nor sex is spared. The -brutal Kamschatkans slay the children and violate the women. London is -captured and looted. The flags of China, Corea, Kamschatka, and Siam -fly from the roofs of Buckingham Palace; Marlborough House shelters -the invaders; Windsor Castle is occupied by a garrison of the Allied -troops. Flying columns march through the land, pillaging and burning -as they go; the South of England is occupied by the enemy. Before the -Allied nations evacuate the devastated land a crushing war indemnity is -laid upon us. - -Would we love the yellow strangers then? True, we are backward and -unprogressive. _They_ are civilised and enlightened; and even against -our will our country must be advanced. Still, I fear that we should -be ungrateful enough to resent their kind efforts to improve us and -persist in regarding them as unwelcome intruders. - -All this that I have imagined as befalling England has happened to -China. For similar causes Canton was bombarded and captured. The -treaty ports were forced to welcome foreign trade. Hong Kong, Tonkin, -Kiau‐chau, Port Arthur, all have been torn from China. Fire and sword -have laid waste the province of Chi‐li. Death to the men and disgrace -to the women have been unsparingly dealt. Can we wonder that the -Chinese do not love the foreigner? - -Our missionaries go forth to earn the crown of martyrdom. But if they -gain it their societies demand vengeance in blood and coin from the -murderers. The Gospel of Love becomes the Doctrine of Revenge. “Forgive -your enemies!” O ye saintly missionaries who are so shocked at the -ungodly lives of your sinful fellow‐countrymen in foreign lands, will -you not practise what you preach? Think of the divine precept of the -Master you profess to serve and pardon the blind rage of the ignorant -heathen! - -So much for the China of the present. What of the future? She is now -fettered by the shackles of blind ignorance, by the prejudices and -retrogressive spirit of the tyrannical Manchu oligarchy who rule -the land. Her strength is sapped by the poison of corruption. The -officials, almost to a man, are mercenary and self‐seeking. Extortion -and dishonesty are found in every class. Suppose a tax is laid upon -a certain province. The Viceroy orders the mandarins to collect it -from their districts. They send forth their myrmidons to wring it -from the people, by threats and torture if need be. Enough must be -raised to satisfy the many vultures through whose claws it will pass -before it reaches Pekin. Twice, three times the amount of the sum -asked for originally must be gathered from the unfortunate taxpayers, -in order that each official through whose hands it goes on its way to -the Imperial Treasury may have his share of the spoil. And how is all -the money raised in the vast Empire spent? Not on the needs of the -land, certainly. Few roads or bridges exist. They have mostly been -constructed by charity. The railways—and there are not many—were -built by foreign capital. - -Is there no hope for China? Must she remain for ever the spoil of the -strong? Or will she one day recognise the secret of her weakness, -reform and become a power too formidable to be lightly offended? She -has an example always before her eyes. Forty years ago Japan was as -ignorant and prejudiced. Foreigners were hated; the country was closed -to them. The Mikado was then as powerless as the Emperor of China is -now. The spear and the sword were the weapons which the soldiers of -Japan opposed to the cannons and rifles of the Europeans. Foreign -fleets bombarded the coast‐towns and wrung concessions from the -rulers of the helpless land. The country was divided between powerful -chieftains of warlike clans. - -Yet at one stroke of a magic wand all was changed. Japan now ranks -among the Great Powers of the world. Her army commands respect -and fear; on war‐footing it numbers over half a million—and the -Japanese have always been gallant soldiers. Her navy is as modern -and well‐equipped as any afloat. The resources of the country have -been developed. A network of railways covers the land; telegraphs and -telephones link the important towns. Her manufacturers compete with -Europe in every market in Asia. Her merchant ships are all but built in -her own dockyards. The fleets of her steamship companies, such as the -Nippon Yusen Kaisha, would not discredit Liverpool or New York. Lines -of splendid passenger steamers, some of them over 6,000 tons, run to -Europe, America, and Australia. Smaller lines keep up communication -between Japan and the coasts of Siberia, Corea, and China. Education -is widespread; universities and schools abound. Manufactures are -encouraged by a liberal policy. The forest of factory chimneys in Osaka -gives that town the semblance of Birmingham as one approaches it in the -train. The water‐power universal throughout the islands is utilised -freely. Electric light is found in almost every city in the empire. -It is installed in even the smaller private houses. Automatic public -telephone kiosks dot the streets of the capital. In provincial towns -like Nagoya electric trams run. - -All that Japan has become, China may yet be. Nay, more. The former is -poor, her territory small, the greater part of the country encumbered -with unprofitable mountains. The undeveloped wealth of the latter is -enormous. Gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal are all found. Vast -stretches of forest cover the interior. The soil is incredibly fertile; -and her people are naturally intelligent. The Chinese in Hong Kong and -elsewhere, as merchants, as shipowners, as professional men, prove -it. The schools and colleges of our island colony are filled with the -clever, almond‐eyed students. In the Straits Settlements, as in Hong -Kong, they compete with the Europeans in commerce and vie with them -in wealth. All that he is in other countries the Chinaman can become -in his own under the liberal rule of an enlightened Government. The -foreigners who trade with the Chinese say that the latter are far more -trustworthy in business than many a white man. The Chinese merchant’s -word is his bond. The Japanese are not so reliable; and their artisans -are by no means as industrious as their Celestial neighbours. The -latter, under no compulsion, will toil day and night to complete some -work by the time they have agreed to finish it. - -The Chinese soldier is regarded with universal contempt. His -achievements in the past, when pitted against European troops, have not -exalted his name. But in 1900 he first showed what splendid material -he is. With the passive courage of fatalism, incomprehensible to more -highly strung races, the Chinaman will face death without a struggle. -When roused by fanaticism he will fight blindly to the end; but in cold -blood he has no ambition for military glory. When led to battle for -a cause of which he knows or cares nothing, he is ready to save his -life by a timely flight with no feelings of shame or self‐reproach. He -has never been taught otherwise. In China moral suasion or deceit are -looked upon as more glorious weapons than sword or gun. - -But if he were well disciplined and led to understand the meaning -of _esprit de corps_, well treated and well led, he would prove no -contemptible soldier. The Boxers who with knives and spears charged -up to within fifty yards of Seymour’s well‐armed men and faced the -withering fire of magazine rifles with frenzied courage; the Imperial -troops who harassed his brave column day and night; the students who -fought their guns to the last when the Tientsin Military College was -taken by the Allies—were these cowards? - -What the Chinaman can be made to do with proper leading may be seen -in the behaviour of our Chinese Regiment, little more than a year -raised, all through the campaign of 1900. When the British, American, -and Russian stormers had captured the Peiyang Arsenal, on June 27th, -an attempt to cut them off from Tientsin was made by a large body of -Imperial troops and Boxers who tried to get between them and the river, -across which they had to pass on their return. Lieutenant‐Colonel -Bower, intrepid explorer and gallant soldier, led out his Chinese -Regiment and drove off the enemy. The conduct of the men under fire was -excellent. - -It is absurd to suppose that the Chinaman cannot learn the art of -modern warfare. The example of the Imperial troops who attacked Seymour -and besieged Tientsin amply proves this statement. They took advantage -of cover with cleverness and knowledge. They used their magazine rifles -with accuracy and effect. Their gunners were excellently trained. -Their shooting was so good that at first it was falsely supposed that -the guns were served by renegade Europeans. The arms with which they -were equipped were excellent. The troops were well supplied with -quick‐firing Krupps and magazine rifles. That they could use these -weapons was proved by the heavy losses among the Allied sailors and -soldiers in the early part of the campaign. - -The Chinese offered so little resistance to the Allies on the march to -Pekin, the war collapsed so suddenly on the fall of the capital, that -scant justice has been done to the courage displayed on both sides -during the heavy fighting with Seymour’s column and around Tientsin. -The losses among the Europeans show how desperate it was. Admiral -Seymour’s column, out of less than 2,000 men, lost 295 killed and -wounded in sixteen days. The casualties among the British contingent of -900 bluejackets and marines, amounted to 27 killed and 97 wounded. The -Americans out of 120 men lost 4 killed and 25 wounded. The stormers of -the Taku forts also lost heavily. - -In the beginning of the attack on the Peiyang Arsenal by the Russians, -they lost over 200 men and had to send for help to the Americans and -the British. - -In the Boxer night attack on Tientsin railway station in July, the -British, French, and Japanese defending it had 150 casualties. - -Out of a total of 5,000 men engaged in the taking of Tientsin native -city on July 13th and 14th, the Allies lost nearly 800 men. - -The Egyptian _fellah_ was once considered to be utterly hopeless as a -fighting‐man. But British officers nursed him, strengthened his moral -fibre, and then led him into battle. Witness his behaviour at the -Atbara and at Omdurman. The army that the genius of Lord Kitchener had -moulded so skilfully proved invincible; and the _fellah_ did his fair -share of the fighting. - -The Chinaman in natural courage, in physique, and in stamina is far -superior to the Egyptian. Why should he not become a more formidable -fighting‐man? Think what the Celestial Empire could do if its soldiers -were properly armed, trained, and led; if the spirit of self‐respect -were instilled into them and their natural passive courage fanned into -active bravery! Think of a warlike army recruited from a population of -400,000,000; and at its back a reformed China, its resources developed, -its immense wealth properly utilised, its people free and filled with -patriotic pride! - -What Japan has accomplished, China, once her leader and her conqueror, -may yet achieve. And signs of the Great Awakening are at hand! - - - - -INDEX - - - Aberdeen, 181 - - Admiral Ho, 201, 214, 215 - - Admiral Seymour at the siege of Tientsin, 24; - his advance on Pekin, 30 - - Affleck‐Scott, Mr., 216 - - Ah Ting, Naval Dairy Farm, 4 - - Alarm in Hong Kong, 204 - - Alarm in Macao, 242 - - Allied Armies, men and methods of, 34 - - Allied Commissioners in Canton, 259 - - Allied Fleet at Taku, 8 - - American Army, Continental criticism, 51; - excellence of the men, 51; - elastic discipline, 51; - courage of, 52; - gallantry at Tientsin, 53; - comradeship with British troops, 53; - contempt for Continentals, 53; - discomfiture of British subaltern, 54 - - Army, American, 50; - Chinese in the past, 280; - of the future, 298; - Dutch, 54; - French, 42; - German, 34; - Indian, 55; - Japanese, 47; - Russian, 44; - Italian, 54 - - Arrest, in Japan, 252; - in Macao, 246; - of an English colonel in Macao, 251 - - _Arrow_, incident of the, 258 - - Astor House Hotel, Tientsin, 22 - - - Barracoons in Macao, 255 - - Barrett, Lieut., Hong Kong Regiment, 199 - - Bathing parties in Hong Kong, 191 - - Bayly, Captain, R.N., gallantry at Tientsin, 45 - - Belcher’s Fort, 176 - - Belgian Legation in Pekin, 78, 80 - - Bella Vista, Macao, 240 - - Bengal Lancers, 1st, 59 - - Bersagliere, 54, 176 - - Bikanir, H.H. the Maharajah of, 180 - - Black Flags, 204 - - Boa Vista Hotel, 238 - - Boer Campaign, lessons of, 34; - foreign ignorance respecting, 41 - - Bogue Forts, 277 - - Bombay Light Cavalry, 3rd, 60; - a sowar’s opinion of the Russians, 164 - - Bombay Infantry, 22nd, 200, 204, 208, 229 - - Bombay Pioneers, 28th, 57 - - Bower, Lieut.‐Col., Chinese Regiment, 296 - - Boxers, night attack on Tientsin station, 15; - courage of, 24, 295; - losses, 25; - hostility to Cantonese traders, 284 - - Brigands, 136 - - Bridge of boats at Tientsin, 19 - - Bridge, marble, at Summer Palace, 127 - - Bronze Pagoda, 130 - - Bronzes in Forbidden City, 90, 93 - - Browning, Major, 48, 135, 168 - - Buddha, images of, 109 - - Buddhist monks, 108 - - Buddhist temple, 107 - - Burke, Lieut., 22nd Bombay Infantry, 208, 229 - - - Cable tramway to the Peak, 181 - - Camoens, Gardens of, 254 - - _Cangue_, punishment of the, 269 - - Canton, history of intercourse with foreigners, 257; - food supplier to Hong Kong, 171; - projected railway to, 171, 196; - turbulence, 204; - reformers in, 206; - land and river approach, 278; - description, 261; - population, 263; - its streets, 264; - its shops, 265; - prison, 269; - its trade, 275; - its importance to English commerce, 275; - an attack on, 277; - energy of French consuls in, 276 - - Cap‐sui‐Moon Pass, 209 - - Carvalhaes, Senhor, A.D.C. to Governor of Macao, 244, 250, 251 - - Casserly, Lieut., 208 - - Cathedral, Roman Catholic, in Pekin, 95; - its siege, 97; - at Canton, 263; - San Paulo at Macao, 254 - - Cavalry, French, 43; - Japanese, 47; - Indian, 59; - in Hong Kong, 200 - - Cemetery at Wei‐hai‐wei, 4; - Macao, 245 - - Centre of the Universe, 70 - - Cession of the Kowloon Hinterland, 197 - - Chasseurs d’Afrique, 43, 66 - - Chifu, 6 - - China an easy prize, 280; - her sufferings in the past from foreigners, 290; - of the present, 291; - of the future, 293 - - Chinese Army of the past, 280; - want of patriotism, 281; - family love, 281; - Mohammedans, 283; - difference in languages, 283; - dislike to foreigners, 286; - extortion of mandarins, 291; - as merchants abroad, 294; - trade honesty of, 294; - splendid material for soldiers, 296; - in modern warfare, 296; - soldiers in the South, 227; - in the North, 228; - examinations, 273 - - Chinese Arsenal at Tientsin, 15; - guns made at, 217 - - Chinese Regiment, guard at Wei‐hai‐wei, 7; - barracks, 6; - behaviour in action, 295, 296 - - Chinese workmen, 97 - - Chong Wong Foo, 83 - - City Hall, Hong Kong, 176 - - Clocks in Emperor’s palace, 91 - - Club, Hong Kong, 176; - Tientsin, 20; - German at Tientsin, 22; - English Tennis at Macao, 244; - Portuguese Naval Tennis Club, Macao, 251; - Military Club, Macao, 241 - - _Cloisonné_ in Pekin, its manufacture, 111 - - Coal Hill, Pekin, 74 - - Cockroaches as an article of diet, 224 - - Concessions, European, in Tientsin, 17; - in Canton, 259, 274 - - Confucius, Temple of, 111 - - Consulate, British, at Tientsin, 20; - foreign, at Canton, 274 - - Coolie Corps, 10 - - Cossacks at play, 163 - - Customs, Imperial Chinese, station on Mah Wan, 209; - at Samchun, 212; - officers of, 217 - - Curzon, Lord, _Problems of the Far East_, 69 - - - Dagoes, 53 - - Daibutsu at Kamakura and Hiogo, 109 - - Death of a thousand cuts, 271 - - De Boulay, Major, R.A., 121 - - Deep Bay, 196, 210 - - Development of Japan, 293 - - Dobell, Major, D.S.O., Royal Welch Fusiliers, 85 - - Docks, Kowloon, 187 - - Dockyard, Royal Naval, at Wei‐hai‐wei, 4; - at Hong Kong, 178 - - Dorward, General, his eulogy of American troops, 52 - - Dowager‐Empress, her pavilion in the Forbidden City, 92; - palace in Pekin, 74; - Summer Palace, 115; - seizure of the Emperor, 115; - supposed plan to entrap the Allies, 206 - - Dragon Gate in Canton, 274 - - Drummond, Mr. Ivor, C.I.C., 31 - - Dutch Expeditionary Force, 54; - their envy of the Portuguese colonies in the past—attempt on - Macao, 232 - - - East India Company in Canton, 258 - - Efficiency of British officers of the Indian Army, 57; - of the Japanese Intelligence Department, 49 - - Egyptian _fellah_ compared to the Chinaman, 297 - - Elderton, Commander, D.S.O., good work at Taku, 8 - - Embroidery in Canton, 268 - - Emperor, his powerlessness, 64; - his palace, 89; - throne room, 89; - harem, 90; - private apartments, 91 - - English Concession at Tientsin, 17 - - English Legation at Pekin, 78 - - English officers, friendship with the Americans, 21; - linguists in China, 19; - supposed ungraciousness of manners, 81; - plain campaigning dress, 27 - - Examinations, Chinese system of, 273 - - Examination Hall in Canton, 273 - - Examiners, Chinese, at Canton, 274 - - Executions at Tientsin, 28; - in Canton, 271 - - Extortion of mandarins, 291 - - - Fair, Lieut., R.N., Flag‐Lieutenant to Admiral Seymour, 24 - - Family love of the Chinese, 281 - - Fans, 106 - - Fan‐tan in Samchun, 225; - in Macao, 253 - - Fares from Hong Kong to Canton and Macao, 235 - - Favrier, Archbishop, defends the Peitan gallantly, 95; - captures a Chinese gun, 96; - introduction to him, 99 - - Ferreira Amaral, Governor of Macao, refuses to pay tribute to the - Chinese, 232 - - Fighting races of India, 56 - - Fireworks, Chinese, 219 - - Flags of Chinese troops in Samchun, 215, 227 - - Floating population of Canton, 260; - of Hong Kong, 185 - - Flora, Governor’s summer residence, 240 - - Flowery Forest Monastery, 269 - - Forbidden City, 73, 86 - - French Army, 42; - intimacy between French and German soldiers in Tientsin, 40; - Infanterie Coloniale, 42; - infantry, 43; - officers, 43; - method of maintaining discipline, 43; - training and organisation, 44; - Zouaves and Chasseurs d’Afrique, 43 - - French colonial party, suspected designs on Macao, 233; - on Canton, 275 - - French post‐office in Canton, 276 - - Frontier Field Force, 208 - - Frontier of the Kowloon Hinterland, 196 - - Fusiliers, Royal Welch, attack on a patrol, 23; - in the Hinterland, 198; - Hong Kong garrison, 200 - - - Garrison of Hong Kong, 199; - of Macao, 241 - - Gascoigne, Major‐General Sir W., 199 - - Gaselee, General Sir A., K.C.B., 204 - - German Army, 34; - adherence to close formations and antiquated tactics, 35; - campaigning dress in China, 39; - failure of transport, 39; - soldiers, 40; - their friendship with the French, 40; - officers of, 37 - - German Club at Tientsin, 22 - - German Imperial Navy, 40; - mercantile marine, 40 - - Gordon Hall, Tientsin, 22, 28 - - Gough, Sir Hugh, attacks Canton, 258 - - Government of Macao, 241 - - Governor of Macao, 244 - - Grant‐Smith, Mr. Ivan, 245, 252 - - Gray, Captain, 4th P.I., 167 - - Green Island, 173 - - Gunboats, allied, at Taku, 9, 10; - at Canton, 274; - British fired at, 276 - - Gurkhas, friendship with Japanese, 50, 166; - ingratitude of foreign troops sheltered by them, 166; - officers at Shanhaikwan, 138 - - - Hall, Examination at, Canton, 273 - - Hall of Five Hundred Genii, 269 - - Hall of Ten Thousand Ages, 123 - - Happy Valley, 179 - - Hardy, Rev. Mr., 1 - - Harem, Emperor’s, in Pekin, 90 - - Ha‐ta‐man Street, 102; - Gate, 77 - - Hatherell, Captain, 22nd Bombay Infantry, 208, 229 - - Heaven, Temple of, 67 - - _Heungshan_, S.S., 235 - - Heung Shan, Island of, 233 - - Hinterland, Kowloon, 194; - character and description of, 195; - projected railway through, 196; - cession, 196; - advantages to Hong Kong, 198; - column guarding it, 202; - want of maps of, 216; - British police in, 198 - - Honam, Cantonese suburb of, 260, 263 - - Hong Kong, importance as a naval and military base, 167; - harbour, 184; - menace of famine, 170; - commercial importance, 171; - geography, 172; - description, 174–184; - Club, 177; - climate, 184; - society in, 190; - value of dollar, 235 - - Hong Kong Regiment, bravery at Tientsin, 15; - barracks, 187; - disbanded, 187 - - Hong Kong, Canton to Macao Steamboat Co., 234 - - Hong Kong and Singapore Artillery, 199 - - Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, ruins in Pekin, 71; - building in Hong Kong, 176 - - Hong Kong Volunteers, 188, 199 - - Horrors, Temple of, 272 - - Hôtel du Nord, Pekin, 71 - - Hsi‐ku Arsenal, 30 - - Hsin‐ho, British landing‐place at, 10 - - Hutchinson, Lieut., R.N.R., 25, 135 - - - Imperial apartments, 91 - - Imperial Maritime Customs, Chinese, gunboat, 210; - officers, 217; - station at Samchun, 212 - - Imperial troops, Chinese, 24, 296 - - Indian Army, 55; - fighting races of, 56; - Lord Roberts chiefly responsible for its efficiency, 57; - its British officers, 57; - organisation of a regiment, 58; - foreign criticisms, 59; - Russian opinion of, 156; - cavalry, 59; - infantry, 60; - impossibility of another Mutiny, 62; - loyalty of the sepoy, 63 - - India as a training‐ground for troops, 61 - - Indian Expeditionary Force, 33, 55 - - Indian Commissariat at Wei‐hai‐wei, 5; - at Hong Kong, 178 - - Indian Marine, Royal, officers of, 12 - - Infanterie Coloniale, 42 - - Infantry, excellence of Japanese, 48; - Indian, foreign criticisms of, 60; - composition of a native regiment of, 58 - - Intelligence Department, Japanese, 49 - - Italian Expeditionary Force, 54 - - Ivory carving in Canton, 266 - - - Japan in the past, 292; - its modern development, 293; - arrests in, 252 - - Japanese Army captures Wei‐hai‐wei, 3; - transport, 47; - campaigning dress, 47; - cavalry, 47; - infantry, 48; - infantry in action, 48; - organisation, 49; - Intelligence Department, 49; - officers as intelligence agents in Pekin, 49; - excellent discipline, 49; - courage and moderation, 50; - friendship for Indian troops, 50, 165 - - Japanese Fleet, arrival at Shanhaikwan, 149 - - Johnstone, Major, R.M.L.I., 30 - - Junks, marble junk, 127; - junks in Hong Kong harbour, 210; - war junks, 211 - - - Kell, Lieut., S. Stafford Regt., 144 - - Kettler, murder of Baron, 83; - monument, 83 - - Kettlewell, Major, commands Frontier Field Force, 208 - - Kipling, Rudyard, his description of Canton, 256 - - Kowloon, 174, 186; - docks, 187; - society, 193 - - Kowloon, Chinese city of, 186, 188 - - Kowloon Peninsula, 172, 183, 194 - - Kowloon Hinterland, _see_ Hinterland. - - Kwang‐tung, 194; - rebellion in, 207 - - - Labertouche, Captain, 22nd Bombay Infantry, 146 - - Ladies’ Recreation Ground, Hong Kong, 184 - - Lama Temple, Great, Pekin, 107 - - Lampacao, Portuguese settlement on, 231 - - Language, difference in Chinese languages in various provinces, 283; - polyglot, 20; - British officers as interpreters, 19 - - Lantau, Island of, 183 - - Legation Street, Pekin, 70, 80 - - Legations, Pekin, 78; - defence of, 78; - visit to English Legation, 79; - guard, 79; - new defensive wall, 107 - - Li Hung Chang, 128, 204 - - Ling‐chi, torture of, 271 - - Liscum, Colonel, U.S. Army, his death, 53 - - Liu‐kung‐tao, Island of, 3 - - Losses of Allies at Tientsin, 296, 297 - - Lo‐u, 216 - - - Macao, 231; - its past history, 231; - its present decay, 232; - danger to Hong Kong, 233; - passage to, 236; - description, 237‐40; - public gardens, 240; - government, 241; - society, 243; - affair with police, 245; - gambling houses, 253; - sights, 254 - - Madrassis, decay of, 56 - - Madras Sappers and Miners, 56 - - Madras Light Infantry, 3rd, 200, 204, 208 - - Mandarins at Samchun, 222; - corruption of Chinese, 228; - extortion, 291 - - Manchuria, Russian soldiers in, 45 - - Map of Kowloon Hinterland, 216 - - Marble junk, 127 - - Marble bridge at Summer Palace, 127 - - Marco Polo, 269 - - Melville, Lieut., 22nd Bombay Infantry, 208 - - Mikado, 292 - - Military Club, Macao, 241 - - Military College, Tientsin, 295 - - Moji, 253 - - Monte Carlo of the East, 232 - - Moon, Temple of, 70 - - Mosquitoes, 141 - - Mount Austen Hotel, 182 - - Mounted Infantry in Tientsin, 26; - usefulness in Hong Kong, 200 - - Mud of Pekin, 82 - - Mutiny in Macao, 242 - - Mutiny, impossibility of another Indian, 62 - - - Nagoya, electric cars in, 293 - - Naval Dockyard at Wei‐hai‐wei, 4; - at Hong Kong, 178 - - Navy, German, 40 - - Newchwang, Russian church parade in, 45; - railway to, 133 - - Nippon Yusen Kaisha, 293 - - - Ogilvie, Lieut., R.A., 208 - - Old Kowloon City, 186, 188 - - Osaka, 293 - - Outrages on foreigners in China, 287 - - - Pagoda, bronze, 130 - - Patriotism, want of, 281; - of India, 282 - - Peak in Hong Kong, 175, 181, 183 - - Pearl River, 236, 261 - - Peddlers in Pekin, 102; - in Canton, 261 - - Peiho River, 9, 19 - - Peitan, Roman Catholic Cathedral, 95; - siege, 97 - - Peiyang Arsenal, taking of, 219, 295; - Russian losses at, 297 - - Pekin, journey to, 65; - station, 66; - description, 71; - walls of, 72; - Tartar and Chinese cities, 72; - Tartar city, 72; - Legations, 78; - mud, 82; - Allied occupation of, 83; - Forbidden City, 87 - - _Pigmy_, H.M.S., takes Shanhaikwan forts, 134 - - Pioneers, 28th Bombay, 57 - - Police of Macao, 241; - affair with, 246 - - Police of new territory, British, 213 - - Polo ground in Victoria, 180 - - Polo in Hong Kong, 180 - - Ponies, troublesome Chinese, 116 - - Population of Canton, 263 - - Port Arthur, reinforcements from, 46; - retention of, 156 - - Portuguese colony of Macao, 231; - tribute to China, 232; - police, 246; - Naval Tennis Club, 251 - - Powell, Sir Francis, R.N., 178 - - Pottery, 106 - - Praia Grande, 238 - - Punjaub Infantry, 4th, in action with Japanese troops, 48; - guarding the railway, 135; - under Lieut. Stirling, D.S.O., 168 - - Purple or Forbidden City, 73 - - Puzzle‐balls, Chinese, 267 - - - Quarto del Sargento, 248 - - Queen’s House, Wei‐hai‐wei, 5 - - Queen’s Road, Hong Kong, 248 - - - Railways in North China, 133; - from Tong‐ku to Pekin, 13, 65; - to Shanhaikwan, 135 - - Railway, projected, to Canton, 196 - - Railway Siding incident, 32 - - Railway Staff Officers, British, 14 - - Reformers in Southern China, 206 - - Ringing Rocks at Macao, 255 - - Roberts, Lord, 57 - - Royal Indian Marine Officers, 12 - - Royal Welch Fusiliers, attack on patrol, 23; - in the Hinterland, 198; - Hong Kong garrison, 200 - - Rudkin, Lieut, 20th Bombay Infantry, his tact and firmness, 33 - - Rue du General Voyron, Pekin, 97 - - Rundell, Lieut., R.E., 208 - - Russian Army, 44; - troops, 44; - endurance of soldiers, 45; - piety, 45; - courage, 46; - comradeship between officers and men, 47 - - Russian Railway Staff Officer at Shanhaikwan, 144 - - Russians seize railways in North China, 133; - seize rolling stock at Shanhaikwan, 146; - dinner party at Shanhaikwan on the cliffs, 149; - a dinner with Russian officers, 154; - causes of dislike to England, 155 - - - Samchun, 207, 212, 214; - visit to, 221; - river, 217 - - Sampans in Hong Kong, 185 - - San Paulo, ruined cathedral of, 254 - - Satow, Sir Ernest, 128 - - Saunders, Lieut., R.A., 208 - - Sepoys, opinion of foreign contingents, 61, 164; - loyalty of, 62 - - Seymour, Admiral Sir Edward, courage in Tientsin, 24; - his advance on Pekin, 30 - - Shameen, 259, 274 - - Sharpe, Captain, 3rd Madras Light Infantry, 208 - - Siberian Army, 45 - - Siege of Tientsin, 30 - - Siege of the Peitan, 97 - - Siege train, disappointment of British, 26 - - Sikhs, 61 - - Silks in Pekin, 105 - - Shanhaikwan, 138; - strategic importance of, 134; - railway journey to, 135; - town of, 146; - Great Wall of China at, 148; - arrival of Japanese Fleet at, 149; - forts at, 151; - Japanese and Indians at, 167 - - Society in Hong Kong, 190, 192; - Kowloon, 193; - in Macao, 243 - - Spirit Path, 88 - - Stanley, abandoned town of, 181 - - Stirling, Lieut., D.S.O., 4th Punjaub Infantry, 168 - - Straubenzee, General Sir Charles, 258 - - Streets of Canton, 263 - - Streets of Pekin, 75 - - Summer Palace, 115 - - Sun Yat Sen, 207 - - - Tai‐mo‐shan, 183 - - Tai‐u‐shan, 183 - - Taku, 8, 9; - forts, 9 - - Taku Road, 23 - - Tartar City, 72 - - Temple of Heaven, 67; - Sun, 69; - Moon, 70; - in Forbidden City, 90, 93; - Lama, 107; - Confucius, 111; - Five Hundred Genii, 269; - of Horrors, 272 - - _Terrible_, H.M.S., at Shanhaikwan, 155; - gunners, 25 - - Tientsin station, 15; - concessions, 17; - Chinese City, 17; - Club, 20; - siege of, 30 - - Tommy Atkins in Tientsin, 27 - - Tong‐ku, 10, 11; - Allies at, 11; - station, 134 - - Tong‐shan, 137 - - Tortures, Chinese, 271 - - Traders, Chinese as, 294 - - Transport officers, 8 - - Transport of Germans defective, 39; - of Japanese, 4; - Indian, 55 - - Treaty Ports, 258 - - Triad Society, 207, 216 - - Tung Chow, 117 - - - Valley, Happy, 179 - - Vasilievski, General, wounded at Pekin, 118 - - Victoria, Hong Kong, 173 - - Victoria Road, Tientsin, 22 - - Vladivostock, 156 - - Vodki, 154 - - Von Waldersee, Count, and our Royal Horse Artillery, 68 - - - Wall, Great, of China, 147 - - Walls of Canton, 261 - - Walls of Pekin, 72, 76 - - Walls of Wei‐hai‐wei, 5 - - Want of patriotism among the Chinese, 281 - - Water‐gate of Tartar City, 78; - of Canton, 262 - - Wei‐hai‐wei by night, 2; - by day, 3; - Chinese village of, 6; - taken by Japanese, 3 - - Welch Fusiliers, Royal, 79, 85, 198, 200 - - West River, 276 - - Whittall, Major, Hyderabad Contingent, 18 - - Williams, Major, Base Commissariat Officer, 178 - - Woolley, Captain, I.M.S., 208, 220 - - Workmen, Chinese, 97 - - - Yamen, Wei‐hai‐wei, 4; - Canton, 262; - Samchun, 221; - British Consuls in Canton, 259 - - Yangtsun, 66 - - Yaumati, 186, 209 - - Yuan Shi Kai, army of, 229 - - - _Zaire_, Portuguese gunboat, 237; - lands sailors, 242 - - Zouaves, 43 - - - - -[Illustration: Colophon] - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Land of the Boxers, by Gordon Casserly - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE BOXERS *** - -***** This file should be named 50785-0.txt or 50785-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/7/8/50785/ - -Produced by Brian Wilcox, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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- page-break-after: always; - } -} - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Land of the Boxers, by Gordon Casserly - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Land of the Boxers - or, China under the Allies - -Author: Gordon Casserly - -Release Date: December 28, 2015 [EBook #50785] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAND OF THE BOXERS *** - - - - -Produced by Brian Wilcox, Suzanne Shell and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<p id="half-title">THE LAND OF THE BOXERS</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus01"> -<img src="images/illus01.jpg" width="373" height="500" alt="" /> -<div class="center"> -<table class="myleft" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" summary="british forces"> -<tr> -<th><span class="smaller">CAPT. PELL</span></th> -<th class="tdc"><span class="smaller">CAPT. PHILLIPS</span></th> -<th class="tdr"><span class="smaller">COL. O’SULLIVAN</span></th> -</tr> -<tr> -<th><span class="smaller">LIEUT. STEEL</span></th> -<th class="tdc"><span class="smaller">GEN. BARROW</span></th> -<th class="tdr"><span class="smaller">GEN. SIR A. GASELEE, K.C.B.</span></th> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc" colspan="3">COMMANDER‐IN‐CHIEF AND STAFF OF THE BRITISH FORCES -IN NORTH CHINA</td> -</tr></table></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"><h1> -<span class="smaller">THE</span><br /> -LAND OF THE BOXERS<br /> -</h1> -<p class="center noindent"><span class="smallest">OR</span></p> - -<p class="center noindent">CHINA UNDER THE ALLIES</p> - -<p class="p4 center noindent"><span class="smallest">BY</span><br /> -CAPTAIN GORDON CASSERLY<br /> -<span class="smallest">INDIAN ARMY</span></p> - -<p class="p4 center noindent"><span class="smallest">WITH 15 ILLUSTRATIONS AND A PLAN</span></p> - -<p class="p4 center noindent">LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.<br /> -<span class="smaller">39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON<br /> -NEW YORK AND BOMBAY</span><br /> -1903 -<br /> -<span class="smallest"><em>All rights reserved</em></span> -</p></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="p4 center noindent"> -<span class="smaller">TO</span><br /> -THE OFFICERS<br /> -<span class="smaller">OF THE</span><br /> -AMERICAN AND BRITISH<br /> -NAVAL AND MILITARY FORCES<br /> -IN CHINA</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="PREFACE"><span class="larger">PREFACE</span></h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">WRITTEN many thousand miles from the ever‐troubled land of China, -with no opportunity for reference, this book doubtless contains many -errors, for which the reader’s indulgence is asked. The criticisms of -the various armies are not the result of my own unaided impressions, -but a <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">résumé</span></em> of the opinions of the many officers of the different -contingents with whom I conversed on the subject.</p> - -<p>My thanks are due to Sir Richard Harrison, <span class="smcap">k.c.b.</span>, -Inspector‐General of Fortifications, who served with the Allied Army -which captured Pekin in 1860, for his courtesy in permitting me to use -some of the excellent photographs taken by the Photo Section, Royal -Engineers.</p> - -<p class="right">THE AUTHOR</p> -<p><span class="smcap smaller">London, 1903</span></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">ix</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CONTENTS"><span class="largest">CONTENTS</span></h2></div> - -<p class="p2 center noindent"><span class="large">CHAPTER I</span></p> - -<p class="center noindent">FROM WEI‐HAI‐WEI TO TIENTSIN</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">Our transport—An Irish <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">padré</span></em>—Wei‐hai‐wei harbour by night—The -island by day—The mainland—On to Taku—Taku at last—The allied -fleet—The famous forts—The Peiho River—The Allies at Tong‐ku—The -British at Hsin‐ho—The train to Tientsin—A motley crowd of -passengers—The country <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en route</span></em>—A historic railway station</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><em>pages</em> 1–16</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER II</span></p> - -<p class="center">TIENTSIN</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">The foreign settlement—The Chinese city—The linguists in the -Anglo‐Indian army—The Tientsin Club—A polyglot crowd round the -bar—The English Concession—The famous Gordon Hall—The brawls in -Taku Road—Dissensions among the Allied troops—The attack on the -Royal Welch Fusiliers’ patrol—The siege of Tientsin—Scene of the -fighting—Accuracy of the Chinese shell fire—Soldier life in the -streets of Tientsin—Tommy Atkins—Peace and War—The revenge of -Christianity—The “railway siding incident”</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><em>pages</em> 17–33</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER III</span></p> - -<p class="center">THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">The German expeditionary force—Out‐of‐date tactics—Failure of their -transport—Their campaigning dress—The German officer—The French -troops—Improved training and organisation of the French army—The -Russians—Endurance and bravery of the Russian soldier—Defective -training—The Japanese army—Its -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">x</a></span> -transport system in China—Splendid infantry—The courage of the -Japanese—Excellence of their Intelligence Department—Its working—The -East sown with their agents—The discipline of the Japanese -soldiers—Their bravery in action—Moderation in victory—Friendship -for our sepoys—The American troops—Continental criticism—The -American army of the future—Gallantry of the Americans at the -capture of Tientsin—General Dorward’s praise—Friendship between the -American and British troops—Discomfiture of an English subaltern—The -Italians—Holland’s imposing contingent—The Indian army—A revelation -to the world—Indian troops acting alone—Fighting qualities of the -various races—The British officers of the Indian army—Organisation of -an Indian regiment—Indian cavalry—Loyalty of the sepoy</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><em>pages</em> 34–63</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER IV</span></p> - -<p class="center">PEKIN</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">To the capital—The railway journey—Von Waldersee’s introduction to -our Royal Horse Artillery—The Temple of Heaven—The Temples of the -Sun and Moon—The Centre of the Universe—The Chien Mên Gate—Legation -Street—The Hôtel du Nord—Description of Pekin—The famous walls—The -Tartar City—The Imperial City—The Forbidden City—Coal Hill—The -Ming Pagoda—The streets of Pekin—A visit to the Legations—The -siege—Pekin mud—A wet day—A princely palace—Chong Wong Foo—A visit -to the Forbidden City—The Imperial eunuchs—Seated on the Emperor’s -throne—His Majesty’s harem—A quaint notice—A giant bronze—The -Imperial apartments—The Emperor’s bedroom—The Empress‐Dowager’s -pavilion—Musical‐boxes and toys—Her Majesty’s bed—The Imperial -Garden—The view from Coal Hill</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><em>pages</em> 64–94</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER V</span></p> - -<p class="center">RAMBLES IN PEKIN</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">The Peitan—Defence of the Cathedral—A prelate of the Church -militant—A gallant defence—Aspect of Pekin after the -restoration of order—A stroll down Ha‐ta‐man Street—Street -scenes—Peddlers—Jugglers—Peep‐shows and a shock—A dancing -bear—Shoeing a pony—The sorrows of a Pekin shopkeeper—Silk -and fan shops—A pottery store—A market‐place—A chaffering -crowd—Beggars—The Legation wall—Visit to the Great Lama Temple—The -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">xi</a></span> -outer gate—The first court—Lama priests—Rapacious beggars—The -central temple—Colossal statue of Buddha—The lesser temples—Improper -gods—Photographing the priests—The Temple of Confucius—A bare -interior—A visit to a Pekin <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cloisonné</span></em> factory—Method of -manufacture—Deft artists—Firing—The enamel—The humiliation of -China—The standards of the victors</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><em>pages</em> 95–114</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER VI</span></p> - -<p class="center">THE SUMMER PALACE</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">Our ponies—The ride through the streets—Evil‐smelling lanes—The -walls—The shattered gate‐towers—The Japanese guard—The taking -of the City and relief of the Legations—The paved high‐road—A -fertile country—The villages—A ruined temple—Bengal Lancers and -Mounted Infantrymen—A ride through the fields—Distant view of the -palace—The ornamental gate—The entrance—The sepoy guard—The outer -courtyard—Bronzes on the temple verandah—A network of courts—Royal -Artillery mess in the pavilion that had served as the Emperor’s -prison—The shaded courtyard—Officers’ quarters looking out on the -lake—A marble‐walled lake—Lotos—Boats—A walk round the lake—The -covered terrace—The Bersagliere guard—Pretty summer‐houses—The -Empress’s temples—The marble junk—A marble bridge—Lunch in a -monarch’s prison—The hill over the lake—A lovely view—The Hall of -Ten Thousand Ages—Vandalism—Shattered Buddhas—The Bronze Pagoda—The -island—The distant hills—Summer quarters of the British Legation—The -ride back—Tropical rain—Flooded streets—A swim</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><em>pages</em> 115–132</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER VII</span></p> - -<p class="center">A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">A long journey—The junction at Tong‐ku—Mud flats—A fertile -country—Walled villages—Mud forts—Defended stations—The -canal—Tong‐shan—The refreshment room—The coal mines—Hills—Roving -brigands—Shanhaikwan—Stranded at the station—Borrowing a -bed—Hunting for a meal—A Continental <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">café</span>—Spatch‐cocks—A woman -without pride—A mosquito concert with refreshments—Rigging up a -net—A surprise for the British and Russian station officers—A -midnight introduction—An admiring Russian—Kind hospitality—Good -Samaritans—The Gurkha mess—Fording a stream—A Russian cart—The -Great Wall of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">xii</a></span> -China—Snipe—The forts—The old camp—The walls of the city—On -the cliffs by the sea—The arrival of the Japanese fleet—A shock -for a Russian dinner‐party—The sea frozen in winter—A cricket -match—Shooting snipe on the cricket pitch—Dining with my Russian -friends—Vodki—Mixed drinks—The wily Russian and the Newchwang -railway—Tea à la Russe—Heavy rain—The line flooded—Cossacks -on a raft—Cut off from everywhere—An orderly of the 3rd Bombay -Cavalry—A sowar’s opinion of the Russian invasion of India—Collapsed -houses—Friendly scene between Japanese soldiers and our sepoys—The -floods subside—The return—Smuggling arms—Lieutenant Stirling, -<span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span></p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><em>pages</em> 133–168</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER VIII</span></p> - -<p class="center">OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST</p> - -<p class="center">HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">Importance of Hong Kong as a naval and military base—An object‐lesson -of Empire—Its marvellous rise—The constant menace of famine—Cause -of Hong Kong’s prosperity—Its geographical position—An -archipelago—Approaching Hong Kong by sea—First view of Victoria—A -crowded harbour—The mainland—The Kowloon Peninsula—The city of -Victoria—Queen’s Road—The Shops, hotels, banks—The City Hall—The -palatial club—The Brigade Parade Ground—The base Commissariat -Officer, Major Williams, <span class="smcap lowercase">I.S.C.</span>—The Naval Dockyard—Sir -Francis Powell, <span class="smcap lowercase">K.C.M.G</span>.—Barracks and Arsenal—The Happy Valley—A -<em>memento mori</em>—The polo ground—Lyeemoon Pass—The southern side -of the Island—The Peak—The cable tramway—View from the Peak—The -residential quarter—The floating population of Hong Kong—The -sampans—Their dangers in the past—The rising suburb of Kowloon—The -Hong Kong regiment—The docks—The Chinese city of Kowloon—Street -scenes in Hong Kong—Social amusements of the colony—Society in Hong -Kong and Kowloon—The Kowloon Peninsula—Danger to Hong Kong averted by -its possession—Character of the peninsula—The frontier—The Chinese -territory beyond it—The taking over of the Hinterland in 1898—A small -campaign—The chances of a land invasion of Hong Kong—The garrison of -Hong Kong—Advisability of mounted infantry</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><em>pages</em> 169–201</a></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">xiii</a></span></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER IX</span></p> - -<p class="center">ON COLUMN IN SOUTHERN CHINA</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">A camp on the British frontier—Fears of outbreaks in Canton—The -Black Flags—Alarm in Hong Kong—General Gaselee’s troops diverted to -Hong Kong and Shanghai—His authority among the Allies weakened in -consequence—Wild rumours in Canton—The reform party in the south—The -Triads—Rebellion in the Kwang‐tung province—Admiral Ho—Troops -despatched from Hong Kong to guard the frontier—The Frontier Field -Force—Its composition—The departure of the column—A picturesque -voyage—An Imperial Chinese Customs gunboat—The Samchun River—War -junks—Our first camp—Admiral Ho’s army—Consternation among the -Chinese troops—They march away—No official maps of the Hinterland—A -Customs station—Britishers in danger—Chinese‐made modern guns—A -false alarm—A phantom battle—Chinese fireworks—A smart trick at -the storming of the Peiyang Arsenal—A visit to Samchun—A game -of bluff—Taking tea with a mandarin—Round the town—Cockroaches -as a luxury—A Yankee Chinaman—A grateful escort—Terrified -Chinese soldiers—An official visit to a mandarin—Southern Chinese -soldiers—The Imperial troops in the north—A real alarm—A night -raid—A disappointment</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><em>pages</em> 202–230</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER X</span></p> - -<p class="center">IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONY OF MACAO</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">Early history of Macao—Its decay—A source of danger to Hong -Kong—Fleet of the Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat -Company—The <em>Heungshan</em> and its passengers—Guarding against -piracy—Macao from the sea—An awkward Chinaman—The Boa Vista -Hotel—View over the city—The Praia Grande—Around the peninsula—In -the Public Gardens—Administration of Macao—A night alarm—A -mutinous regiment—Portuguese and Macaese society—A visit to -the Governor—An adventure with the police—An arrest—Insolent -treatment of British subjects—Redress—An arrest in Japan—Chinese -gambling‐houses—<em>Fan‐tan</em>—The sights of Macao</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><em>pages</em> 231–255</a></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">xiv</a></span></p> - - -<p class="center"><span class="larger">CHAPTER XI</span></p> - -<p class="center">A GLIMPSE OF CANTON</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">Hostility of Canton to foreigners—The scare in 1900—History of -Canton’s relations with the outer world—Its capture and occupation -by the English and French—The foreign settlement—The river journey -from Hong Kong to Canton—River scenes at Canton—A floating -city—Description of Canton—The streets—A visit to the shops—Feather -workers—Ivory carvers—Embroidery shops—Temple of the Five Hundred -Genii—Marco Polo among the gods—The prison—The <em>cangue</em>—Insolent -prisoners—Chinese punishments—Death of a Thousand Cuts—The -Temple of Horrors—The Examination Hall—Shameen—The English and -French concessions—Foreign gunboats—The trade of Canton—French -designs—Energy of their consuls—Our weak forbearance—An attack on -Canton by river and by land</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><em>pages</em> 256–278</a></p> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">CHAPTER XII</span></p> - -<p class="center">CHINA—PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE</p> - -<p class="hangingindent1">At England’s mercy in the past—An easy and tempting prize—Patriotism -unknown—The Chinaman’s wonderful love of his family—Causes of his -want of patriotism—His indifference as to his rulers—The Chinese -abroad—Hatred of foreigners in China—Its causes—This hatred common -to all classes—A substitute for the non‐existent patriotism—Can we -blame the Chinese?—A comparison—If England were like China—Our -country invaded by Chinese, Coreans, Siamese, and Kamschatkans—The -missionaries in China—The gospel of love becomes the doctrine of -revenge—The China of the present—Tyranny and corruption—What the -future may prove—Japan’s example—Japan in the past and now—What -she is China may become—Intelligence of the Chinese—Their -success in other countries—The Chinaman as a soldier—Splendid -material—Examples: the Boxers; the Regulars who attacked Seymour and -Tientsin; the military students at Tientsin; the behaviour of our -Chinese Regiment under fire—Heavy losses among the Allies in the -beginning of the campaign—Comparison of the Egyptian fellaheen—The -Chinese army of the future—A reformed Empire</p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><em>pages</em> 279–298</a></p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Index</span></p> -<p class="pages"><a href="#INDEX"><em>pages</em> 299–307</a></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"><span class="largest">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</span></h2></div> - -<div class="center"> -<table class="myleft" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="LoI"> -<tr> -<th class="tdr smaller" colspan="3">PAGE</th> -</tr> -<tr> -<td><p class="indent">COMMANDER‐IN‐CHIEF AND STAFF OF THE BRITISH FORCES -IN NORTH CHINA</p></td> -<td class="vertb"><a href="#illus01"><span class="small"><em>Frontispiece</em></span></a></td> -<td> </td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">PLAN OF PEKIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus02">xvi</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">EUROPEAN CONCESSIONS, TIENTSIN, AND THE PEIHO RIVER</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus03">17</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">EXECUTION OF A BOXER BY THE FRENCH</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus05">28</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">PUBLIC GARDENS AND GORDON HALL IN THE VICTORIA ROAD, ENGLISH CONCESSION</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus04">28</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">FRENCH COLONIAL INFANTRY MARCHING THROUGH THE FRENCH CONCESSION, TIENTSIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus06">38</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">GERMAN OFFICERS WELCOMING FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE AT THE RAILWAY STATION, TIENTSIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus07">38</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">UNITED STATES CAVALRYMAN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus08">51</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">GERMAN AND INDIAN SOLDIERS</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus09">56</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE REVIEWING THE ALLIED TROOPS IN PEKIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus10">68</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">A STREET IN THE CHINESE CITY, PEKIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus11">72</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">FRONT FACE OF THE DEFENCES OF THE LEGATIONS</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus12">78</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">GROUNDS OF THE BRITISH LEGATION, PEKIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus13">107</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">A STREET IN THE TARTAR CITY, PEKIN, AFTER HEAVY RAIN</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus14">127</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">THE MARBLE JUNK</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus15">127</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="padt1" colspan="2"><p class="indent">THE CANGUE</p></td> -<td class="tdr vertb"><a href="#illus16">269</a></td> -</tr></table></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter" id="illus02"> -<img src="images/illus02.jpg" width="381" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent"><span class="larger">Plan of Pekin.</span></p></div> - -<div class="floatleft"> -<img src="images/illus002a.jpg" width="34" height="20" alt="" /></div> - -<p class="noindent"> Gates.</p> - -<p>1. Chien Mên Gate. 2. Tung‐Chi Gate, attacked by the Japanese. 3. Ha‐ta‐man -Gate. 4. The Water‐gate, a tunnel in the Wall between the Tartar and -Chinese cities. By this the Indian troops entered the Legations. 5, 5. Nullah -draining the Tartar City. 6. The English Legation. 7. The Japanese Legation. -8. The Russian Legation. 9. The American Legation. 10. The Hotel -du Nord. 11, 11, 11. Ha‐ta‐man Street. 12. The Temple of Heaven. 13. Temporary -railway station. 14. Railway line passing through a breach in the Wall. -15. The Temple of Agriculture, occupied by the Americans.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">1</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><p class="pb2 center noindent"><span class="large">THE</span><br /> -<span class="largest">LAND OF THE BOXERS</span></p></div> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_I"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER I</span><br /> - -FROM WEI‐HAI‐WEI TO TIENTSIN</h2> - -<p class="drop-cap2">OUR transport steamed over a glassy sea along the bold and rugged -coast of Shan‐tung in Northern China. Ahead of us, a confused jumble -of hills dark against the setting sun, lay Wei‐hai‐wei.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">1</a> A German -steamer homeward bound from Chifu dipped her flag to the blue ensign -with crossed swords flying at our peak. Close inshore an occasional -junk, with weird outlines and quaint sail, lay becalmed. On our deck, -lying in easy‐chairs, were a dozen officers of various branches of -the Service, all bound for Pekin. Some were fresh from South African -battlefields, others were there whose soldiering had been done in India -or in Burma.</p> - -<p>Among our number was a well‐known and popular military chaplain, the -Reverend Mr. Hardy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">2</a></span> author of the famous <em>How to be Happy though -Married</em>. A living testimony to the success of his own theory, he was -the most genial and delightful shipmate I have ever met. Dowered with -all an Irishman’s wit and humour, he had been the life and soul of -everyone on board. He had recently arrived in Hong Kong from Europe, -having travelled across America, where his studied carelessness -of dress and wild, untrimmed beard had been a constant source of -wonderment to the smart citizens of the United States. “In Salt Lake -City,” he told us, “a stranger addressed me one day in my hotel. -‘Excuse me, sir,’ he said, ‘would you oblige me and my friends at this -table by deciding a small bet we have made?’ ‘I fear I shall be of -little use,’ replied Mr. Hardy; ‘I have only just reached your city.’ -‘Not at all. The bet is about yourself. We can’t make out which of -three things you are—a Mormon elder, a Boer General, or a Scotchman.’ -And, faith,” added our Irish <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">padré</span></em> when he told us the tale, “I think -I felt most insulted at their last guess.”</p> - -<p>The sun went down slowly behind a chain of rugged hills. But soon -before us, set in a silver sea, the island of Wei‐hai‐wei rose dark -and sombre under a glorious moon. In the glistening water lay the dim -shapes of several warships, their black hulls pierced with gleaming -portholes. On their decks, bright with electric lamps, bands were -playing, their strains swelling louder and louder as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">3</a></span> we drew near. -Far off the hills of the mainland stood out sharply against the sky, -with here and there below a twinkling light from the villages or the -barracks of the Chinese Regiment.</p> - -<p>As our steamer rounded a long, low point, on which lay a deserted fort, -every line distinct in the brilliant moonlight, the town came into -view. The houses nestled down close to the water’s edge, while above -them the island rose in gentle slope to a conical peak. Our anchor -plunged sullenly into the sea, and we lay at rest in England’s most -Eastern harbour. Considerations of quarantine prevented us from going -ashore, and we were forced to wait for daylight to see what the place -was like.</p> - -<p>Early on deck next morning we watched the mists fade away until -Wei‐hai‐wei stood revealed in the strong light of the sun. Our latest -possession in the East consists of a small island, called Liu‐Kung‐tao, -on which stands the town. It lies about four miles from the mainland, -of which a few hundred square miles has been leased to England. The -harbour is sheltered to the south by the hills on the coast, to the -north by the island. It affords ample anchorage for a large fleet, but -could not be adequately defended without a large expenditure. During -the China‐Japan War the Chinese fleet sheltered in it until routed out -by the Japanese torpedo boats; while the Japanese army marched along -the heights of the mainland, seized the forts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">4</a></span> on them, and, turning -their guns on the island, forced its surrender.</p> - -<p>At the end of the island, round which our transport had passed, was -a small peninsula, on which stood the fort we had seen. Dismantled -now, it was unused by the present garrison. Close by, on reclaimed -land, lay the recreation ground; and even at the early hour at which -we saw it, tennis and cricket were in full swing. Just above it, in -that close proximity of life and death found ever in the East, was the -cemetery, where many crosses and tombstones showed already the price -we pay for empire. Near at hand was the magazine, over which a Royal -Marine sentry watched. Below, to the right, lay the Naval Dockyard -with a pier running out into the harbour, one destroyer alongside it, -another moored a short distance out. Along the sea‐front and rising -in tier after tier stood well‐built stone Chinese houses, which now, -large‐windowed and improved, serve as residences, shops, and offices -for Europeans. A staring whitewashed wall bore the inscription in big, -black letters, “Ah Ting. Naval Dairy Farm.” A picturesque, open‐work -wall with Chinese summer‐houses at either end enclosed the Club. -Farther on, a little above the harbour, stone steps through walled -terraces led up to the Headquarter Office, once the Yamen—a long row -of single‐storied houses with a quaint gateway, on either side of which -were painted grim Chinese figures of heroic size. On the terrace in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">5</a></span> -front stood some large Krupp guns with shields, taken in the present -campaign. The Queen’s House, as these buildings are called, divides -the naval from the military quarter of the town, the latter lying to -the right. A few good European bungalows sheltered the General, the -Commanding Royal Engineer, and the local representative of the famous -firm of Jardine, Mathieson, and Company. In the lines of Chinese houses -close by were the residences of the military officers and the hotel. -To the right stacks of fodder proclaimed the presence of the Indian -Commissariat. Past open ground lay a small camp and a few more houses.</p> - -<p>Above the town the island rises in terraced slopes to the summit, four -to six hundred feet high, the regular outline of which was broken by -mounds of upturned earth that marked the beginning of a new fort. On -the hillside are long stone walls with gates at intervals, which date -from the Chinese occupation, built by them, not to keep the enemy out -in time of war, but to keep their own soldiers in. Well‐laid roads lead -to the summit or round the island. The slopes are green with small -shrubs and grass, but nothing worthy of the name of tree is apparent. -Towards the eastern end were the rifle‐ranges, near which a fort was -being constructed.</p> - -<p>In the harbour was a powerful squadron of British battleships and -cruisers; for Wei‐hai‐wei is the summer rendezvous of our fleet in -Chinese waters.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">6</a></span></p> - -<p>To the south the mainland lay in a semicircle. Rugged, barren hills -rise abruptly—in many places almost from the water’s edge. Where the -ground slopes more gently back from the sea lines of substantial stone -barracks have been erected for the Chinese Regiment, with excellent -officers’ quarters and a good mess. Nestling among trees—almost the -only ones to be seen on the iron‐bound coast—lies a large village. -East of it a long triangle of embrasured stone wall—the base on the -shore, the apex half‐way up the hill behind—guards the original town -of Wei‐hai‐wei, which still owns Chinese sovereignty, though all the -country round is British territory. A few good bungalows and a large -and well‐built hotel mark where the future Brighton of North China has -already begun to claim a recognition; for in the summer months the -European residents of Tientsin, Pekin, even of Shanghai are commencing -to congregate there in search of cool breezes and a healthy climate. -High up above all towers the chain of rugged hills from whose summits -the victorious Japanese gazed down on the wrecked Chinese fleet and -the battered forts of the island. Behind it, forty miles away, lies -the little‐known treaty port of Chifu with its prosperous foreign -settlement.</p> - -<p>The day advanced. From the warships in the harbour the bugle‐calls -rang out merrily in the morning air, answered by the brazen clangour -of the trumpets of the Royal Artillery ashore. The rattle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">7</a></span> of musketry -came from the rifle‐ranges, where squads of marines were firing. -Along the sea‐front tramped a guard of the Chinese Regiment. Clad in -khaki with blue putties and straw hats, they marched with a soldierly -swing to the Queen’s House, climbed the steps, and disappeared in the -gateway. Coolies laboured at the new fortifications. Boats shot out -from the pier and headed for the warships. Volumes of dense black smoke -poured from the chimneys of the condensing works—for no water fit -for drinking is found on the island. A cruiser steamed out from her -moorings to gun‐practice in the bay. And hour after hour we waited for -the coming of the Health Officer, who alone could allow us to land. -But, instead, the Transport Officer arrived, bearing orders for the -ship to start at once for Taku. And so, with never a chance for us -to go ashore, the anchor rumbled up and out we headed by the eastern -passage. As we steamed out to sea we passed the tiny Sun Island, merely -a deserted fort, still showing how cruelly battered and torn it had -been by the Japanese shells. Round the steep north side of the island -we swung and shaped our course for Taku in the track of the Allied -Fleets that had swept in vengeful haste over those same waters to the -merited punishment of China. All that day we passed along a rocky and -mountainous coast and in among islands of strange and fantastic shape. -Here an elephant, there a lion, carved in stone lay in slumber on the -placid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">8</a></span> sea. Yonder a camel reposed in Nirvana‐like abstraction. On -one islet, the only sign of life or human habitation we saw, stood a -lighthouse, like unto lighthouses all the world over.</p> - -<p>Next morning we awoke to find the ship at anchor. “Taku at last,” was -the cry; and, pyjama clad, we rushed on deck. To see what? Where <em>was</em> -Taku? All around a heaving, troubled waste of muddy sea, bearing on -its bosom the ponderous shapes of warships—British, French, Russian, -German, Austrian, Italian, Japanese. Close by, a fleet of merchantmen -flying the red ensign, the horizontal stripes of the “Vaterland,” or -the red ball on white ground of the marvellous little islands that -claim to be the England of the Far East. Tugs and lighters were making -for a German transport, the decks of which were crowded with soldiers. -But of land not a sign. For the roadstead of Taku is so shallow that -no ship of any considerable draught can approach the shore, and we -were then ten miles out from the coast. Passengers and cargo must be -taken ashore in tugs and lighters. Only those who have seen the place -can appreciate the difficulties under which the transport officers -of the various armies laboured in landing men, horses, guns, and the -necessary vast stores of every description. And Captain Elderton, Royal -Indian Marine, well deserved the D.S.O. which rewarded him for the -excellent work he performed at the beginning of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">9</a></span> campaign; when, -having successfully conveyed our expedition ashore, he was able to lend -invaluable assistance to the troops of many of the Allies.</p> - -<p>The bar at the mouth of the Peiho River, which flows into the sea at -Taku, can only be crossed at high tide; so we were forced to remain on -board until the afternoon. Then, embarking on a launch that had come -out to meet us, we steamed in to the land through a rough and tumbling -sea. As we drew near, the low‐lying shore rose into view. On each side -of the entrance to the Peiho ran long lines of solid earthworks—the -famous Taku Forts. Taken in reverse and bombarded by the gunboats lying -in the river, gallantly assaulted by landing parties from the Allied -Fleets, which, owing to the shallowness of the water, could lend no -other assistance, they fell after a desperate struggle, and now from -their ramparts flew the flags of the conquering nations. Here paced an -Italian sentry, there a Russian soldier leaned on a quick‐firing Krupp -gun; for the forts were armed with the most modern ordnance. The red -coat of a British marine or the white clothing of a group of Japanese -artillerymen lent a few specks of bright colour to the dingy earthworks.</p> - -<p>Close to the entrance of the Peiho stands a tall stone building; near -it is the Taku Pilots’ Club, their houses, comfortable bungalows, -close at hand. Between flat, marshy shores the river<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">10</a></span> winds, its banks -crowded with mud huts. Farther up we passed a small dock, in which -lay a gunboat flying the Russian flag. Then more gunboats—American, -French, and Japanese. A few miles from the mouth of the river is -Tong‐ku, the terminus of the Tientsin‐Pekin Railway. At the outset -of the campaign all nationalities, except the British, had chosen -this for their landing‐place and established their depôts here. As -we steamed past, we looked on a scene of restless activity. Russian, -French, German, and Italian soldiers were busy disembarking stores -and <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">matériel</span></em> from the lighters alongside, loading railway trucks -in the temporary sidings, entraining horses and guns. The English, -more practical, had selected a landing‐place a few miles farther -up, at Hsin‐ho. Here they found themselves in sole occupation, and -the confusion inevitable among so many different nationalities -was consequently absent. An excellent wharf had been built, large -storehouses erected, and a siding constructed from a temporary station -on the railway. Hsin‐ho was our destination. Our launch stopped at -the quay, alongside which two shallow‐draught steamers and a fleet -of lighters were lying. Men of the Coolie Corps were hard at work; -close by stood a guard of the stalwart Punjaub sepoys of the Hong Kong -Regiment. Overhead flew the Union Jack.</p> - -<p>Our luggage was speedily disembarked. Most of our fellow‐passengers, -learning that a train for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span> Tientsin was due to leave almost at once, -hurried off to the railway station, about a mile away. Three of us of -the same regiment were met by a brother officer who was in charge of -a detachment at Hsin‐ho. He offered us the hospitality of the station -mess, composed of those employed on various duties at the place; and, -desirous of seeing how the work of the disembarkation of a large force -was carried out, we determined to remain for the night.</p> - -<p>We visited Tong‐ku that afternoon, and found a marked difference in -the methods prevailing there and at Hsin‐ho. The presence of so many -different nationalities naturally entailed great confusion. At the -railway station a very babel of languages resounded on every side.</p> - -<p>One truck with German stores had to be detached from a goods train -and sent down one siding; the next, with French cavalry horses, sent -down another; a Russian and an Italian officer disputed the ownership -of a third. Lost baggage‐guards stood disconsolate or wandered round -aimlessly until rescued by their transport officers. Detachments of -Continental troops stood helplessly waiting for someone to conduct them -to their proper trains. Disorder reigned supreme.</p> - -<p>At Hsin‐ho everything proceeded without confusion. It might have been -an up‐country station in the heart of India. Comfortable huts had been -built for the detachment responsible for the guard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span> duties; and the -various details were equally well accommodated. The military officers -had established themselves in a stone house that had formerly been the -quarters of a railway engineer. The Royal Indian Marine officers in -charge of the naval transport had settled down with the readiness with -which sailors adapt themselves to shore life. A line of felt‐roofed, -mud huts had been turned by them into an excellent mess and quarters. -A raised terrace looked down on a tennis‐court, on the far side of -which a pond in the mud flats, stretching away to the horizon, boasted -a couple of canoes. From a tall flagstaff that stood on the terrace -floated the blue ensign and Star of India of their Service.</p> - -<p>The railway siding ran past large and well‐built storehouses. On the -river bank long lines of mules were picketed, looking in excellent -condition despite the hard work they had gone through. In a little -cutting in the bank was an old and tiny steam tug, which had been -turned into a condenser for drinking‐water. Everything was trim and -tidy. The work of disembarking the stores from the lighters in the -river and putting them into the railway trucks almost alongside went -on in perfect order, all in marked contrast to the confusion that -prevailed at Tong‐ku.</p> - -<p>Early next morning we were <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en route</span></em> for Tientsin. My brother officers -and I tramped down through awful mud to the long platform which was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span> -dignified by the title of “Hsin‐ho Railway Station.” A small house -close by sheltered the railway employees and the telegraph staff, -signallers of the Army Telegraph Department.</p> - -<p>The train from the Tong‐ku terminus soon appeared, and as it steamed in -presented a—to us—novel appearance. Leaning out of the windows was -a motley crowd of many nationalities. Out of one appeared the heads -of a boyish Cossack and a bearded Sikh. The next displayed the chubby -face of a German soldier beside the dark features of an Italian sailor. -When the train stopped, a smart Australian bluejacket stepped out of -the brake‐van. He was the guard. In the corridor cars were Yagers, -Austrian sailors, brawny American soldiers, baggy‐trousered Zouave and -red‐breeched Chasseur d’Afrique. Sturdy little Japanese infantrymen -sat beside tall Bengal Lancers. A small Frenchman chatted volubly with -a German trooper from the Lost Provinces. Smart Tommy Atkins gazed in -wondering disdain at the smaller Continental soldiers, or listened -with an amused smile to the vitriolic comments of a Yankee friend on -the manners and appearance of “those darned Dagoes.” And among them, -perfectly at his ease, sat the imperturbable Chinaman, apparently a -little bored but otherwise quite uninterested in the “foreign devils.”</p> - -<p>The first‐class carriages were filled with the officers of every -nation whose flag now waved on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span> Chinese soil. Russians in white -coats with flat caps and gold shoulder‐straps sat side by side with -khaki‐clad Britishers; Italian officers in yellow; Frenchmen in every -shade of supposed‐to‐be khaki; Germans with silver belts and sashes; -Japanese with many medals and enamelled decorations on their breasts. -As we entered our carriage we touched our helmets to the previous -occupants—a salute which was punctiliously returned by everyone -present. Settling ourselves in our seats, our interest was at first -fully absorbed by the various uniforms around us; and it was some time -before we could devote our attention to the scenery through which we -were passing.</p> - -<p>The train ran first over wide‐stretching mud flats, then through a -level, monotonous country, flooded or covered with high crops; and, -barely seen above the tall vegetation, here and there roofless houses -and ruined villages showed the track of war. At every bridge and -culvert stood a tent with a guard of an Indian regiment, the sentry -presenting arms as the train passed. The stations along the line were -numerous. Over their stone buildings floated the Union Jack, for the -railway was now in British hands. On each platform the same scene -presented itself. The English Staff Officer in khaki and red‐banded -forage cap; the stalwart Indian sentry; a varied mob of French and -German soldiers, Sikhs, Mussulmans, Chinese.</p> - -<p>The fields of luxuriant, waving grain stretched<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span> away to the rim of the -distant horizon. A trail of smoke, the tall masts of junks showed where -the river wound in frequent bends. At length we passed the extensive -buildings and high chimneys of the Chinese Arsenal, captured by our -marines and held by the Russians; and above the trees towers and domes -told that we were nearing Tientsin. Then through a gap in a big earthen -wall that is twenty miles in circumference, past many sidings and long -lines of iron trucks and waggons with bullet‐marked sides, eloquent of -fierce fighting, we ran into the station.</p> - -<p>A commonplace, uninteresting place at first sight—just the ordinary -railway station with the usual sheds, iron bridge, offices, -refreshment‐room. Yet here, not long before, white men and yellow had -closed in deadly struggle, and the rails and platforms had been dyed -red with the blood of heroes. The sides of the iron water‐tank, the -walls of the engine‐house, were patched and repaired; for shells from -the most modern guns had rained on them for days. The stone walls were -loopholed and bullet‐splashed. Many of the buildings were roofless, -their shattered ruins attesting the accuracy of the Chinese gunners. At -yonder corner the fanatical Boxers had burst in a wild night attack, -and even European soldiers had retreated before the fury of their -onslaught. But the men of the hitherto untried Hong Kong Regiment, -sturdy sons of the Punjaub plains or Frontier hills, had swept down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span> on -them with the cold steel and bayoneted them in and under the trucks; -until even Chinese fanaticism could stand it no longer and the few -survivors fled in the friendly darkness. For that brave exploit, the -Subhedar Major of the corps now wears the Star of the Indian Empire. -From the mud walls of that village, scarce two hundred yards away, -the European‐drilled Imperial troops, armed with the latest magazine -rifles, had searched with deadly aim every yard of open ground over -which the defenders advanced. Across this ditch the Boxers, invincible -in their mad belief, had swarmed in the face of a murderous fire, and -filled it with their dead. Not a foot of ground in that prosaic railway -station but had its tale of desperate fanaticism or disciplined valour.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus03"> -<img src="images/illus03.jpg" width="600" height="402" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">EUROPEAN CONCESSIONS, TIENTSIN, AND THE PEIHO RIVER</p></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_II"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER II</span><br /> -TIENTSIN</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">THE foreign settlement of Tientsin and the Chinese city are entirely -separate, and lie some distance apart. The former, resembling more a -European town than an alien lodgment in the heart of the Celestial -Empire, boasts wide roads and well‐kept streets, large offices and -lofty warehouses, good public buildings and comfortable villas, a -racecourse and a polo‐ground. It is divided into the Concessions of the -various nationalities, of which the English, in size and mercantile -importance, is easily first. The difference between it and the next -largest—the French—is very marked. The latter, though possessing -a few good streets, several hotels, and at least one long business -thoroughfare with fine shops, speaks all too plainly of stagnation. The -British quarter, bustling, crowded, tells just as clearly of thriving -trade. In it are found most of the banks, the offices of the more -considerable merchants, and all the municipal buildings.</p> - -<p>The Chinese city, perhaps, has more charm for the lover of the -picturesque, though it is less interesting now than formerly, since -the formidable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span> embrasured wall surrounding it has been pulled down by -order of the Allied generals. In it stands a grim memento of another -outburst of fanaticism against the hated foreigner—the ruins of the -Roman Catholic Cathedral, destroyed by the Chinese in 1870. The city -itself is like unto all other Celestial cities. Narrow lanes, low -houses, ill‐kept thoroughfares, gaudiness and dirt intermingled, stench -and filth abominable. To it, however, was wont to go the seeker after -curiosities, choice silks, or rich furs from Manchuria and Corea. But -the retributive looting that fell on it after its capture has left it -bare indeed.</p> - -<p>On the platform of the railway station almost the first friendly face -we saw was that of perhaps the best‐known man in North China, Major -Whittal, Hyderabad Contingent. Interpreter in Russian, fluent in French -and German, his linguistic abilities had been responsible for his -appointment to the scarcely enviable post of Railway Staff Officer at -Tientsin. In a town that held the headquarters of every foreign army, -where troops and stores of all kinds were despatched or arrived daily -in charge of representatives of the different forces, such a position -required the possession of a genius for organisation and infinite -tact and patience. Even as we greeted him, French, Russian, or German -officers and soldiers crowded round, to harry him with questions in -divers tongues or propound problems as to the departure of troop trains -or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span> the disposal of waggons loaded with supplies for their respective -armies. The Britisher is usually supposed to be the least versed of -any in foreign languages. But the Continental officers were very much -surprised to find how many linguists we boasted in our expeditionary -force. At every important railway station we had a staff officer who -was an interpreter in one or more European languages. There were many -who had passed examinations in Chinese. A French major remarked to me -one day: “<em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Voilà, monsieur</span></em>, we have always thought that an Englishman -knows no tongue but his own. Yet we find but few of your officers who -cannot converse with us in ours. Not all well, certainly; but, on the -other hand, how many of us can talk with you in English? Scarcely any. -And many of you speak Russian, German, or Italian.” It was not the only -surprising fact they learned about the hitherto despised Anglo‐Indian -army.</p> - -<p>Leaving Major Whittal surrounded by a polyglot crowd, and handing over -the luggage to our sword orderlies, we seated ourselves in rickshas and -set out in search of quarters. The European settlement is separated -from the railway station by the Peiho River. We crossed over a bridge -of boats, which swings aside to allow the passage of vessels up or -down. At either end stood a French sentry, to stop the traffic when -the bridge was about to open. The stream was crowded with junks loaded -with stores for the various armies, and flying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span> the flag of the nation -in whose service they were employed. A steamer lay at a wharf—an -unusual sight, for few ships of any draught can safely overcome the -difficulties of the shallow river. Along the far bank ran a broad road, -known as the Bund, bordered with well‐built warehouses and offices. -Some of these bore eloquent testimony to the severity of the Chinese -shell fire during the siege. The Tricolour flew over the first houses -we passed, for the French Concession lies nearest the station. At -the gates of those buildings, used as barracks, lounged men of the -Infanterie Coloniale, clad in loose white or blue uniforms, with large -and clumsy helmets. A few hundred yards farther down we reached the -English settlement, and turned up a wide street, in which was situated -the fine official residence of the British Consul‐General. We arrived -at last at the mess of the Hong Kong Regiment, where two of us were to -find quarters. It stood in a narrow lane surrounded by houses shattered -by shells during the siege. Close by were the messes of the Royal Welch -Fusiliers and the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry in dark and gloomy Chinese -buildings.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon we paid our first visit to the Tientsin Club. It was -crowded with representatives of almost every nationality. Britishers, -Americans, French, Russians, and Austrians were clinking glasses amid -a chorus of “<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">A votre santé</span>!” “Good health!” “Svatches doróvia!” and -“Here’s how!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span>” Even an occasional smart little Japanese officer was to -be seen. Naval uniforms were almost as much in evidence as military -garb; for the officers of the Allied Fleets lying off Taku varied -the monotony of riding at anchor, out of sight of the land, by an -occasional run ashore and a visit to Tientsin and Pekin. The utmost -good fellowship prevailed among the different nationalities. French -was the usual medium of intercourse between Continental officers and -those of the English‐speaking races. Britishers might be seen labouring -through the intricacies of the irregular verbs which had vexed their -brains during schooldays, or lamenting their neglect to keep up their -early acquaintance with the language of diplomacy and international -courtesy. The bond of a common tongue drew the Americans and the -English still more closely together, and the greatest friendship -existed between all ranks of both nationalities. The heroic bravery of -the sailors and soldiers of the great Republic of the West earned the -praise and admiration of their British comrades, who were justly proud -of the kinship that was more marked than ever during those days when -the Stars and Stripes flew side by side with the Union Jack. The famous -saying of the American commodore, “Blood is stronger than water,” and -the timely aid given by him to our imperilled sailors in this same -vexed land of China, were green in our memory. The language difficulty -unfortunately prevented much intercourse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span> with the Japanese officers. -Some of them, however, were acquainted with English, and these were -readily welcomed by British and Americans.</p> - -<p>The club stands in the broad, tree‐shaded Victoria Road. Next to it is -the Gordon Hall, a handsome structure famous as the refuge of the women -and children during the bombardment. It contains a theatre and a public -library, and is the scene of most of the festivities in Tientsin. -Before its door stands an object‐lesson of the siege—two small guns of -Seymour’s gallant column flanked by enormous shells captured from the -Chinese. The two tall towers were a conspicuous mark for the hostile -artillerymen, as was the even loftier German Club facing it. Close by -are the small but pretty Public Gardens, where, in the afternoons, -the bands of the various regiments used to play. Nearer the French -Concession stands a large hotel, the Astor House; its long verandah -was the favourite resort of the foreign officers. The groups in varied -uniforms sitting round the small marble tables gave it the appearance -of a Continental <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">café</span></em>—an illusion not dispelled by the courtesy -which prevailed. As each new‐comer entered he saluted the company -present, who all rose and bowed in reply.</p> - -<p>Behind the Victoria Road runs the famous, or infamous, Taku Road, the -scene of so many disgraceful brawls between the Allied troops. For part -of its length it is lined by commercial buildings, but towards the -French Concession were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span> many houses tenanted by the frail sisterhood. -Their presence attracted the worst characters among the men of the -various armies, and disorder was rife. It culminated at length in a -wanton attack on a small patrol of the Royal Welch Fusiliers by a -drunken mob of Continental soldiers. A Japanese guard close by turned -out to the aid of their English comrades, and, wasting no time in -parley, dropped at once on the knee to fire into the aggressors. They -were restrained with difficulty by the corporal in charge of the -British patrol, who vainly endeavoured to pacify the mob. Forced at -length to use their rifles in self‐defence, the Fusiliers did so to -some effect. Two soldiers were killed, eight others wounded, and the -remainder fled. Naturally enough, great excitement and indignation were -aroused at first among the troops to which these men belonged; but it -died away when the truth was known. An international court of inquiry, -having carefully investigated the case, exonerated the corporal from -all blame and justified his action. Such unfortunate occurrences were -only to be expected among the soldiers of so many mixed nationalities, -and the fact that they did not happen more frequently spoke well for -the general discipline. At the end farthest from the French Concession -the Taku Road ran through a number of small <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cafés</span></em> and beer‐saloons, -much patronised by the German troops, whose barracks lay close by.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span></p> - -<p>The sights of the city and the foreign settlement were soon exhausted. -But one never tired of watching the moving pictures of soldier life, -or of visiting the scenes of the deadly fighting memorable for ever -in the history of North China. The long stretches of mud flats lying -between the Chinese town and the Concessions, over which shot and shell -had flown for weeks; the roofless villages; the shattered houses; -the loopholed and bullet‐splashed walls. There, during long days and -anxious nights, the usually pacific Chinaman, spurred on by fanatic -hate and lust of blood, had waged a bitter war with all the devilish -cunning of his race. There the mad rushes of frenzied Boxers, reckless -of life, hurling themselves fearlessly with antiquated weapons against -a well‐armed foe. There the Imperial soldiers, trained by European -officers, showed that their instruction had borne fruit. From every -cover, natural or improvised, they used their magazine rifles with -accuracy and effect. Lieutenant Fair, <span class="smcap">R.N.</span>, Flag‐Lieutenant -to Admiral Seymour, told me that he has often watched them picking up -the range as carefully and judiciously as a Boer marksman. And his -Admiral, conspicuous in white uniform and dauntlessly exposing himself -on the defences, escaped death again and again only by a miracle while -men fell at his side. Nor was the shooting of the Chinese gunners to -be despised. Lieutenant Hutchinson, H.M.S. <em>Terrible</em>, in a redoubt -with two of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span> ship’s famous guns, engaged in a duel at three -thousand yards with a Chinese battery of modern ordnance. Of six shells -hurled at him, two struck the parapet in front, two fell just past -his redoubt, and two almost within it. Fortunately none burst. Had -the mandarins responsible for the munitions of war proved as true to -their trust as the gunners, the <em>Terrible’s</em> detachment would have been -annihilated; but when the ammunition captured afterwards from the enemy -was examined, it was found that the bursting charges of the shells had -been removed and replaced by sand. The corrupt officials had extracted -the powder and sold it. A naval ·450 Maxim was most unpopular in the -defences. Its neighbourhood was too unsafe, for whenever it opened fire -the smoke betrayed it to the Chinese gunners, and shells at once fell -fast around it. It had finally to be withdrawn.</p> - -<p>But the desperate losses among the Boxers opposed to Seymour’s gallant -column, the heavy fighting around Tientsin, and the capture of the city -broke the back of the Chinese resistance. And when the Allied Army -advanced on Pekin, no determined stand was made after the first battle. -The capital, with its famous and formidable walls, fell almost without -a blow. A sore disappointment to the British Siege Train, who, hurried -out to South Africa to batter down the forts of Pretoria, found their -services uncalled for there; and then,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span> despatched to China for the -siege of Pekin, arrived to learn that there, too, they were not needed.</p> - -<p>The interest of the Foreign Settlement lay in the crowds that thronged -its streets. Never since the occupation of Paris after Napoleon’s -downfall has any city presented such a kaleidoscopic picture of varied -uniforms and mixed troops of many nations. I know few things more -interesting than to sit for an hour on the Astor House verandah and -watch the living stream. Rickshas go by bearing officers of every army, -punctiliously saluting all other wearers of epaulettes they pass. An -Indian tonga bumps along behind two sturdy little ponies. After it -rumbles a Russian transport cart, driven by a white‐bloused Cossack. A -heavy German waggon pulls aside to make way for a carriage containing -two Prussian officers of high rank. A few small Japanese mounted -infantrymen trot by, looking far more in keeping with the diminutive -Chinese ponies than do the tall Punjaubis who follow them. Behind them -are a couple of swarthy Bombay Lancers on well‐groomed horses, gazing -with all a cavalryman’s disdain at the “Mounted Foot” in front of them. -And surely never was trooper of any army so picturesque as the Indian -<em>sowar</em>. A guard of stolid German soldiers tramps by. A squad of sturdy -Japanese infantry passes a detachment of heavily accoutred French -troops swinging along<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span> with short, rapid strides. And at each street -corner and crossing, directing the traffic, calm and imperturbable, -stands the man who has made England what she is—the British private. -All honour to him! Smart, trim, well set‐up, he looks a monarch among -soldiers, compared with the men of other more military countries. Never -have I felt so proud of Tommy Atkins as when I saw him there contrasted -with the pick of the Continental armies; for all the corps that had -been sent out from Europe had been specially selected to do credit to -their nations. <em>He</em> was merely one of a regiment that had chanced to be -garrisoning England’s farthest dependency in the East, or of a battery -taken at random. In physique, appearance, and soldierly bearing he -equalled them all. Even his cousin, the American, sturdy and stalwart -as he is, could not excel him in smartness, though not behind him in -courage or coolness in action. The British officer, however, in plain -khaki with no adornments of rank, looked almost dowdy beside the white -coats and gold shoulder‐straps of the Russian or the silver belts and -sashes of the German. But gay trappings nowadays are sadly out of place -in warfare.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus04"> -<img src="images/illus04.jpg" width="600" height="447" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">PUBLIC GARDENS AND GORDON HALL IN THE VICTORIA ROAD, -ENGLISH CONCESSION</p></div> - -<p>And though within a few miles the broken Chinese braves and routed -Boxers, formed into roving bands of robbers, swooped down upon -defenceless villages, and heavily accoutred European soldiers trudged -wearily and fruitlessly after them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span> over impossible country, life in -Tientsin flowed on unheeding in all the gay tranquillity of ordinary -garrison existence. Entertainments in the Gordon Hall, convivial -dinners, polo, races, went on as though the demon of war had been -exorcised from the unhappy land. Yet grim reminders were not wanting; -scarcely a day passed without seeing a few miserable prisoners brought -in from the districts round. Poor wretches! Many of them were villagers -who had been driven into brigandage by the burning of their houses and -the ruin of their fields as the avenging armies passed. Some were but -the victims of treacherous informers, who, to gain a poor reward or -gratify a petty spite, denounced the innocent. And, with pigtails tied -together, cuffed and hustled by their pitiless captors, they trudged on -to their doom with the vague stare of poor beasts led to the slaughter. -A hurried trial, of which they comprehended nothing, then death. Scarce -knowing what was happening, each unhappy wretch was led forth to die. -Around him stood the fierce white soldiers he had learned to dread. -Cruel men of his own race bound his arms, flung him on his knees, and -pulled his queue forward to extend his neck. The executioner, too often -a pitiful bungler, raised his sword. The stroke fell; the head leapt -from the body; the trunk swayed for an instant, then collapsed on the -ground.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus05"> -<img src="images/illus05.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">EXECUTION OF A BOXER BY THE FRENCH<span class="add4em">[<em>page</em> 28</span></p></div> - -<p>Yet for many of them such a death was all too<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span> merciful. No race -on earth is capable of such awful cruelty, such hellish devices of -torture, as the Chinese. And the unfortunate missionaries, the luckless -wounded soldiers who fell into their hands, experienced treatment -before which the worst deviltries of the Red Indian seemed humane. -Occasionally some of these fiends were captured by the Allies; often -only the instruments, but sometimes the instigators of the terrible -outrages on Europeans, the mandarins who had spurred on the maddened -Boxers to their worst excesses. For these no fitting punishment could -be devised, and a swift death was too kind. But in the latter days of -the campaign too many suffered an unmerited fate. The blood heated by -the tales of Chinese cruelty at the outbreak of the troubles did not -cool rapidly. The murders of the missionaries and civil engineers, -of the unhappy European women and children, could not be readily -forgotten. The seed sown in those early days of the fanatical outburst -bore a bitter fruit. The horrors that war inevitably brings in its -train were aggravated by the memory of former treachery and the -difficulty of distinguishing between the innocent and the guilty. A -very slight alteration of dress sufficed to convert into a harmless -peasant the Boxer whose hands were red with the blood of defenceless -Europeans, or of Chinese Christians whose mangled bodies had choked the -river.</p> - -<p>The echoes of a greater struggle at the other<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span> side of the globe filled -the ears of the world when the defenders of Tientsin were holding -fanatical hordes of besiegers at bay. And so, few in Europe realised -the deadliness of the fighting around the little town where hundreds -of white women and children huddled together in terror of a fate -too dreadful for words. The gallant sailors and marines who guarded -it knew that on them alone depended the lives and honour of these -helpless ones. Day and night they fought a fight, the like of which has -scarcely been known since the defenders of the Residency at Lucknow -kept the flag flying in similar straits against a not more savage -foe. Outmatched in armament, they opposed small, almost out‐of‐date -guns to quick‐firing and large‐calibre Krupps of the latest pattern. -Outnumbered, stricken by disease, assailed by fierce hordes without -and threatened by traitors within, they held their own with a heroism -that has never gained the meed of praise it deserved. From the walls of -the Chinese city, a few thousand yards away, and from the ample cover -across the narrow river, shells rained on the unprotected town, and its -streets were swept by close‐range rifle fire. All national rivalries -forgotten, Americans, Russians, British, French, Germans, and Japanese -fought shoulder to shoulder against a common foe. Admiral Seymour’s -heroic column, baffled in its gallant dash on Pekin, and battling -savagely against overwhelming numbers, fell slowly back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span> on the -beleaguered town. The Hsi‐ku Arsenal, a few miles from Tientsin, barred -the way, guarded by a strong and well‐armed force of Imperial soldiers. -The desperate sailors nerved themselves for a last supreme effort. -Under a terrible fire the British marines, under Major Johnstone, -<span class="smcap">R.M.L.I.</span>, flung themselves on the defences and drove out -the enemy with the bayonet. Then, utterly exhausted, its ammunition -almost spent, the starving column halted in the Arsenal, unable to -break through the environing hordes of besiegers who lay between it -and Tientsin. A gallant attempt made by two companies of our marines -to cut their way through was repulsed with heavy loss. The Chinese -made several attempts to retake the Arsenal. A welcome reinforcement -of close on two thousand Russian troops from Port Arthur had enabled -the besieged garrison of Tientsin to hold out. A relieving force was -sent out to bring in the decimated column, utterly prostrated by the -incessant fighting. An eye‐witness of their return, Mr. Drummond, -Chinese Imperial Customs, who fought with the Tientsin Volunteers -throughout the siege, told me that the condition of Seymour’s men was -pitiable in the extreme. Worn out and weak, shattered by the terrible -trials they had undergone, they had almost to be supported into the -town. For sixteen days and nights they had been battling continuously -against a well‐armed and enterprising foe. Their provisions had run<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span> -out, and they had been forced to sustain life on the foul water of the -river, which was filled with corpses, and on stray ponies and mules -captured by the way. Out of 1,945 men they had 295 casualties. As -soon as the sailors and marines of the returned column were somewhat -recovered from their exhaustion, the Allied Forces moved out to attack -the native city of Tientsin, which was surrounded by a strong and -high wall, and defended by over sixty guns, most of them very modern -ordnance. Covered by a terrific bombardment from the naval guns, which -had come up from the warships at Taku, the little army, 5,000 strong, -hurled itself on the doomed city. But so fierce was the Chinese defence -that for a day and a night it could barely hold its own. But before -sunrise the Japanese sappers blew open the city gate, under a heavy -fire. The Allies poured in through the way thus opened to them, and -the surviving defenders fled, having lost 5,000 killed and wounded. -The Allies themselves, out of a total force of 5,000, had nearly 800 -casualties. The enemy’s stronghold captured, the siege of the European -settlements was raised after a month of terrible stress.</p> - -<p>Between the railway station and the river lies a small stretch of -waste ground, a few hundred yards in extent. Here arose the famous -“Railway Siding incident.” The Russians claimed it as theirs “by right -of conquest,” although it had always been recognised as the property -of the railway company.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span> An attempt to construct a siding on it from -the station brought matters to a crisis. A Russian guard was promptly -mounted on it, and confronted by a detachment of Indian troops under -the command of Lieutenant H. E. Rudkin, 20th Bombay Infantry. The -situation in which this young subaltern was placed demanded a display -of tact and firmness which might well have overtaxed the resources -of an older man. But with the self‐reliance which the Indian Army -teaches its officers he acquitted himself most creditably in a very -trying position. Then ensued a period of anxious suspense when no man -knew what the morrow might bring forth. But calm counsels fortunately -prevailed. These few yards of waste ground were not judged worth “the -bones of a single grenadier,” and the question was taken from the hands -of the soldier and entrusted to the diplomat.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_III"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER III</span><br /> - -THE ALLIED ARMIES IN CHINA</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">TO a soldier no city in the world could prove as interesting as -Tientsin from the unequalled opportunity it presented of contrasting -the men and methods of the Allied Armies. And the officers of the -Anglo‐Indian forces saw with pride that they had but little to learn -from their Continental brothers‐in‐arms. In organisation, training, and -equipment our Indian Army was unsurpassed. Clad in the triple‐proof -armour of self‐satisfaction, the soldiers of Europe have rested -content in the methods of 1870. The effects of the increased range -and destructive power of modern weapons have not been appreciated -by them. Close formations are still the rule, and the history of -the first few battles in the next European war will be a record of -terrible slaughter. The lessons of the Boer campaign are ignored. They -ascribe the failures and defeats of the British forces to the defective -training and want of <em>morale</em> of our troops, and disdain to learn from -a “nation of farmers.”</p> - -<p>The world has long believed that the German<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span> Army is in every respect -superior to all others. But those who saw its China expeditionary -force—composed though it was of picked troops and carefully selected -officers—will not agree with this verdict. Arriving too late for the -serious fighting—for there were no German troops in the Allied Army -which relieved the Legations—it could only be criticised from its -behaviour in garrison and on a few columns which did not meet with very -serious opposition. All nationalities had looked forward eagerly to the -opportunity of closely observing a portion of the army which has set -the fashion in things military to Europe during the past thirty years. -But I think that most of those who had hoped to learn from it were -disappointed.</p> - -<p>The German authorities are still faithful to the traditions of close -formations and centralisation of command under fire. Unbroken lines in -the attack are the rule, and no divergence from the straight, forward -direction, in order to take advantage of cover lying towards a flank, -is authorised. The increased destructive power given by low trajectory -to modern firearms does not seem to be properly understood by them. -The creeping forward of widely extended and irregularly advancing -lines of skirmishers, seizing every cover available within easy reach, -is not favoured; and the dread of the effect of cavalry charges on -the flanks of such scattered formations still rules the tactics of -the attack. The development of the initiative of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span> soldier, of -his power of acting for himself under fire, is not striven after. In -steady, mechanical drill the German private is still pre‐eminent, but -in wide extensions he is helpless without someone at his elbow to give -him orders. One of the Prussian General Staff—sent out as a Special -Service Officer—argued seriously with me that even when advancing over -open ground against an entrenched enemy armed with modern rifles, it -would be impossible to extend to more than an interval of one pace, “as -otherwise the captain could not command his company.”</p> - -<p>Those in high places in Germany probably appreciate the lessons of -the South African campaign. But the difficulty of frontal assaults in -close formations on a well‐defended position, the impossibility of -battalion or company commanders directing the attack in the firing line -at close ranges, the necessity of training men to act for themselves -when near the enemy, have not struck home to the subordinate grades. -Viewed in the light of our experiences in the Boer War and on the -Indian Frontier, their adherence to systems that we have proved -disastrous before modern weapons stamps their tactics as antiquated. -“Entrenching,” another staff officer said to me, “is contrary to the -spirit of the German Army. Our regulations now force us to employ the -spade, but our tradition will always be to trust to the bayonet.” And I -thought of another army, which also used to have a decided<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span> liking for -the same weapon, and which had gone to South Africa in the firm belief -that cold steel was the only weapon for use in war!</p> - -<p>The German officers were very smart in their bearing and dress. Their -khaki uniforms were similar to ours, the coats well made; but the -clumsy cut of their riding breeches offends the fastidious eyes of the -horsey Britisher, who is generally more particular about the fit of -this garment than any other in his wardrobe. The product of despotic -militarism in a land where the army is supreme and the civilian is -despised, the German officers are full of the pride of caste. In -China they were scarcely inclined to regard those of the other allied -troops as equals. The iron discipline of their army does not encourage -intercourse between the various ranks. The friendly association of -English officers with their men in sports is inexplicable to them; and -that a private should excel his superior in any pastime is equivalent, -in their opinion, to the latter at once forfeiting the respect of -his subordinate. When a team of British officers in Tientsin were -training for a tug‐of‐war against those of the Pekin garrison in the -assault‐at‐arms at the Temple of Heaven, they used to practise with a -team of heavy non‐commissioned officers. A German captain said to a -British subaltern who was taking part:</p> - -<p>“Is it possible that you allow your soldiers to compete against -officers even in practice?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly,” replied the Englishman.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span></p> - -<p>“But of course you always beat them?”</p> - -<p>“Not at all,” was the answer. “On the contrary, they generally beat us.”</p> - -<p>“But surely that is a mistake,” said the scandalised Prussian. “They -must in that case inevitably lose all respect for you.” And nothing -could convince him that it was not so.</p> - -<p>As the German military officer does not as a rule travel much abroad, -the realisation of England’s predominance beyond the seas seemed to -come on those in China almost as a surprise. One remarked to a member -of the staff of our Fourth Brigade:</p> - -<p>“Our voyage out here has brought home to most of us for the first time -how you English have laid your hands on all parts of the earth worth -having. In every port we touched at since we left Germany, everywhere -we coaled, we found your flag flying. Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Colombo, -Singapore, Hong Kong—all British.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus06"> -<img src="images/illus06.jpg" width="600" height="445" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">FRENCH COLONIAL INFANTRY MARCHING THROUGH THE FRENCH CONCESSION, TIENTSIN</p></div> - -<p>“Yes,” added another, “we have naturally been accustomed to regard -our own country as the greatest in the world. But outside it we found -our language useless. Yours is universal. I had said to myself that -Port Said, at least, is not British; but there, too, your tongue is -the chief medium of intercourse. Here in China, even the coolies speak -English, or what they intend to be English.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus07"> -<img src="images/illus07.jpg" width="600" height="445" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">GERMAN OFFICERS WELCOMING FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE AT THE RAILWAY STATION, TIENTSIN</p> -<p class="right">[<em>page</em> 38</p></div> - -<p>The German organisation—perfect, perhaps, for Europe, where each -country is a network of roads and railways—was not so successful -in China. For<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span> the first time the leading military nation was -brought face to face with the difficulties involved in the despatch -of an expedition across the sea and far from the home base. And its -mistakes were not few. Their contingent found themselves at first -devoid of transport and dependent on the kindness of the other armies -for means to move from the railway. One projected expedition had to -be long delayed because the German troops could not advance for this -reason, until the English at length furnished them with the necessary -transport. The enormous waggons they brought with them were useless -in a country where barrows are generally the only form of wheeled -transport possible on the very narrow roads. Their knowledge of -horse‐mastership was not impressive, their animals always looking badly -kept and ill‐fed.</p> - -<p>The first German troops despatched to China were curiously clothed. -Their uniform consisted of ill‐fitting tunics and trousers made of what -looked like coarse, bright yellow sacking, with black leather belts -and straw hats shaped like those worn by our Colonials, the broad brim -caught up on one side and fastened by a metal rosette of the German -colours. Later on all were clothed in regular khaki, and wore helmets -somewhat similar to the British pattern, but with wider brims. The -square portion covering the back of the neck was fastened by hinges, so -that the helmet was not tilted over the wearer’s eyes when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span> he lay down -to fire, which is the great disadvantage of our style of headgear. Some -of the officers wore silver sashes and belts which looked out of place -on khaki, the embodiment of severe simplicity in campaigning dress.</p> - -<p>The physique of the German soldiers was very good, but they were -members of a comparatively small contingent picked from an enormous -army. To those used to the smart and upright bearing of the British -private their careless and slouching gait seemed slovenly. But on -parade they moved like automatons. A curious phase in the relations -of the Allies was the intimacy which prevailed between the men of the -French and German troops. In the French Concession numbers of them were -to be constantly seen fraternising together, strolling arm‐in‐arm in -the streets, or drinking in the <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cafés</span></em>. This was chiefly owing to the -fact that many in either army could speak the language of the other. -But this intimacy did not extend to the commissioned ranks.</p> - -<p>The vast increase in their mercantile marine of late years enabled the -Germans to transport their troops in their own vessels. The Russians, -on the other hand, were frequently forced to employ British ships, -although the bulk of their forces in North China did not come from -Europe by sea, but was furnished by the Siberian Army.</p> - -<p>The German Navy took a prominent part in the China imbroglio. The -<em>Iltis</em> was well to the fore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span> in the bombardment of the Taku forts -by the gunboats in the Peiho. In the assault by the storming parties -from the Allied Fleet 130 German sailors shared, and lost 6 killed -and 15 wounded; 200 more accompanied Seymour’s column on the advance -to Pekin. The Navy of the Fatherland possesses the immense advantage -of being very modern and homogeneous, and is consequently quite up to -date. Even at its present strength it is a formidable fighting machine. -If the Kaiser’s plans are realised, and it is increased to the size -he aims at, Germany will play a prominent rôle in any future naval -complications.</p> - -<p>English officers are frequently accused of a lack of interest in their -profession from not acquainting themselves with the problems which -arise in contemporary campaigns, the course of which many persons -believe that they do not follow. But we found a singular want of -knowledge of the history and events of the South African campaign among -the commissioned grades of the Allied Armies. I understood the crass -ignorance of Continental peoples with regard to the Boer War after a -conversation with a foreign staff officer. I had asked him what he -thought had been the probable strength of the Republican forces at the -beginning of the campaign.</p> - -<p>“Ah, that I know precisely,” he replied. “I have heard it from an -officer in our army, now in China, who served with the Boers. I can -state<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span> positively on his authority that your antagonists were never -able to put into the field, either at the beginning of the war or at -any other time, more than 30,000 men. The total populations of both -States could not produce any greater number capable of carrying a -rifle.”</p> - -<p>“And how many do you think they have in the field now?” I asked. This -was in August, 1901.</p> - -<p>“About 25,000.”</p> - -<p>“But surely,” I argued, “after nearly two years of fighting their -losses must amount to more than 5,000 between killed, wounded, and -captured.”</p> - -<p>“Not at all. Perhaps not even that.”</p> - -<p>“Then you apparently do not know,” I said, “that we have about 30,000 -or 40,000 prisoners or surrendered men in St. Helena, South Africa, -Ceylon, and India.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, but you have not,” he said, with a politely incredulous smile; -“two or three thousand at most. In our army we are not ignorant of the -course of the campaign. We read our newspapers carefully.”</p> - -<p>I ceased to wonder at the ignorance of his nation when he, a Staff and -Special Service Officer, was so ill‐informed.</p> - -<p>The French Army in China suffered some loss of <em>prestige</em> in the -beginning through their first contingent, composed of Infanterie -Coloniale and others sent up from <em>l’Indo‐Chine</em>. Long service in -unhealthy tropical climates had rendered the men debilitated and -fever‐stricken. They were by no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span> means fair samples of the French -soldier, and certainly not up to the standard of the troops which -came out later from France. The Zouaves and Chasseurs d’Afrique, -particularly, were excellent. Both are crack corps, and were much -admired, the physique of the men being very good. The latter were fine -specimens of European cavalry, good riders, well mounted; but their -horses seemed too heavily weighted, especially for service in hot -climates.</p> - -<p>The infantry were weighed down by an extraordinarily heavy pack, which -they carried on nearly all duties—mounting guard, marching, even in -garrison. They were trained in the same obsolete close formations as -the Germans; but, with the traditional aptitude for loose fighting -which dates from the days of Napoleon’s <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">tirailleurs</span></em>, they can adapt -themselves much more rapidly to extended order.</p> - -<p>The French officers, though not so well turned out as the Germans, were -much more friendly and agreeable. There was a good deal of intercourse -between them and the Britishers. Their manner of maintaining discipline -was very different to our ideas on the subject. I have seen one of -them box the ears of his drunken orderly who had assaulted the Indian -servant of an English officer, and who, considering himself aggrieved -at being reprimanded by his master, had staggered up to him to tell him -so.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span></p> - -<p>The training and organisation of the French Army has immensely improved -since the disastrous campaign of 1870. A soldier serves first in the -Active Army, then in the Reserve of the Active Army, where he is called -up for training somewhat on the lines of our Militia. He is then -passed into the Territorial Army, where he is not allowed to forget -what he has learned with the colours. Finally he is enrolled in the -Reserve of the Territorial Army, and is still liable to be summoned to -defend his country in emergency. A regiment has all its equipment and -stores in its own keeping; so that, when suddenly ordered on active -service, there is no rush to indent upon the Commissariat or Ordnance -Departments. Its reservists join at regimental headquarters, where they -find everything ready for them, and take their places as though they -had never quitted the colours. In marching powers, at least, no troops -in Europe surpass the French; and legs are almost as useful as arms in -modern warfare, where wide flanking <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">détours</span></em> and extended movements -will be the rule in future.</p> - -<p>France’s long experience of colonies and wars beyond the sea rendered -the organisation and fitting out of her expeditionary force an easier -task than some other nations found it. The men were always cheerful; -and the French soldier is particularly handy at bivouacking and fending -for himself on service.</p> - -<p>The Russian troops were composed of big,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> heavy, rather fleshy men. -Unintelligent and slow, for the most part, they were determined -fighters, but seemed devoid of the power of initiative or of thinking -for themselves. I doubt if the Muscovite soldier is much more advanced -than his Crimean predecessor. The men of the Siberian army may be best -described as cheerful savages, obedient under an iron discipline, but -not averse to excesses when not under the stern hand of authority, -especially when their blood has been heated by fighting. The great -power of the Russian soldier lies in his wonderful endurance under -privations that few other European troops could support. I should be -sorry to offer Englishmen the meagre fare on which he manages to exist. -His commissariat rations were anything but lavish in China, and had to -be supplemented by the men themselves by foraging. Yet those whom I saw -in North China and Manchuria looked well fed and almost fat.</p> - -<p>Their respect for, and faith in, their officers is admirable. Their -religion is a living force to their simple natures. Once, in Newchwang, -in Manchuria, I passed a small Russian church in which a number of -their troops were attending a Mass of the gorgeous Greek ritual. Their -rifles were piled outside under the charge of a sentry. Helmet in hand -he was devoutly following the service through the open window, crossing -himself repeatedly and joining in the prayers of the congregation -inside.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span> I am afraid that such a sight would be very rarely seen at a -church parade in our army.</p> - -<p>Of the courage of the Russians there can be no doubt. Their behaviour -during the stern fighting around Tientsin was admirable. The -European settlements owed their preservation largely to the timely -reinforcements which arrived from Port Arthur at a time of deadly -peril. When Admiral Seymour started on his desperate attempt to relieve -the Legations, he left behind at Tientsin a small number of British -sailors and marines under Captain Bayly, H.M.S. <em>Aurora</em>, with orders -to hold the town, so that his column, if defeated, might have some -place to fall back on. When, after his departure, the Concessions were -suddenly assailed, the commanding officers of the other Allies were of -opinion that the defence of the settlements was hopeless, and advocated -a retirement on Taku. Captain Bayly pointed out the peril to which the -Relieving Column would be exposed if repulsed and forced to fall back -only to find Tientsin in the hands of the Chinese. His remonstrances -had no effect. Then the dauntless sailor, with true British grit, -declared that the others might go if they wished. He had been ordered -to remain in Tientsin, and remain he would. He would not desert his -admiral even if left alone to hold the town with his handful of -Britishers. I have it on his own authority that the Russian commander -was the first to applaud his resolution and declare that he and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> his -men would stay with the English to the end. His action turned the -scale, and all remained to defend Tientsin and save Seymour’s gallant -but unfortunate column.</p> - -<p>Though the Russian officers exceed even the Germans in the severity -with which they treat their men, there is, nevertheless, more of a -spirit of comradeship existing between the higher and lower ranks. This -is truer, perhaps, of the European army than the Siberian, which was -more employed in the China campaign, and is inferior to the former, -especially the splendid Guards corps. The officers were fine men -physically, but seemed in military training rather behind those of the -other Allies.</p> - -<p>Profiting by the experience gained in their previous campaign against -China, the Japanese Army arrived well equipped in 1900. As long as road -or river was available, their transport system of carts and boats was -excellent; but when it came to flying columns moving across country the -Indian mule train was superior. Beginning the war in white uniform, the -disadvantages of such a conspicuous dress were soon evident, and khaki -was substituted. The men were well clothed, and carried a horsehide -knapsack containing the usual necessaries and an extra pair of boots.</p> - -<p>The cavalry, consisting as it does of small men on undersized -animals, would be of little use in shock tactics. It would be far -more useful converted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span> into mounted infantry, for their infantry -earned nothing but praise. Small, sturdy, easily fed, and capable of -enduring an extraordinary amount of hardship, they were ideal foot -soldiers. Recruited among an agricultural population, inhabitants of -a mountainous country, they were inured to toil and fatigue. Under -a load that few white men could carry they tramped long distances, -arriving at the end of the march apparently not in the least exhausted. -Their racial respect for superiors has bred a perfect spirit of -unquestioning discipline. Their high patriotism and almost fanatical -courage endow them with an absolute contempt of death, and their heroic -bravery extorted the admiration even of such unfriendly critics as -the Russians. Trained in German methods, their army suffers from all -the defects of the hide‐bound Teutonic system. In the attack on some -fortified villages held by banditti, after Major Browning’s death in a -preliminary skirmish, two Japanese companies advanced in line with the -4th Punjaub Infantry. Under a fierce fire from 4,000 brigands, armed -with Mannlichers and ensconced behind walls, the Indian troops extended -to ten or twelve paces. The Japanese came on in single rank, almost -shoulder to shoulder. They lost four times as many as the Punjaubis, -but never wavered for an instant, closing in mechanically as their -comrades fell, and almost outstripping our sepoys in the final charge -that carried the position.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> Though many of their officers have realised -that the day of close formations is past, they have not sufficient -confidence in the ability of their men to fight independently <em>yet</em>; -while they know that no amount of slaughter will dismay them in an -attack. Besides, in China they were anxious to blood them well and to -show to their European critics the splendid fighting quality of their -soldiers, and prove that they were worthy to combat with or against any -troops in the world.</p> - -<p>The organisation, equipment, and material of the Japanese Army -leave little to be desired. Their engineers and artillery are well -trained, and both rendered good service to the Allies in 1900. Their -Intelligence Department had been brought to a high standard of -efficiency; and its perfection astonishes those who are permitted to -gain a glimpse of its working. The whole East is sown with its spies. -When the Legations were threatened, Japanese who had been working at -inferior trades in Pekin came in and revealed themselves as military -officers who for months or years had been acquainting themselves with -the plans, the methods, and the strength of China.</p> - -<p>The discipline of Japanese soldiers in small things as well as great -is admirable. I have often watched crowded troop‐trains arriving at -the Shimbashi railway terminus in Tokio. The men sat quietly in their -places until the order to leave the carriages was given. Then, without -noise or confusion,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span> they got out, fell in on the platforms, piled -arms, fell out, and remained near their rifles without chattering; -indeed, with hardly a word except in an undertone. Prompt and -unquestioning obedience in everything is the motto of the Japanese -soldier. Their courage at the storming of Tientsin city, on the march -to the capital, and at the capture of Pekin won the admiration of all -the Allies, and their behaviour and self‐restraint in the hour of -victory were equalled only by their gallantry in action. No charges -of cruelty to inoffensive peasants or women and children could be -substantiated against them; and they treated the conquered Chinese -with great kindness. They employed their prisoners to work for them -and paid them liberally for their labour. Their conduct in garrison -was admirable. Well armed and equipped, well officered and led, the -Japanese Army is now a powerful fighting machine, and would prove a -formidable enemy or a useful ally in the field.</p> - -<p>Throughout the campaign a remarkable spirit of comradeship existed -between the Japanese and the Indian troops. The Gurkhas were their -especial friends. So like in appearance that it points to a common -ancestry in the past, they hailed each other as relatives, and seemed -quite puzzled to find no resemblance in the languages. This did not -seem to slacken their friendship; and it was amusing to see a mingled -group of the two races<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span> chatting together in an animated manner, -neither understanding a word of the other’s tongue.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus08"> -<img src="images/illus08.jpg" width="600" height="391" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">UNITED STATES CAVALRYMAN</p></div> - -<p>The men of the American Army were equalled in physique only by -the Australian Contingent and our Royal Horse Artillery. Their -free‐and‐easy ideas on the subject of discipline, the casual manner -in which a private addressed an officer, astonished and shocked their -Continental critics. I heard the remark of a German officer who, after -a slight acquaintance with their ways, exclaimed, “<em>That</em> an army? Why, -with the Berlin Fire Brigade I would conquer the whole of America!” The -speech was so typically German! But the men, accustomed to think and -act for themselves, were ideal individual fighters; and for scouting, -skirmishing, and bush‐whacking could not easily be surpassed. Their -troops in China consisted at first mainly of marines and regiments -diverted when on their way to the Philippines, and consequently were -not well equipped for a long campaign. But soon after the outset of -the expedition all deficiencies were made good and ample supplies were -forthcoming, their hospitals especially being almost lavishly furnished -with all requirements.</p> - -<p>The new American Army, like their excellent go‐ahead Navy, is a force -to be reckoned with in the future. We hear much of the effects of -“influence” in our army. It is nothing compared to what goes on in -the American. With them to be the near connection of a Senator or a -prominent politician<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span> is infinitely more advantageous than to be the -scion of a ducal line or the son of a Commander‐in‐Chief with us.</p> - -<p>If the Continental troops suffer from too rigid a discipline, which -destroys the power of thinking for themselves in the lower ranks, the -Americans, perhaps, err on the other side. They are too ready to act -on their own responsibility, to question the wisdom of the orders -they receive, and act, instead, as seems best to themselves. This was -particularly evident in the case of the volunteer regiments in the -Philippines; but instances of it were not wanting among the regulars -and marines in North China. Democracy is impossible in an army. But -the material at the service of the United States is unquestionably -magnificent; and when the pressure of events in the future has called -into being and welded together a really large army in America, there -are few nations that can hope to oppose it successfully in the field. -How rapidly the sons of the Star‐spangled Banner acquire the art of war -was evidenced in Cuba and in the more difficult and trying guerilla -campaign in the Philippines. Their faults were those of inexperience.</p> - -<p>Of their courage there can be no doubt. At the taking of Tientsin -city nearly a thousand American infantry and marines served with the -British under General Dorward. In a letter to their commander this -officer warmly expressed the honour he, in common with all his men, -felt in serving alongside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> the American troops. In his own words, “they -formed part of the front line of the British attack, and so had more -than their fair share of the fighting. The ready and willing spirit of -both officers and men, their steady gallantry and power of holding on -to exposed positions, made them soldiers of the highest class.” What -greater praise could be given them? And well they deserved it! Two -companies of the 9th Infantry (U.S.A.), attacked in front and flank by -a merciless fire, held gallantly to their ground until nightfall with a -loss of half their number in killed and wounded, including their brave -leader, Colonel Liscum, who met a hero’s death at the head of his men. -In all the actions of the campaign the American troops distinguished -themselves by conspicuous bravery; and the British recognised with -pride and pleasure the gallantry of their cousins. May we always fight -shoulder to shoulder with, but never against, them!</p> - -<p>Great <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">camaraderie</span></em> existed between the Americans and the English -troops. The sons of the Stars and Stripes amply repaid the disdain of -the Continental officers with a contempt that was almost laughable. -They classified the Allies as white men and “Dagoes.” The former -were the Americans and the British, the latter the other European -contingents. They distinguished between them though, and the terms -“Froggie Dago,” “Sauerkraut Dago,” “Macaroni Dago,” and “Vodki Dago<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span>” -left little doubt in the hearer’s mind as to which nationality was -meant.</p> - -<p>I heard a good story of an encounter between a young English subaltern -and an American in North China. I fancy the same tale is told of a -Colonial in South Africa; but it is good enough to bear repetition. -The very youthful Britisher, chancing to pass a Yankee soldier who was -sitting down and made no motion to rise, considered himself affronted -at the private’s failure to salute him. He turned back indignantly and -addressed the offender.</p> - -<p>“Look here, my man, do you know who I am?”</p> - -<p>“No—o—o,” drawled the American.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’m a British officer.”</p> - -<p>“Air ye naow?” was the reply. “Waal, sonny, you’ve got a soft job. See -you don’t get drunk and lose it.”</p> - -<p>The subaltern walked on.</p> - -<p>Of the Italian Expeditionary Force, which was not numerically -very strong, I saw little; but all spoke well of them. The famous -Bersagliere, the cocks’ plumes fluttering gaily in their tropical -helmets, were smart, sturdy soldiers.</p> - -<p>I regret never having had an opportunity of seeing the contingent which -Holland, not to be outdone by the other European Powers, despatched -to the East. This nation was also determined to show its power to the -world. So a Dutch Expeditionary Corps was equipped and sent out. It -consisted of a sergeant and ten men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span></p> - -<p>The Indian Field Force was a revelation to Europe. Friend and foe -realised for the first time that in the Indian army England has a -reserve of immense value. While our Continental rivals fancied that -our hands were tied by the South African war, and that we could take -no part in the Chinese complication, they were startled to see how, -without moving a soldier from Great Britain, we could put into the -field in the farthest quarter of the globe a force equal to any and -superior to most. It was mobilised and despatched speedily and without -a hitch. The vessels for its transport were all available from the -lines that ply from Calcutta and Bombay, and no ship was needed from -England. The bluejackets and marines with half a battalion of the Royal -Welch Fusiliers, already on the spot, and two batteries with some -Engineers were all the white troops we had until gallant Australia sent -her splendid little contingent as an earnest of what she could and -would do if required.</p> - -<p>Previous to the expedition of 1900, the Indian army was never allowed -to engage in war without a strong backing of British troops. And even -its own officers scarcely dared to allow themselves to believe that -without such leavening their men could successfully oppose a European -army. But now that they have seen them contrasted with the pick of -Continental soldiers, they know that they could confidently lead their -Sikhs, Gurkhas,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span> Rajputs, Pathans, or Punjaubis against the men of -any other nation. Not only is the Indian army as well equipped and -organised as any it could now be called upon to face, but also the -fighting races of our Eastern Empire, led by their British officers, -are equal to any foe. The desperate battles of the Sikh War, when, as -in the fierce struggle of Chillianwallah, victory often hung wavering -in the balance, the determined resistance of the mutinous troops in -1857, show that skilful leadership is all that our sepoys need to -enable them to encounter the best soldiers of any nation.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus09"> -<img src="images/illus09.jpg" width="600" height="401" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">GERMAN AND INDIAN SOLDIERS</p></div> - -<p>India is a continent—not a country—composed of many races that differ -far more than European nationalities. A Russian and an Englishman, -a Swede and an Italian are nearer akin, more alike in appearance, -manners, and modes of thought than a Gurkha and a Pathan, a Sikh and a -Mahratta, a Rajput and a Madrassi. It follows that the fighting value -of all these various races of India is not the same. No one would -seek among the Bengali <em>babus</em> or the Parsees of Bombay for warriors. -The Madras sepoy, though his predecessors helped to conquer India -for British rule, has fallen from his high estate and is no longer -regarded as a reliable soldier. Yet the wisdom of the policy which -relegated him of late years altogether to the background during war -may be questioned. For the Madras sappers and miners, who alone of all -the Madras army have been constantly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span> employed, have always proved -satisfactory. But the fiat has gone forth; and the Madrassi will be -gradually replaced even in his own presidency by the men of the more -martial races of the North. The Mahratta, who once struck terror -throughout the length and breadth of Hindustan, is considered by some -critics to be no longer useful as a fighting man. But they forget that -not so long ago in the desperate battles near Suakin, when even British -troops gave back before the mad rushes of fanatical Dervishes, the -28th Bombay Pioneers saved a broken square from imminent destruction -by their steadfast bravery. And they were Mahrattas then. Of the -excellence of the gallant warrior clans of Rajputana, of the fierce -Pathans inured to fighting from boyhood, of the sturdy, cheerful, -little Gurkhas, the steady, long‐limbed Sikhs, none can doubt. Hard to -conquer were they in the past; splendid to lead to battle now. To Lord -Roberts is chiefly due the credit of welding together the Indian army -and making it the formidable fighting machine it is.</p> - -<p>One great factor of its efficiency is the excellence of its British -officers. Early placed in a position of responsibility, they rapidly -learn to rely on themselves and act, if need be, on their own -initiative. In a British regiment an officer may serve twenty years -without commanding more than a company; whereas the Indian army -subaltern, before he has worn a sword three years, may find<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> himself -in command of his battalion on field‐days, in manœuvres, sometimes -even in war. In the stern fighting at the Malakand in the beginning of -the Tirah campaign, one Punjaub regiment was commanded by a subaltern, -who acquitted himself of his difficult task with marked ability. Unlike -the system of promotion that exists in the British army, the English -officers of the native corps attain the different grades after a -certain number of years’ service—nine for captain, eighteen for major, -twenty‐six for lieutenant‐colonel—and may occupy any position in their -regiments irrespective of the rank they hold.</p> - -<p>An Indian infantry battalion consists of eight companies, each under -a native officer, termed a subhedar, with a jemadar or lieutenant -to assist him. He is responsible for the discipline and interior -economy of his company. The senior native officer is known as the -subhedar‐major. Instead of the terms lance‐corporal, corporal, -sergeant, and sergeant‐major, lance‐naik, naik, havildar, and -havildar‐major are the names of the corresponding grades.</p> - -<p>The British officers practically form the staff of the regiment. The -former number of eight has been recently increased to eleven, twelve, -and thirteen, according to the presidency to which the corps belongs, -those of the Punjaub—being nearest the danger zone of frontier wars -and threatened invasion—possessing the largest number. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> eight -companies are grouped in four double companies—the double company -commander (a British officer) having almost complete control of -his unit. The commanding officer of the battalion mainly restricts -himself to seeing that the training of each portion of the regiment is -identical and efficient. Each corps possesses a commanding officer, -four double company commanders, an adjutant, a quartermaster, and the -remainder are known as double company officers.</p> - -<p>The organisation of a native cavalry regiment is very similar, the -terms squadron and squadron‐commander replacing double company and -double company commander. In most of the corps the <em>sowar</em>, as the -Indian cavalry private is called—<em>sepoy</em> being employed to denote an -infantryman—is usually the owner of his horse; and direct commissions -to native gentlemen are of more frequent occurrence in the cavalry than -in the infantry. Regimental transport consists of baggage‐ponies or -mules, so that an Indian mounted corps is particularly mobile.</p> - -<p>Foreign officers in North China at first made light of our Indian -soldiers; but they were not those who had seen them fight in the early -days of the campaign. For one arm, however, there was nothing but -praise. All agreed that our native cavalry was excellent. Even German -officers acknowledged that in smartness, horsemanship, and efficiency -it could not easily be surpassed. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> work done by the 1st Bengal -Lancers in the advance on Pekin and afterwards could not be underrated. -With the exception of a few Cossacks and Japanese, they were the only -mounted troops available at first. They were in constant demand to -accompany columns of Continental troops, and they won the admiration -of all the foreign officers with whom they were brought in contact. -In fact, the only persons who failed to appreciate their merits were -the Tartar horsemen who ventured to oppose them in the march on the -capital. <em>Their</em> opinion is not recorded, but I think that it would -not be fit for publication except in an expunged and mutilated form. -The 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry—as good a regiment as any that Bengal -can show—won many encomiums for its smartness from all who saw its -squadrons at Tientsin, Shanghai, or Shanhaikwan.</p> - -<p>But Indian officers were at first surprised and puzzled at the -unflattering criticisms passed on our native infantry. Those who had -seen our sepoys in many a hard‐fought struggle on the frontier could -not understand the frequent remarks of foreign officers, that “our men -were very unequal.”</p> - -<p>“Some of them,” they said, “are tall, well‐built, and powerful, and -should make good soldiers; but others are old, feeble, and decrepit. -We have seen in the streets of Tientsin many who could not support -the weight of a rifle.” But it was soon discovered that these critics -failed to comprehend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span> the distinction between fighting men and -followers, since in China both were clad somewhat alike. The coolie -corps, bheesties, syces, and dhoolie‐bearers were all dressed in khaki; -and Continental officers were for a long time under the impression that -these were soldiers. The error was not unnatural, and it accounted for -the unfavourable reports on the Indian troops which appeared in many -European journals. But those who understood the difference were struck -by the fine physique and excellent training of our native army. When -we compared our Sikhs, Pathans, Gurkhas, and Punjaubis with the men of -most of the Allied forces, we recognised that, led by British officers, -they would render a good account of themselves if pitted against -any troops in the world. And our sepoys return to India filled with -immeasurable contempt for the foreign contingents they have seen in -China. As the ripples caused by a stone thrown into a lake spread over -the water, so their opinion will radiate through the length and breadth -of the land; and this unexpected lesson of the campaign will have a -far‐reaching and beneficial effect throughout our Eastern Empire.</p> - -<p>India is essentially a soldier’s country. Its army is practically -always on a war footing, the troops near the frontier especially -being ready to move at a few hours’ notice. The rapid despatch of -the British contingent for Natal and the China expeditionary force -are object‐lessons. The peace<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> establishment of a native regiment -is greater than the strength required for active service. Hence on -mobilisation no reserves have to be called up to fill its ranks; -recruits and sickly men can be left behind, and it marches with only -fully trained and seasoned soldiers. In India vast stretches of country -are available for manœuvres, which take place every winter on a -scale unknown in England. Not a year passes without its little war. In -consequence, the training of the troops is thorough and practical. The -establishment of gun and rifle factories is all that is needed to make -India absolutely self‐containing. It produces now all other requisites -of war. Ammunition, clothing, and accoutrements are manufactured in -the country, and it was able to supply, not only the needs of the -expedition in China, but also many things required for the troops in -South Africa.</p> - -<p>To the pessimists in England and the hostile critics abroad, who talk -of the possibility of another mutiny, the answer is that a general -uprising of the Native army can never occur again. The number of -British troops in India has been more than doubled since 1857, and the -proportion between white and coloured regiments in each large station -more equalised. The artillery is altogether in English hands, with the -exception of the rank and file of a few mountain batteries and the -smooth‐bore guns maintained by native princes for show. Communication -has been enormously quickened by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span> the network of railways that covers -the country, enabling a force to be moved in two or three days to a -point where formerly as many months were required.</p> - -<p>And the Indian army is loyal to the core—loyal, not to the vague idea -of a far‐distant England, not to the vast impersonal <em>Sircar</em>,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">2</a> but -loyal to itself; loyal to its British officers, who, to the limited -minds of the sepoys, represent in concrete form the Power whose salt -they eat. And those officers, speaking to each in his own tongue—be he -Sikh, Rajput, or Dogra—stand in the relation of fathers to their men. -To them in sorrow or perplexity comes the sepoy, sure of sympathy or -aid. In their justice he reposes implicit confidence. And as in peace -he relies on these men of alien race, so in war do they trust in him. -And the tales of the struggle of the Guides round Battye’s corpse, of -the gallant Sikhs who died at their post in Saragheri, of the men who -refused to abandon their dead and dying officers in the treachery of -Maizar, show that our trust is not misplaced.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_IV"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER IV</span><br /> - -PEKIN</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">TIENTSIN is but a stepping‐stone to Pekin—one a mere modern growth, -important only in view of the European commercial interests that have -made it what it is; the other a fabled city weird, mysterious. The -slowly‐beating heart of the vast feeble Colossus, that may be pierced -and yet no agony, thrills through the distant members. Pekin, the -object of the veneration of every Chinaman the world over. Pekin, which -enshrines the most sacred temples of the land, within whose famous -walls lies the marvellous Forbidden City, the very name of which is -redolent of mystery; around it history and fable gather and scarce may -be distinguished, so incredible the truth, so conceivable the wildest -conjecture. The Mecca to which turn the thoughts of every Celestial. -The home of the sacred, almost legendary, Emperor, whose word is law -to the uttermost confines of the land, and yet whose person is not -inviolate against palace intrigue; omnipotent in theory, powerless in -reality, a ruler only in name. Worshipped by millions of his subjects, -yet despised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span> by the least among the mandarins of his court. The -meanest eunuch in the Purple City is not more helpless than the monarch -who boasts the proud title of Son of Heaven.</p> - -<p>Pekin, the seat of all power in the land, whence flows the deadly -poison of corruption that saps the empire’s strength; the capital that -twice within the last fifty years has fallen before the avenging armies -of Europe, and yet still flourishes like a noxious weed.</p> - -<p>One morning as the train from Tong‐ku came into Tientsin Station and -disgorged its usual crowd of soldiers of the Allied Forces, I stood on -the platform with four other British officers, all bound for Pekin. We -established ourselves in a first‐class carriage, which was a mixture of -<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coupé</span> and corridor‐car. The varied uniforms of our fellow‐passengers -no longer possessed any interest for us; and we devoted our attention -to the scenery on each side of the railway. From Tientsin to Pekin -the journey occupies about five hours. The line runs through level, -fertile country, where the crops stand higher than a mounted man; thus -the actions on the way to the relief of the Legations were fought -blindfold. Among the giant vegetation troops lost direction, corps -became mixed, and the enemy could seldom be seen. As the train ran -on, the tops of the tall stalks rose in places above the roofs of the -carriages, and shut in our view as though we were passing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> through a -dense forest. Here and there we rattled past villages or an occasional -temple almost hidden by the high crops. There were several stations -along the line; the buildings solidly constructed of stone, the walls -loopholed for defence. On the platforms the usual cosmopolitan crowd -of soldiers, and Chinamen of all ages offering for sale bread, cakes, -Japanese beer, bottles of <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">vin ordinaire</span></em> bought from the French, -grapes, peaches, and plums in profusion. In winter various kinds of -game, with which the country teems, are substituted for the fruit. -At Yangsun were a number of Chasseurs d’Afrique, whose regiment was -quartered in the vicinity. Trains passed us; the carriages crowded with -troops of all nations, the trucks filled with horses, guns and military -stores, or packed with grinning Chinamen.</p> - -<p>At last, between the trees, glimpses of yellow‐tiled roofs flashing in -the sunlight told us that we were nearing the capital. Leaning from the -windows we saw, apparently stretching right across the track, a long, -high wall, with buttresses and lofty towers at intervals. It was the -famous Wall of Pekin. Suddenly a large gap seemed to open in it; the -train glided through, and we found ourselves in the middle of a large -city as we slowed down alongside a platform on which stood a board with -the magic word “Pekin.” We had reached our journey’s end. On the other -side of the line was a broad, open space, through which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span> ran a wide -road paved with large stone flags. Over it flowed an incessant stream -of carts, rickshas, and pedestrians. Behind the station ran a long wall -which enclosed the Temple of Heaven, where, after General Gaselee’s -departure, the British headquarters in Pekin were established.</p> - -<p>On the platform we found a half‐caste guide waiting for us, sent to -meet us by friends in the English Legation. Resigning our luggage -to him and directing him to convey it to the one hotel the capital -possessed, we determined to begin our sightseeing at once and walked -towards the gateway of the enclosure in which stands the Temple of -Heaven. On entering, we found ourselves in a large and well‐wooded -demesne. Groves of tall trees, leafy rides, and broad stretches of turf -made it seem more like an English park than the grounds of a Chinese -temple. Long lines of tents, crossed lances, and picketed horses marked -the camp of a regiment of Bengal cavalry; for in the vast enclosure -an army might bivouac with ease. Here was held the historic British -assault‐at‐arms, when foreign officers were roused to enthusiasm at the -splendid riding of our Indian cavalry and the marvellous skill of the -Royal Horse Artillery as they swung their teams at full speed round the -marks in the driving competitions.</p> - -<p>Apropos of the latter corps a story is told of Field‐Marshal Von -Waldersee’s introduction to them at the first review he held of British -troops<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> at Tientsin. When the horse gunners came thundering down -towards the saluting base in a cloud of dust, their horses stretching -to a mad gallop, the guns bounding behind them like things of no weight -but with every muzzle in line, the German Commander‐in‐Chief is said to -have burst into admiring exclamation: “Splendid! Marvellous!” he cried. -As they flew past the old man huddled up on his charger, he started in -surprise and peered forward.</p> - -<p>“Donnerwetter!” he exclaimed, “why, they actually have their guns with -them!” The pace was so furious that he had been under the impression -that they were galloping past with the teams only; for he had thought -it impossible for artillery to move at such speed drawing their -field‐pieces. The other officers of the Allied Armies were equally -amazed at the sight.</p> - -<p>“It is positively dangerous!” said a German.</p> - -<p>“<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">C’est incroyable! Ça ne peut pas!</span>” cried an excited Frenchman.</p> - -<p>“Say, that’ll show the Dagoes that they’ve got something still to -learn,” said a pleased Yankee.</p> - -<p>The Temple of Heaven consists of long, low buildings of the -conventional Chinese architecture, with wide, upturned eaves. We found -it empty but for a few memorial tablets of painted or gilded wood. -Emerging through a small gate and crossing a tiny marble bridge, we -strolled through the park to another temple, the conical roof of -which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> rose above the trees. It was known to the British troops in -Pekin as the Temple of the Sun; whether the name is correct or not I -cannot say.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">3</a></p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus10"> -<img src="images/illus10.jpg" width="600" height="398" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">FIELD‐MARSHAL COUNT VON WALDERSEE REVIEWING THE ALLIED -TROOPS IN PEKIN</p></div> - -<p>Passing the cavalry camp we came to a flight of steps, which led up to -a terrace. On ascending this we found a huge gateway to the left. We -passed through, and then, little susceptible as we were to artistic -emotions, we stopped and gazed in silent admiration as the full beauty -of the building stood revealed. The temple, circular in shape, stands -on a slight eminence, surrounded by tiers of white marble balustrades. -Its triple roof, bright with gleaming blue tiles and golden knob, -blazed in the sun, the spaces between the roofs filled with gay designs -in brilliant colours. The walls were of carved stone open‐work with -many doors. It rose, a dream of beauty and grace, against a dark green -background of leafy trees, the loveliest building in Pekin. Within, all -was bare. An empty altar, a painted tablet, a few broken gilt stools -were all that pillaging hands had spared. The massive bronze urns which -stood outside, too heavy to be carried away, had lost their handles, -wrenched off for the mere value of the metal. Quitting the temple and -passing through a door in a low wall, we came to a broad open space, -in which stood a curious construction<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span> which bears the proud title of -“Centre of the Universe.” Three circles of white marble balustrades, -one within the other, rose up to a paved platform, round which were -large urns. Here once a year the Emperor comes in state to offer -sacrifice to the <em>manes</em> of his ancestors. Close by was the Temple of -the Moon, in design similar to that of the Sun, but much smaller and -with only a single roof.</p> - -<p>This exhausted the sights of the Temple of Heaven. We returned through -the park to the railway station, where we procured rickshas to take us -to the hotel. Strong, active coolies whirled us along over the wide, -flagged road that runs through the Chinese town. We passed crowds -of Celestials trudging on in the awful dust, springless Pekin carts -drawn by sturdy little ponies, an occasional Bengal Lancer or German -Mounted Infantryman, through streets of mean shops, the fronts hung -with gaudy sign‐boards, until we reached the wall of the Tartar city. -Before us stood the Chien Mên Gate, the brick tower above it roofless -and shattered by shells, the heavy iron‐studded door swung back. We -rumbled through the long, tunnel‐like entrance, between rows of low, -one‐story houses, and soon reached the famous Legation Street, the -quarter in which lie the residences of the Foreign Ministers and the -other Europeans in Pekin. We passed along a wide road in good repair, -by gateways at which stood Japanese, French, and German sentries,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span> by -the shattered ruins of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. All around -the Legations lay acres of wrecked Chinese houses, torn by shells and -blackened by fire—a grim memento of the outrage that had roused the -civilised world to arms. At length we reached a broad street leading -from the Ha‐ta‐man Gate, turned to the left down it, and drew up -before a small entrance in a line of low, one‐story houses. Above it -was a board bearing the inscription, “Hôtel du Nord.” Jumping from our -rickshas, we paid off the perspiring coolies, and, walking across a -small courtyard, were met by the proprietor and shown to our quarters. -The hotel, which had been opened shortly after the relief of the -Legations, consisted of a number of squalid Chinese houses, which had -been cleverly converted into comfortable dining, sitting, and bedrooms. -An excellent cuisine made it a popular resort for the officers of the -Allies in Pekin, and we found ourselves as well catered for as we could -have done in many more pretentious hostels in civilised lands.</p> - -<p>A short description of the chief city of China may not be out of place; -though recent events have served to draw it from the obscurity that -enshrouded it so long. It is singular among the capitals of the world -for the regularity of its outline, owing to the stupendous walls which -confine it. These famous battlements are twenty‐five miles in total -circumference, and the long lines, studded with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> lofty towers and giant -buttresses, present an imposing spectacle from the exterior.</p> - -<p>Pekin is divided into two separate and distinct cities, the Tartar and -the Chinese. The latter, adjoining the southern wall of the former, is -in shape a parallelogram, its longer sides running east and west. It -grew as an excrescence to the capital of the victorious Manchus, and -was in ancient times inhabited by the conquered Chinese as the Tartar -City was by the superior race, though now this line of demarcation is -lost in the practical merging of the two nationalities as regards the -lower orders. The wall of the Chinese city is thirty feet high and -twenty feet thick.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus11"> -<img src="images/illus11.jpg" width="600" height="402" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">A STREET IN THE CHINESE CITY, PEKIN</p></div> - -<p>The Tartar city, in shape also a parallelogram, with the longer sides -north and south, is surrounded by a much more imposing wall, which -if vigorously defended would prove a truly formidable obstacle to -any army unprovided with a powerful siege train. It is forty feet -high, fifty feet broad at the top, and sixty‐four feet thick at the -base, and consists of two masonry walls, made of enormous bricks as -solid as stone, that on the external face being twelve feet thick, -the interior one eight feet, the space between them filled with clay, -rammed in layers of from six to nine inches.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">4</a> A practicable breach -might be effected by the concentrated fire of heavy siege guns, for -shells<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span> planted near the top of the wall would probably bring down -bricks and earth enough to form a ramp. From the outside seven gateways -lead into the Chinese city, six into the Tartar, while communication -between the two is maintained by three more. They can be closed by -enormously thick, iron‐studded wooden gates, which in ordinary times -are shut at night. The Japanese effected an entrance into the Tartar -city by blowing in one of these. At the corners of the walls and -over each gateway are lofty brick towers several stories high, the -intervals between them being divided by buttresses. These towers are -comparatively fragile, and at the taking of Pekin those attacked -suffered considerably from the shell fire of the field guns of the -Allies. Outwards from the base of the walls a broad open space is left.</p> - -<p>The Tartar City is by far the more important. It holds most of the -temples, the residences of the upper and wealthier classes, the -important buildings and larger shops. In the centre of it is the -Imperial city, in shape an irregular square, enclosed by a high wall -seven miles in circumference, the top of which is covered with yellow -tiles. Here are found the public buildings and the houses of the -official mandarins; and in its heart lies the Purple or Forbidden City, -the residence of the Emperor and his Court. All the buildings inside -the limits of the Imperial city are roofed with gleaming yellow tiles, -that being the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span> sacred colour. To the south‐east, near the wall of the -Chinese city, lies the Legation quarter, where most of the European -residents live.</p> - -<p>The only high ground in Pekin consists of two small eminences, just -inside the northern boundary of the Imperial city. One, facing the -gateway, is known as Coal Hill. Tradition declares it to consist of -an enormous quantity of coal, accumulated in former times to provide -against a threatened siege. It is covered with trees, bushes, and -grass. On the summit is a pavilion, from which an excellent view over -all Pekin is obtained. At one’s feet the yellow roofs of the buildings -in the Imperial and Forbidden cities blaze in the sun like gold. To the -right is the other small tree‐clad hill, on which stands the quaintly -shaped Ming Pagoda. Below it, to the right of the Imperial city, lies -a gleaming expanse of water, the Lotos Lake, crossed by a picturesque -white marble bridge, with strange, small, circular arches. Near it is -the Palace of the Empress‐Dowager. To the south of the sacred city -is the Legation quarter, where the European‐looking buildings of the -residences of the Foreign Ministers and the other alien inhabitants -seem curiously out of keeping with their surroundings. Far away the -high, many‐storied towers over the gateways between the Tartar and the -Chinese city rise up from the long line of embattled wall. Looking down -on it from this height Pekin is strangely picturesque,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> with a sea of -foliage that surges between the buildings; and yet on descending into -the streets one wonders what has become of the trees with which the -city seemed filled. The fact is that they are extremely scattered, -one in one courtyard, one in another, and in consequence are scarcely -remarked from the level. The Palace, the Legations, and the towers are -the only buildings that stand up prominently among the monotonous array -of low roofs, for the houses are almost invariably only one‐storied.</p> - -<p>The Tartar City is pierced by broad roads running at right angles to -the walls. From them a network of smaller lanes leads off, usually -extremely narrow and always unsavoury, being used as the dumping‐ground -of all the filth and refuse of the neighbouring houses. The main -streets even are unpaved and ill‐kept. The centre portion alone is -occasionally repaired in a slovenly fashion, apparently by heaping on -it fresh earth taken from the sides, which have consequently become -mere ditches eight or nine feet below the level of the middle causeway -and the narrow footpaths along the front of the houses. After heavy -rain these fill with water and are transformed into rushing rivers. -Occasionally on dark nights a cart falls into them, the horse unguided -by a sleepy driver, and the occupants are drowned. Such a happening -in the principal thoroughfares of a large and populous city seems -incredible. I could scarcely believe it until I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span> once obliged -almost to swim my pony across a main street with the water up to the -saddle‐flaps, and this after only a few hours’ rain. A Chinaman, by the -way, will never rescue a drowning man, from the superstition that the -rescuer will always meet with misfortune from the hand of the one he -has saved.</p> - -<p>The houses are mostly one story high, dingy and squalid. The shops, -covered with gaudy red and gold sign‐boards, have little frontage but -much depth, and display to the public gaze scarcely anything of the -goods they contain. All along the principal streets peddlers establish -themselves on the narrow side‐walks, spread their wares on the ground -about them, and wait with true Oriental patience for customers. The -houses of the richer folk are secluded within courtyards, and cannot be -seen from the public thoroughfares.</p> - -<p>On the whole, Pekin from the inside is not an attractive city; and as -the streets in dry weather are thick with dust that rises in clouds -when a wind blows, and in wet are knee‐deep in mud where not flooded, -they do not lend themselves to casual strolling. The broad tops of the -walls are much preferable for a promenade. Access to them is gained -by ramps at intervals. They are clean, not badly paved though often -overgrown with bushes, and afford a good view over the surrounding -houses, and in the summer offer the only place where a cooling breeze -can be found.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span></p> - -<p>Comfortably installed in the Hôtel du Nord, we determined to devote our -first afternoon in Pekin to a visit to the quarter of most pressing, -though temporary, interest, the Legations, on which the thoughts of -the whole civilised world had been concentrated during their gallant -defence against a fanatical and cowardly foe. As the distance was -short, we set out on foot. The courtyard of the hotel opens on to -the long street that runs through the Tartar city from the Ha‐ta‐man -Gate, leading into the Chinese city. As the wall was close at hand, -we ascended it by one of the ramps or inclined ways that lead to the -top, and entered the tower above the gateway. It was a rectangular -three‐storied building with the usual sloping gabled roofs and wide, -upturned eaves of Chinese architecture. The interior was bare and -empty. The lower room was wide and lofty, the full breadth and depth of -the tower, and communicating with the floor above by a steep ladder. -From the large windows of the upper stories a fine view over both -cities was obtained. We looked down on the seething crowds passing -along Ha‐ta‐man Street and away to where, above the Legation quarter, -the flags of the Allies fluttered gaily in proud defiance to the tall -yellow roofs of the Imperial palace close by. Descending, we emerged -upon the broad paved road that ran along the top of the wall, and -found it a pleasant change from the close, fetid streets. The side -towards the Chinese city, the houses of which run up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span> to the foot -of the wall, is defended by a loopholed and embrasured parapet. We -soon found ourselves over the Legation quarter and looked down on the -spot where the besieged Europeans had so long held their assailants -at bay. A broad ditch or nullah with walled sides, which during the -rains drains the Tartar city, ran towards the wall on which we stood, -passing beneath our feet through a tunnel in it, which could be closed -by an iron grating. This was the famous water‐gate by which the -Anglo‐Indian troops had entered, first of the Allies, to the relief of -the besieged. The nullah was crossed by several bridges, over one of -which passes Legation Street, along which we had ridden in our rickshas -that morning. On the left bank of the nullah, looking north, stands -the English Legation, surrounded by a high wall enclosing well‐wooded -grounds. Opposite it, on the right bank, is the Japanese Legation, -similarly enclosed. During the siege the two were connected by a wall -built across the watercourse, which is generally dry, and they thus -formed the front face of the defence. A portion of the city wall, cut -off by breastworks on the summit, became the rear face, which was held -by the Americans, who were attacked along the top of the wall itself. -The French, German, and Belgian Legations lay to the right and rear of -the Japanese; while the Russian and American stood between the British -Legation and the wall. All around the limits of the defence were acres -of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span> wrecked and burnt Chinese houses, destroyed impartially by -besiegers and besieged.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus12"> -<img src="images/illus12.jpg" width="600" height="395" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">FRONT FACE OF THE DEFENCES OF THE LEGATIONS</p> -<p class="caption noindent">Gate of the British Legation on the right, wall across the nullah -connecting it with the Japanese Legation Wall of Tartar city in the -background</p></div> - -<p>After a long study of the position from our coign of vantage, we -descended to the left bank of the nullah; and, passing the residences -of the American and Russian Ministers guarded by stalwart Yankee -soldier or heavily built Slav, we came to where the imposing gateway -of the English Legation opens out on the road running along the -bank. Inside the entrance stood the guardroom. To the right lay the -comfortable residences of the Minister and the various officials spread -about in the spacious, tree‐shaded grounds. We passed on to a group of -small and squalid Chinese houses, which served as the quarters for the -officers and men of the Legation Guard, chiefly composed of Royal Welch -Fusiliers. The officers in command, all old friends of ours, received -us most hospitably, and entertained us with grateful refreshment and -the news of Pekin. We were cynically amused at learning from them an -instance of the limits of human gratitude. The civilian inhabitants of -the English Legation have insisted that a wall should be built between -their residences and the quarters of the guard, lest, perchance, the -odour of “a brutal and licentious soldiery” should come betwixt the -wind and their nobility. They gladly welcome their protection in time -of danger, but in peace their fastidious eyes would be offended by the -sight of the humble red‐coat. Our hosts showed us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span> round the grounds -and the <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">enceinte</span></em> of the defence, and explained many points in the -siege that we had not previously understood.</p> - -<p>When, our visit over, we walked back to the hotel down Legation Street, -we were interested in noticing that the walls and houses bordering -the road were covered with bullet splashes; while the ruins of the -Chinese houses, of the fine building that had once been a branch of -the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, and of some of the Legations spoke -eloquently of the ravages of war. On the wreckage around notices were -posted, showing the increased areas claimed for the various foreign -Legations in the general scramble that ensued on the fall of Pekin. -Little Belgium, with her scanty interests in China, has not done badly. -Everywhere were to be seen placards bearing the legend, “<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Occupé par -la Légation Belge</span>,” until she promised to have almost more ground -than any of the great Powers. <em>Vae Victis</em>, indeed! And the truth of -it was evident everywhere, from the signs of the game of general grab -all around the Legations to the insolent manner of a German Mounted -Infantryman we saw scattering the Chinese foot‐passengers as he -galloped along the street.</p> - -<p>When we entered the dining‐room of the hotel that evening, we found it -filled with Continental officers, who, as we bowed to the groups at -the various tables before taking our seats, rose politely and returned -our greeting. Britishers unused to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span> the elaborate foreign courtesy -found the continual salutes that were the custom of most of the Allies -rather a tax at first; and the ungraciousness of English manners was a -frequent source of comment among those of our European brothers‐in‐arms -who had never before been brought in contact with the Anglo‐Saxon race. -But they soon regarded us as almost paragons of politeness compared -with our American cousins, who had no stomach for the universal -“bowing and scraping,” and with true republican frankness, did not -hesitate to let it be known. Our proverbial British gruffness wore off -after a little time, and our Continental comrades finally came to the -conclusion that we were not so unmannerly as they deemed us at first. -In the beginning some offence was given as they did not understand -that in the English naval or military services it is the custom where -several officers are together for the senior only to acknowledge a -salute; for in the other European armies all would reply equally to it.</p> - -<p>The three leading characteristics of Pekin are its odour, its dust in -dry weather, and its mud after rain. The cleanliness introduced by the -Allies did wonders towards allaying the stench; and I do not think that -any place in the world, short of an alkali desert, can beat the dust of -the Long Valley. But though I have seen “dear, dirthy Dublin” in wet -weather, have waded through the slush of Aldershot, and had certainly -marvelled at the mire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span> of Hsin‐ho, yet never have I gazed on aught to -equal the depth, the intensity, and the consistency of the awful mud -of Pekin. We made its acquaintance on the day following our arrival. -Heavy rain had kept us indoors until late in the afternoon when, taking -advantage of a temporary cessation of the deluge, we rashly ventured -on a stroll down Ha‐ta‐man Street. The city, never beautiful, looked -doubly squalid in the gloomy weather. Along the raised centre portion -of the roadway the small Pekin carts laboured literally axle‐deep in -mire. It was impossible for rickshas to ply. On either side the lower -parts of the street were several feet under water, while gushing -torrents rushed into them from the alleys and lanes. We struggled -with difficulty through the awful mud, wading through pools too broad -to jump. Once or twice we nearly slipped off the edge of the central -causeway, and narrowly escaped an unwelcome bath in the muddy river -alongside. As we splashed and skipped along like schoolboys, laughing -at our various mishaps, our mirth was suddenly hushed. Down the road -towards us tramped a mournful <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cortège</span>—a funeral party of German -soldiers marching with reversed arms behind a gun‐carriage on which -lay, in a rough Chinese coffin, the corpse of some young conscript from -the Vaterland. As we stood aside to let the procession pass, we raised -our hands to our helmets in a last salute to a comrade.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span></p> - -<p>In sobered mood we waded on until, in the centre of the roadway, we -came to a mat‐shed that marked the site of a monument to be erected -on the spot where the German Minister, Baron Kettler, was murdered at -the outbreak of the troubles. Foully slain as he had been by soldiers -of the Chinese Imperial troops, his unhappy fate proved perhaps the -salvation of the other Europeans in the Legations. For it showed that -no reliance could be placed on the promises of the Court which had -just offered them a safe‐conduct and an escort to Tientsin. And on -the ground stained by his life‐blood the monument will stand, a grim -memento and a warning of the vengeance of civilisation.</p> - -<p>Weary of our struggles with the mud, we now resolved to go no farther -and turned back to the hotel, but not in time to escape a fresh -downpour, which drenched us thoroughly.</p> - -<p>Next day we changed our abode, having found accommodation in the -portion of Pekin allotted to the English troops; for the city was -divided into sections for the allied occupation. Some officers of the -Welch Fusiliers had kindly offered us room in their quarters in Chong -Wong Foo. This euphonious title signifies the palace of Prince Chong, -who was one of the eight princes of China. Our new lodging was more -imposing in name than in fact. The word “palace” conjured up visions -of stately edifices and princely magnificence which were dissipated by -our first view of the reality.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> Seated in jolting, springless Pekin -carts that laboured heavily through the deep mire, we had driven -from the hotel through miles of dismal, squalid streets. Turning off -a main road, which was being repaired, or rather re‐made, by the -British, we entered a series of small, evil‐smelling lanes bordered -by high walls, from the doorways of which an occasional phlegmatic -Chinaman regarded us with languid interest. At length we came to a -narrow road, which the rain of the previous day had converted into a -canal. The water rose over the axles of the carts. Our sturdy ponies -splashed on indomitably until ahead of us the roadway widened out into -a veritable lake before a large gate at which stood a British sentry. -As we approached he called out to us to turn down a lane to the right -and seek a side entrance, as the water in front of the principal one -here was too deep for our carts. Thanks to his directions, we found -a doorway in the wall which gave admittance to a large courtyard. -Jumping out of our uncomfortable vehicles, we entered. Round the -enclosure were long, one‐storied buildings, their fronts consisting -of lattice‐work covered with paper. They were used as barrack‐rooms, -and we secured a soldier in one of them to guide us. He led us through -numerous similar courtyards, in one of which stood a temple converted -into a gun‐shed, until we finally passed through a small door in a wall -into a tangled wilderness of a garden. At<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span> the far end of this stood a -long, low building with the conventional Chinese curved roof. It was -constructed of brick and wood, the latter for the most part curiously -carved. The low‐hanging eaves overspreading the broad stone verandah -were supported by worm‐eaten pillars. The portico and doorways were of -fragile lattice‐work, trellised in fantastic designs. It was the main -portion of Prince Chong’s residence and resembled more a dilapidated -summer‐house than a princely palace. Here we were met and welcomed by -our hosts, Major Dobell, <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span> and Lieutenant Williams, who -ushered us into the anything but palatial interior, which consisted of -low, dingy rooms dimly lighted by paper‐covered windows. The various -chambers opened off each other or into gloomy passages in bewildering -and erratic fashion. Camp beds and furniture seemed out of keeping with -the surroundings; but a few blackwood stools were apparently all that -Prince Chong had left behind him for his uninvited guests. Thanks to -our friends’ kindness, we were soon comfortably installed, and felt as -much at home as if we had lived in palaces all our lives. It took us -some time to learn our way about the labyrinth of courts. The buildings -scattered through the yards would have afforded ample accommodation for -a regiment; and a whole brigade could have encamped with ease within -the circumference enclosed by the outer walls.</p> - -<p>The place of most fascinating interest in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span> marvellous capital of -China is undoubtedly the Forbidden City, the Emperor’s residence. With -the wonderful attraction of the mysterious its very name, fraught with -surmise, is alluring. Nothing in all the vastness of Pekin excited such -curiosity as the fabled enclosure that had so long shrouded in awful -obscurity the Son of Heaven. No white man in ordinary times could hope -to fathom its mysteries or know what lay concealed within its yellow -walls. The ambassadors of the proudest nations of Europe were only -admitted on sufferance, and that rarely, to the outermost pavilions of -that sacred city, the hidden secrets of which none might dare reveal. -But now the monarch of Celestial origin was an exile from the palace, -whose inmost recesses were profaned by the impious presence of his -foes. The tramp of an avenging army had echoed through its deserted -courts; barbarian voices broke its holy hush. Foreign soldiers jested -carelessly in the sacred chamber where the proudest mandarins of China -had prostrated themselves in awe before the Dragon Throne. Within its -violated walls strangers wandered freely where they listed; and Heaven -sent not its lightnings to avenge the sacrilege. Surely the gods were -sleeping!</p> - -<p>While the capital of the Celestial Kingdom languished in the grasp of -the accursed barbarian, admittance to the Forbidden City was granted to -anyone who obtained a written order from one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span> the Legations. This -was readily given to officers of the armies of occupation. Provided -with it and a Chinese‐speaking guide, a party of us set out one day -from the British Legation to explore the mysteries of the Emperor’s -abode. A short ricksha ride brought us to the Imperial city. A rough -paved road through it led to the gateway of the Palace, at which -stood a guard of stalwart American soldiers. Quitting our rickshas, -we presented our pass to the sergeant in command. The gates were -thrown open, and we were permitted to enter the sacred portals. Before -us lay a large paved courtyard, the grass springing up between the -stone flags, leading to a long, single‐storied pavilion, seemingly -crushed beneath the weight of its wide‐spreading yellow‐tiled double -roof. To one who has imagined undreamt‐of luxury and magnificence -in the residence of the Emperor of China the reality comes as a sad -disappointment. The Palace, far from being a pile of splendid and -ornate architecture, consists of a number of detached single‐storied -buildings, one behind the other, separated by immense paved courtyards, -along the sides of which are the residences of the servants and -attendants. The outer pavilions are a series of throne rooms, in which -audience is given according to the rank of the individual admitted -to the presence in inverse ratio to his importance. Thus, the first -nearest the gate suffices for the reception of the smaller mandarins -or envoys of petty States, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> next for higher notabilities or -ambassadors of greater nations, and so on.</p> - -<p>The description of one of these throne rooms will serve for all.</p> - -<p>A raised foundation, with tier above tier of carved white marble -balustrades, slopes up to a paved terrace on which stands a large -one‐storied pavilion. Its double roof blazes with lustrous yellow -tiles; the gables are ornamented with weird porcelain monsters. The -far‐projecting eaves, shading a deep verandah, are supported by many -pillars. From the courtyard steps on either side of the sloping marble -slab, curiously carved with fantastic designs of dragons and known as -the Spirit Path, lead up to the terrace, on which are large bronze -incense‐burners, urns, life‐size storks, and other birds and animals, -with marble images of the sacred tortoise. From the verandah many -doors lead into the vast and gloomy interior. A lofty central chamber, -supported by gilded columns, contains a high daïs, on which stands a -throne of gilt and carved wood with bronze urns and incense‐burners -around it. The daïs is surrounded by gilded railings and led up to -by a flight of half a dozen steps. Behind it is a high screen of -carved wood. Screen, walls, and pillars are gay with quaint designs of -writhing, coiling dragons in gold and vivid hues, or hung with huge -tablets inscribed with Chinese characters. The ceiling is gorgeously -painted. The whole a wonderful medley of barbaric gaudiness. From<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> the -principal chamber a few smaller rooms lead off, crammed with wooden -chests containing piles of manuscripts.</p> - -<p>As we wandered about this pavilion our movements were closely watched -by the custodians; for many of the Imperial eunuchs had been permitted -to remain in the palace and entrusted with the keys and charge of the -various buildings. As, after the fairly exhaustive looting that took -place on the capture of the city, no further plundering was allowed, -these men were instructed to watch over the safety of the contents of -the palace that had escaped the first marauders; and they kept a sharp -eye on visitors who endeavoured to secure mementoes. Despite their -vigilance, one of our party succeeded in carrying off a little souvenir -which he found in a chamber off the throne room. It was a small, flat -candlestick, which its finder hoped would prove to be gold. It was only -of brass, however, as he subsequently discovered; and he commented -disgustedly on the parsimony of a monarch who could allow so mean a -metal within his palace.</p> - -<p>In the usual spirit of tourists, to whom nothing is sacred, we each -reposed for a few moments in the Emperor’s gilded chair, so that we -could boast of once having occupied the Throne of China. I doubt if -future historians will record our names among those who have assumed -that exalted position.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span></p> - -<p>Passing through this building, we emerged upon another courtyard, at -the far end of which stood a similar pavilion. Its interior arrangement -differed but slightly from the one which I have just described. There -were several of these throne rooms, one behind the other, all very much -alike. Along the sides of the intervening courts were low buildings of -the usual Chinese type, which had served as residences for the palace -attendants.</p> - -<p>We came to a large joss‐house, or temple, the interior filled with -gilded altars, hideous gods, memorial tablets, bronze incense‐burners -and candelabra, silken hangings, and tawdry decorations. Here the -reigning monarch comes to worship on the vigil of his marriage.</p> - -<p>In amusing proximity was the Emperor’s seraglio. The gate was closed -during the allied occupation, and on it was a notice to the effect -that “the custodian has strict orders not to admit any person. Do -not ill‐treat him if he refuses to open the gate for you. He is only -obeying orders.” It was signed by General Chaffee, United States Army, -and was significant of many things. So the hidden beauties still remain -a mystery to the outer world.</p> - -<p>Near one of the pavilions a giant bronze attracted our attention. It -represented an enormous lion, with particularly ferocious countenance, -reposing on a square pedestal, one long‐clawed fore‐paw resting on -the terrestrial globe. Beneath the other sprawled in agony a very -diminutive lion, emblematic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span> of China’s enemies crushed beneath her -might. The sculpture seemed rather ironical at that epoch.</p> - -<p>Passing onwards through a puzzling maze of courtyards, we reached -at length the most interesting portion of the palace, the private -apartments of the Emperor, the Empress‐Consort, and that notorious lady -the Empress‐Dowager. Like all the rest of the Forbidden City, they were -merely one‐storied, yellow‐roofed pavilions separated by courts.</p> - -<p>The interior of the Emperor’s abode consisted of low, rather dingy -rooms opening off each other. The appointments were of anything but -regal magnificence. The furniture was of carved blackwood, with an -admixture of tawdry European chairs and sofas. On the walls hung a -weird medley of Chinese paintings and cheap foreign oleographs, all -in gorgeous gilt frames. The latter were such as would be found in a -fifth‐rate lodging‐house—horse races, children playing at see‐saw, -conventional landscapes, and farmyard scenes. Jade ornaments and -artificial flowers in vases abounded; but all around, wherever one -could be hung or placed, were European clocks, from the gilt French -timepiece under a glass shade to the cheapest wooden eight‐day clock. -There must have been at least two or three hundred, probably more, -scattered about the pavilion. The Chinese have a weird and inexplicable -passion for them, and a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> man’s social respectability would seem to be -gauged more by the number of timepieces he possesses than by any other -outward and visible signs of wealth. What a costly collection of rare -masterpieces of art is to the American millionaire, the heterogeneous -gathering of foreign clocks apparently is to the Celestial plutocrat. -The Imperial bed was a fine piece of carved blackwood; but the most -magnificent article of furniture in the pavilion was a large screen of -the famous Canton featherwork, made of the green and blue plumage of -the kingfisher. The design, which was framed and covered with glass, -represented a pilgrimage to a sacred mountain. On its summit stood -a temple, towards which crowds of worshippers climbed wearily. As a -work of art it was excellent. It was the only thing in the Imperial -apartments which I coveted. The rest of the furniture and fittings were -tawdry and apparently valueless.</p> - -<p>The pavilion of the Empress‐Consort was rather more luxuriously -upholstered than that of her husband and contained some splendid -embroideries. In her boudoir, besides the inevitable collection of -clocks, oleographs, and artificial flowers, were a piano and a small -organ, both very much out of tune, presented, we were told, by European -ladies resident in China.</p> - -<p>The pavilion of the Empress‐Dowager, a much finer abode than that of -the reigning monarch,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span> contained a long, glass‐walled room crowded with -bizarre ornaments of foreign workmanship. Musical boxes, mechanical -toys under glass shades, vases of wax flowers, stood along each side -on marble‐topped tables; and all around, of course, clocks. On the -walls of her sleeping apartment hung a strange astronomical chart. The -bed, an imposing and wide four‐poster, was covered and hung with rich -embroideries. And, as tourists should do, we lay down in turn on the -old lady’s couch, where I warrant she had tossed in sleepless agitation -in those last summer nights when the rattle of musketry around the -besieged Legations told that the hated foreigners still resisted -China’s might. And little slumber must have visited her there when -the booming of guns, during the dark hours when Russian and Japanese -flung themselves on the doomed city, disturbed the silence even in the -sacrosanct heart of the Forbidden City and told of the vengeance at -hand.</p> - -<p>Having thoroughly inspected the Imperial apartments, we visited a -very gaudily decorated temple, crowded with weird gods and hung with -embroideries, and then passed on to the small but delightful Emperor’s -garden. It was full of quaintly shaped trees and shrubs, bizarre -rockeries and curious summer‐houses, gorgeous flowers and plants, -and splendid bronze monsters. These last absolutely blazed in the -brilliant sunlight as though gilded; for they are made of that costly -Chinese<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> bronze which contains a large admixture of gold. The garden -closed the catalogue of sights to be seen in the palace; and though we -visited a few more of the dingy buildings of the Forbidden City, there -was nothing else worthy of being chronicled. We passed out through -the northern gateway and climbed up Coal Hill close by for a long, -comprehensive look over Pekin from the pavilion on the summit.</p> - -<p>All around us the capital lay embosomed in trees and bathed in -brilliant sunshine, the yellow roofs of the Imperial Palace at our feet -flashing like gold. To the right lay the pretty Lotos Lakes of the -Empress‐Dowager, the white marble bridge spanning them stretching like -a delicate ivory carving over the gleaming water. Through the haze of -heat and dust the towers of the walls rose up boldly to the sky. And -far away, beyond the crowded city, the country stretched in fertile -fields and dense groves of trees to a distant line of hills, where the -tall temples of the Summer Palace stood out sharply against a dark -background.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_V"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER V</span><br /> - -RAMBLES IN PEKIN</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">WHEN the treachery of the Empress‐Dowager and the mad fanaticism of the -Chinese ringed in the Legations with a circle of fire and steel, all -the world trembled at the danger of the besieged Europeans. When Pekin -fell and relief came, the heroism of the garrison was lauded through -every nation. But few heard of a still more gallant and desperate -defence which took place at the same time and in the same city—when -a few priests and a handful of marines in the Peitan, the Roman -Catholic cathedral of Pekin, long held at bay innumerable hordes of -assailants. Well deserved as was the praise bestowed on the defenders -of the Legations, their case was never so desperate as that of the -missionaries, nuns, and converts penned up in the church and schools. -On the Peitan fell the first shock of fanatical attack; no armistice -gave rest to its weary garrison, and to it relief came last of all. For -over two months, with twenty French and eleven Italian marines, the -heroic Archbishop, Monseigneur Favrier, and his priests—all honour -to them!—held an almost impossible position against overwhelming -numbers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span> The <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">enceinte</span></em> of the defence comprised the cathedral, the -residences of the priests, the schools, and the convent, and contained -within its straggling precincts, besides the nuns and the missionaries, -over 3,000 converts—men, women, and children. The buildings were -riddled with shot and shell. Twice mines were exploded within the -defences and tore away large portions of the protecting wall, besides -killing or wounding hundreds.</p> - -<p>The Chinese occupied houses within a few yards of the cathedral, and -on one occasion brought a gun up within forty paces of its central -door. A few rounds would have laid the way open to the stormers. All -hope seemed lost; when the dauntless old Archbishop led out ten marines -in a desperate sally, drove off the assailants, and, capturing the -gun, dragged it back within the church. A heroic priest volunteered -to try to pierce the environing hordes of besiegers and seek aid from -the Legations, not knowing that they, too, were in deadly peril. In -disguise he stole out secretly from the defences, and was never heard -of again. One shudders to think what his fate must have been. It is -still a mystery. Under a pitiless close‐range fire the marines and -priests, worthy of their gallant leader, stood at their posts day and -night and drove back the mad rushes of the assailants. Heedless of -death, the nuns bore water, food, and ammunition to the defenders, -nursed the wounded and sick, and soothed the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span> alarm of the Chinese -women and children in their care. Disease and starvation added their -grim terrors to the horrors of the situation.</p> - -<p>Desirous of seeing the scene of this heroic defence, I set out one day -to visit the cathedral in company with some officers of the Fusiliers -and of my own regiment. The ground being dry, we chose rickshas for -our vehicles in preference to Pekin carts, which are as uncomfortable -a form of conveyance as any I know. Our coolies ran us along at a good -pace, for the Pekinese ricksha‐men are exceedingly energetic; indeed, -the Chinaman is the best worker I have ever seen, with the possible -exception of the Corean boatmen at Chemulpo. The Hong Kong dock -labourers are a model that the same class in England would never copy. -One day in Dublin I watched three men raising a small paving‐sett a few -inches square from the roadway. Two held the points of crowbars under -it while the third leisurely scratched at the surrounding earth with -a pickaxe, pausing frequently to wipe his heated brow and remark that -“hard work is not aisy, begob!” I wondered what a Chinaman would have -said if he had seen that sight.</p> - -<p>Close to the Peitan we found ourselves in a broad street which was -being re‐made by the French, who had named it “Rue du General Voyron” -after their commander‐in‐chief. In it were many newly‐opened <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cafés</span> and -drinking‐shops,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> placarded with advertisements of various sorts of -European liquors for sale within. Turning off this road into a narrow -lane, we suddenly came upon the gate of the Peitan.</p> - -<p>The cathedral is a beautiful building of the graceful semi‐Gothic -type of modern French churches, lightly constructed of white stone. -It is crowned by airy pinnacles and looks singularly out of place -among the squalid Chinese houses that crowd around it. At first we -could not discern any marks of the rough handling it had received, and -marvelled at its good preservation. But on approaching closer, we saw -that the masonry was chipped and scarred in a thousand places. Scarce -a square yard of the front was without a bullet or shell‐hole through -it. The walls were so thin that the shells had passed through without -exploding; and it seemed almost incredible that any being could have -remained alive within them during the hellish fire to which they had so -evidently been subjected.</p> - -<p>We were met at the entrance by Monseigneur Favrier’s courteous -coadjutor‐bishop, who received us most hospitably, took us over the -cathedral and round the defences, and explained the incidents of the -siege to us. He showed us the enormous hole in the compound and the -breach in the wall caused by the explosion of one of the Chinese -mines, which had killed and wounded hundreds. The ground everywhere -was strewn with large iron<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> bullets and fragments of shells, fired -by the besiegers. The Bishop smiled when we requested permission to -carry off a few of these as souvenirs, and remarked with truth that -there were enough to suffice for visitors for many years. We inspected -with interest the gun captured by the Archbishop. Then, as he spoke no -English, and I was the only one of the party who could converse with -him in French, he handed us over to the care of an Australian nun, -who proved to be a capital <em>cicerone</em> and depicted the horrors they -had undergone much more vividly than our previous guide had done. Her -narrative of the sufferings of the brave sisters and the women and -children was heartrending. Before we left we were fortunate enough -to have the honour of being presented to the heroic prelate, whose -courage and example had animated the defenders. A burly, strongly -built man, with genial and open countenance, Monseigneur Favrier is -a splendid specimen of the Church Militant and reminded one of the -old‐time bishops, who, clad in armour, had led their flocks to war, and -fought in the forefront of battles in the Middle Ages. His bravery was -equalled by his modesty, for he resolutely declined to be drawn into -any account of his exploits during the siege. Long may he flourish! A -perfect specimen of the priest of God, the soldier, and the gentleman. -As we parted from him we turned to look again on the man so modestly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> -unconscious of his own heroism, that in any army in the world would -have covered him with honours and undying fame.</p> - -<p>When we looked at the extent of the defences and compared it with -the paucity of the garrison, we could scarcely understand how the -place resisted attack for an hour. By all the rules of warfare it -was absolutely untenable. It is surrounded on all sides within a few -yards by houses, which were occupied by the Chinese who from their -cover poured in an unceasing and harassing fire upon the garrison. The -defenders were too few to even attempt to drive them out,<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">5</a> and so -were obliged to confine themselves to defeating the frequent assaults -made on them. Their successful and gallant resistance was a feat that -would be a glorious page in the annals of any army. “Palmam qui meruit -ferat!”</p> - -<p>Not the least remarkable of the many curious phases of this -extraordinary campaign was the rapidity with which, when order had -been restored, the Chinese settled down again in Pekin. A few months -after the fall of the capital its streets, to a casual observer, had -resumed their ordinary appearance; but the wrecked houses, the foreign -flags everywhere displayed, the absence of the native upper classes, -and the presence of the soldiers of the Allies marked the change. Burly -Russian and lithe Sikh, dapper little Japanese and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span> yellow‐haired -Teuton roughly shouldered the Celestial aside in the streets, where -formerly the white man had passed hurriedly along in momentary dread -of insult and assault. But in the presence of the strict discipline of -the troops after the first excesses the Chinaman speedily recovered his -contempt—veiled though it was now perforce—for the foreign devil. -Ricksha coolies argued over their fare, where not long before a blow -would have been the only payment vouchsafed or expected. Lounging -crowds of Chinese on the sidepaths refused to make way for European -officers until forcibly reminded that they belonged to a vanquished -nation.</p> - -<p>Shops that had any of their contents left after the fairly complete -looting the city had undergone opened again, the proprietors demanding -prices for their goods that promised to rapidly recoup them for their -losses. Vehicles of all kinds filled the streets, which were soon as -interesting as they had been before the advent of the Allies—and a -great deal safer. Pekin carts rattled past strings of laden Tartar -camels, which plodded along with noiseless footfall and the weary air -of haughty boredom of their kind. Coolies with streaming bodies ran -their rickshas over the uneven roadway. Heavy transport waggons, drawn -by European and American horses or stout Chinese mules, rumbled through -the deep dust or heavy mud. And, thanks to the cleansing efforts of the -Allies, the formerly most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span> noticeable feature of Pekin was absent—its -overpowering stench.</p> - -<p>Engaging the services of a guide and interpreter, a party of us set -out one afternoon to view the shops, with the ulterior purpose of -purchasing some of the famous pottery and silks. We went in rickshas -to Ha‐ta‐man Street, which is a good commercial thoroughfare. Arrived -there, we discarded our man‐drawn vehicles and strolled along the -high side‐walks, pausing now and then to gaze at the curious pictures -of Chinese street life. Here peddlers sat surrounded by their wares. -An old‐clothes merchant, selecting a convenient space of blank wall, -had driven nails into it, and hung on them garments of all kinds, -from the cylindrical trousers of the Chinese woman to the tarnished, -gold‐embroidered coat of a mandarin, with perhaps a suggestive rent -and stain that spoke all too plainly of the fate of the last owner. -Another man sat amid piles of footgear—the quaint tiny shoes of women -that would not fit a European baby, the slippers of the superior sex, -with their thick felt soles, the long knee boots for winter wear. Here -a venerable, white‐haired Chinaman, with the beard that bespoke him a -grandfather, dozed among a heterogeneous collection of rusty knives, -empty bottles and jampots, scraps of old iron, and broken locks of -native or European manufacture. Another displayed cheap pottery of -quaint shape and hideous colouring, or the curious, pretty little -snuff‐bottles,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span> with tiny spoons fitted into the stopper, that I have -never seen anywhere but in China. Another offered tawdry embroidery or -tinselled fan‐cases. Piles of Chinese books and writing‐desks, with -their brushes and solid blocks of ink, were the stock‐in‐trade of -another.</p> - -<p>And true Oriental haughty indifference marked the demeanour of these -cheapjacks when we searched among their curious wares for souvenirs of -Pekin. They evinced not the least anxiety for us to buy, although they -knew that the lowest price that they would extract from us was sure to -be much more than they could obtain from a Chinese purchaser. Their -demands were exorbitant for the commonest, most worthless article; and -they showed no regret if we turned away exasperated at their rapacity. -One asked me fifteen dollars for a thing which he gave eventually, -after hard bargaining, for one, and then probably made a profit of -fifty cents over it.</p> - -<p>Farther on we stopped to gaze at a small crowd assembled round a -fortune‐teller. A stout country‐woman was having her future foretold. -The prophet, looking alternately at her hand and at a chart covered -with hieroglyphics, was evidently promising her a career full of good -fortune and happiness, to judge from the rapt and delighted expression -on her face.</p> - -<p>A bear, lumbering heavily through a cumbrous dance to the mournful -strains of a weird musical<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span> instrument, was the centre of another small -gathering. Farther down the street a juggler had attracted a ring of -interested spectators, who, when the performer endeavoured to collect -money from them, melted away quite as rapidly as a similar crowd in the -streets of London scatters when the hat is passed round.</p> - -<p>We had noticed many peepshows being exhibited along the side‐walk, with -small, pig‐tailed urchins, their eyes glued to the peepholes, evidently -having their money’s worth. Curious to see the spectacles with which -the Chinese showman regales his audiences, we struck a bargain with -one, and for the large sum of five cents the whole party was allowed -to look in through the glasses. The first tableau represented a troupe -of acrobats performing before the Imperial Court. Then the proprietor -pressed a spring; by a mechanical device the scene changed, and we drew -back from the peepholes! The Chinese are not a moral race. None of us -were easily shocked, but the picture that met our gaze was a little too -indecent for the broadest‐minded European. We moved on.</p> - -<p>Outside a farrier’s booth a pony was being shod. Two poles planted -firmly in the earth, with a cross‐piece fixed between them, about six -feet from the ground, formed a sort of gallows. Ropes passed round the -animal’s neck, chest, loins, and legs, and fastened to the poles, half -suspending him in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span> air, held him almost immovable. The most vicious -brute would be helpless in such a contrivance.</p> - -<p>Our guide, on being reminded that we desired to make some purchases, -stopped outside a low‐fronted, dingy shop, and informed us that it -belonged to one of the best silk merchants in Pekin. We entered, and -found the proprietor deep in conversation with a friend. The guide -addressed him, and told him that we wished to look at some silks. -Hardly interrupting his conversation, the merchant replied that he had -none. Irritated at his casual manner, our interpreter asked why he -exhibited a sign‐board outside the shop, which declared that silks were -for sale within. “Oh, everything I had was looted. There is nothing -left,” replied the proprietor nonchalantly; and he turned to resume his -interrupted conversation as indifferently as if the plundering of his -goods was too ordinary a business risk to demand a moment’s thought. -Not a word of complaint at his misfortune. How different, I thought, -from the torrent of indignant eloquence with which the European -shopkeeper would bewail the slackness of trade or a fire that had -damaged his property!</p> - -<p>We were more successful in the next establishment we visited, for a new -stock had been laid in since the capture of the city. But the silks -were of very inferior quality, the colours crude and gaudy, and the -prices exorbitant. So we purchased nothing.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span></p> - -<p>We next inspected a china shop, which was stacked with pottery from -floor to ceiling. To my mind the patterns and colouring of everything -we saw were particularly hideous, though some of our party who posed as -connoisseurs went into raptures over weird designs and glaring blues -and browns.</p> - -<p>I was equally disappointed in a visit to a fan shop. China is -pre‐eminently the land of fans, and I had hoped to find some -particularly choice specimens in Pekin. But all that were shown me were -very indifferent—badly made and of poor design. The prettiest I have -ever seen were in Canton, where superb samples of carved sandal‐wood -and ivory can be procured at a very reasonable price. But Canton is far -ahead of the capital in manufactures, and its inhabitants possess a -keen commercial instinct. Its proximity to Hong Kong and the constant -intercourse with foreigners have sharpened their trading faculties, and -there are few smarter business men than the Canton shopkeeper.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus13"> -<img src="images/illus13.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">GROUNDS OF THE BRITISH LEGATION, PEKIN</p></div> - -<p>Strolling along the street we reached a market‐place filled with -open booths, in which food of all kinds was exposed for sale. Dried -ducks, split open and skewered, hung beside sucking‐pigs. Buckets -of water filled with wriggling eels stood on the ground. Salt fish, -meat, and vegetables lay on the stalls, which were surrounded by a -chaffering crowd. Sellers and buyers argued vehemently, and the din -of the bargaining so dear to the Oriental heart filled the street. -Women, with oiled hair<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span> twisted into curious shapes and wound round -long, flat combs that stood out six inches on either side of the back -of their heads, toddled up on tiny, maimed feet, and plunged into -heated discussions with the dealers. Beggars exhibited their hideous -deformities to excite the pity of the crowd, and clutched insolently at -the dresses of the passers‐by to demand charity.</p> - -<p>Close by, a group of urchins drew water from a well. It was in the -middle of the side‐walk, and was covered with a large stone slab, -pierced with four holes only just large enough to permit of the passage -of the buckets.</p> - -<p>On our way back to Chong Wong Foo that afternoon we passed close to the -Legation quarter, and stopped to watch the progress of the wall which -was being built around it as a protection against future attacks. It -is simply a high wall constructed of the enormous Pekin bricks, easily -defensible against infantry attack, but I should doubt if it would long -resist artillery fire.</p> - -<p>The most famous place of Buddhist worship in Pekin is the Great Lama -Temple, which was, perhaps, the wealthiest monastery in China until -Buddhism fell out of fashion. As it is still well worthy of a visit, -I made an excursion to it one day in company with a small party. The -monks had the reputation of being extremely hostile to foreigners; -and although Europeans could now go in safety to most places in the -capital, I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span> warned not to venture on a visit to this temple alone.</p> - -<p>Outside the principal entrance stands a fine specimen of those curious -Chinese structures, half gateway, half triumphal arch. The lower -portion was of stone, the superstructure of wood. It was crowned -with three small towers, roofed with yellow tiles, and painted with -gaudy designs in glaring colours. On either side, on stone pedestals, -were enormous lions that looked like the nightmare creations of a -demon‐possessed artist. On passing through the front gate, we found -ourselves in a paved courtyard surrounded by low, one‐storied temples -standing on raised verandahs. In the centre was a double‐roofed -square belfry with a small gate in each side. On entering the court -we were at once surrounded by a clamorous crowd of shaven‐headed, -yellow‐robed men of a villainous type of countenance. These were the -famous—or infamous—Buddhist monks. Their dress consisted of a long, -yellow linen gown, confined at the waist by a sash, trousers, white -socks, and felt‐soled shoes. A more repulsive set of scoundrels I have -never seen. Their former truculence was now replaced by a cringing -servility. They crowded round us, demanding alms, or, holding out -handfuls of small coins, offered to change our good silver dollars -into bad five‐and ten‐cent pieces. Since Buddhism has ceased to be the -fashionable religion in China, its ministers have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span> fallen upon evil -times, and subsist on charity and the offerings of the comparatively -few followers of their creed. So visitors are vociferously assailed for -alms; and the wily monks, with a keen eye to business, had hit upon the -idea of making a little money by tendering small coins of a debased -currency in change for good silver pieces. Shouldering the clamorous -crowd aside, our interpreter seized on one ancient priest to act as -our guide. This worthy cleric aided us to drive off his importunate -fellows, and led us through several courts to the principal temple. -Like all the other buildings around, it was covered with a quaint, -yellow‐tiled roof, and on the corners of the gables and the projecting -eaves were weird porcelain monsters; while below hung small bells, -which clanked dismally when moved by the wind. The temple was high and -the interior particularly large and lofty; for it contained a colossal -image of Buddha, seated in the traditional posture, with crossed legs -and hands holding the lotus flower and other sacred emblems. On its -face was the abstracted expression of weary calm that is supposed -to represent the attainment of Nirvana—content. Stairs led up to -galleries passing round the interior of the building to the level of -the head of the deity, so that one could gaze into his countenance at -close range. The statue is not so large or artistically so meritorious -as the similar images of Daibutsu at Kamakura or Hiogo in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span> Japan, -each of which is hollow and contains a temple in its interior. On the -walls of the staircase, ranged on shelves, were thousands of little -clay gods, crudely fashioned and painted. Our priestly guide refused -to sell us any of these figures, though evidently sorely tempted by -the sight of the almighty dollar. He evidently refrained from doing so -only through fear of being found out, not through any respect for his -sacred images. Having gazed into Buddha’s face and vainly endeavoured -to experience the feeling of rapture that it is supposed to produce, we -passed out to a balcony that ran round the exterior of the building. -We were high up above the ground, and we looked down upon the jumble -of quaint, yellow gables, the courtyards with their lounging groups of -bullet‐headed priests, and away over the panorama of Pekin to where the -tall buildings of the Imperial city rose above a sea of low roofs.</p> - -<p>On descending again into the temple, we looked at the altars with -tawdry ornaments, artificial flowers, faded hangings, and fantastic -gods, and then passed out to the court. Our guide, having extracted -alms from us, led us to another but smaller temple, and handed us over -to its custodian priest, who unlocked the door and led us within. -Round the walls were life‐sized gilt images—all of one design, and -an exceedingly indecent design it was; and we had little respect for -the morals of the ancient Chinese deified hero it represented.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span> After -visiting several other buildings containing little of interest, we -induced some of the monks to let us photograph them. They were pleased -and flattered at the idea, and posed readily; indeed, one who had been -standing at the other side of the courtyard, seeing what was going -on, rushed across and insisted on joining the group, anxious that his -features, too, should be handed down to posterity. Throwing them a -handful of small coins, which caused a very undignified scramble, we -passed out of the gate. Seating ourselves in our rickshas, we drove to -the Temple of Confucius, close by. It is devoted to the present Chinese -faith, which is a mixture of ancestor‐worship and Confucianism, and -consists of several buildings standing in pretty, tree‐shaded courts. -The main temple contains long altars, on which are nothing but tablets -with Chinese inscriptions—maxims of the worthy sage. Larger tablets -hang on the walls. Confucian chapels are not interesting; and we were -disappointed at the bareness of the interior. Similar but smaller -buildings stood at the end of avenues in the grounds, but none repaid a -visit.</p> - -<p>The <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cloisonné</span></em> of Pekin is famous, and specimens of it command a good -price throughout China. It is, however, decidedly inferior to Japanese -work, which is much better finished and of far greater artistic merit. -As I had never seen how the <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">cloisonné</span></em> is made, I paid a visit to the -principal factory in the capital. I was received by the proprietor, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> -very amiable old gentleman, who took our party round his establishment -and showed us the process through all the stages from the raw material -to the finished article. The place consisted of a number of small -Chinese houses, some of which served as workshops, some were fitted -up with furnaces for firing, others occupied as residences by the -employees and their families. In the first courtyard two men were -seated before a small table, making European cigarette cases. In front -of them lay the design to be reproduced, flanked by small saucers -containing liquid enamel of various colours and tiny brushes. One man -held a square plate of copper, and with a sharp scissors cut very -thin strips from its edges. These he seized with a pair of pincers -and deftly bent and twisted them into patterns to correspond with the -lines of the design before him. They were then fixed on to the side -of the case with some adhesive mixture. As soon as they were firm, -the other man filled in the spaces between these raised lines with -the coloured enamels by means of a fine brush. The work was then left -to dry before being fired in the furnaces to fix the colours. With -their rude instruments these artists—for such they were—fashioned -the most complicated designs of foliage, flowers, or dragons with a -marvellous dexterity, judging altogether by eye, and never deviating -by a hair’s breadth from the pattern given them. We entered a room, -in which others sat round long tables, fastening designs on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> copper -vases, plates, or bowls. Ornaments of all kinds, napkin‐rings, and -crucifixes—these, needless to say, for foreigners—were being made. -Show‐cases with specimens of the finished work stood round the walls, -and the proprietor exhibited with pardonable pride the triumphs of his -art. With rude appliances in dimly‐lit rooms, these ignorant Chinese -workmen had achieved gems that the European artist could not excel.</p> - -<p>He then showed us the large blocks of the raw stone which had to be -ground up to form the enamel, and explained the processes it had to -undergo before it became the brightly coloured paste that filled the -saucers on the tables. We were then shown articles being placed in the -furnaces or withdrawn when the firing was complete. Before leaving we -purchased some specimens of the work as souvenirs of an interesting -visit, and bade good‐bye to the grateful proprietor.</p> - -<p>Such were our rambles through the vastness of that wonderful city so -long a mystery to the outside world. Even in these days of universal -knowledge its inmost recesses were a secret till fire and sword burst -all barriers and the victorious foreigner ranged where he listed. The -gates of palace and temple flew open to the touch of his rifle‐butt. -The abodes of monarch, prince, and priest sheltered the soldiers of -the conquerors, and the proudest mandarin drew humbly aside to let the -meanest camp‐follower pass.</p> - -<p>To me the most fascinating spectacle in Pekin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span> was the ever‐changing -life of the streets. The endless procession of strange vehicles, -from the ricksha to the curious wheelbarrow that is a universal form -of conveyance for passengers or goods on the narrow roads of North -China. The motley crowds—Manchu, Tartar, white man, black, and -yellow, dainty, painted lady of high rank and humble coolie woman, -shaven‐crowned monk and long‐queued layman, all formed a moving picture -unequalled in any city in the world. And above their heads floated the -flags of the conquering nations that had banded together from the ends -of the earth to humble the pride of China.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_VI"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER VI</span><br /> - -THE SUMMER PALACE</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">EIGHT or ten miles from Pekin lies the loveliest spot in all North -China, the Summer Palace, the property of the Empress‐Dowager. When -burning heat and scorching winds render life in the capital unbearable, -when dust‐storms sweep through the unpaved streets and a pitiless sun -blazes on the crowded city, the virtual ruler of China betakes her to -her summer residence among the hills, and there weaves the web of plots -that convulse the world. When the feeble monarch of that vast Empire -ventured to dream of reforms that would eventually bring his realm -into line with modern civilisation, the imperious old lady seized her -nominal sovereign and imprisoned him there in the heart of her rambling -country abode. Twice, now, in its history has the Summer Palace fallen -into the hands of European armies. English and French have lorded it in -the paved courts before ever its painted pavilions had seen the white -blouses of Cossacks or the fluttering plumes of the Bersagliere; when -Japan was but a name, and none dreamt that the little islands of the -Far East would one day send<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> their gallant soldiers to stand shoulder -to shoulder with the veterans of Europe in a common cause.</p> - -<p>Passed from the charge of one foreign contingent to another in this -last campaign, the Summer Palace was at length entrusted to the care -of the British and Italians. Desirous of visiting a spot renowned for -its natural beauty as for its historical interest, a party of us sought -and obtained permission to inspect it. And so one morning we stood in -the principal courtyard of Chong Wong Foo and watched a procession of -sturdy Chinese ponies being led up for us. The refractory little brutes -protested vehemently against the indignity of being bestridden by -foreigners; and all the subtlety of their grooms was required to induce -them to stand still long enough for us to spring into the saddles. -And then the real struggle began. One gave a spirited imitation of -an Australian buckjumper. Another endeavoured to remove his rider by -the simpler process of scraping his leg against the nearest wall. A -third, deaf to all threats or entreaties, refused to move a step in -any direction, until repeated applications of whip and spurs at length -resulted in his bolting out of the gate and down the road. After a -preliminary circus performance, our steeds finally determined to make -the best of a bad job; and, headed by a guide, we set out for the -palace.</p> - -<p>Our way lay at first through a very unsavoury part of the capital. -Evil‐smelling alleys, bordered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> by open drains choked with the refuse -of the neighbouring houses; narrow lanes deep in mire; squalid streets -of tumbledown hovels—the worst slums of Pekin. Gaunt and haggard men -scowled at us from the low doorways; naked and dirty babies sprawled -on the footpaths and lisped an infantine abuse of the foreign devils; -slatternly women stared at us with lack‐lustre eyes; and loathsome -cripples shouted for charity. Splashing through pools of filthy water, -dodging between carts in the narrow thoroughfares, we could proceed -but slowly. The heat and stench in these close and fetid lanes were -overpowering, and it was an intense relief to emerge at last on one of -the broad streets that pierce the city and which led us to a gateway in -the wall. One leaf of the wooden doors lay on the ground, the other was -hanging half off its hinges. Both were splintered and torn, for they -had been burst open by the explosion of a mine at the taking of Pekin. -The many‐windowed tower above was roofless and shattered. On either -hand, on the outer face of the wall, deep dints and scars showed where -the Japanese shells had rained upon them in the early hours of that -August morning, when the gallant soldiers of Dai Nippon<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">6</a> had come to -the rescue of the hard‐pressed Muscovites.</p> - -<p>When the Allied Armies arrived at Tung‐Chow, thirteen miles from Pekin, -a council of war was held by the generals on the 13th August, at which -it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span> decided that the troops should halt there on the following day, -to rest and prepare for the attack on the capital which was settled for -the 15th. For the stoutest hearts may well have quailed at the task -before them. A cavalry reconnaissance from each army was to be made on -the 13th, with orders to halt three miles from Pekin and wait there for -their main bodies to reach them on the 14th.</p> - -<p>But the Russian reconnoitring party, eager to be the first into the -city and establish their claim to be its real captors, pushed on right -up to the walls and attacked the Tung Pien gate. They thus upset -the plans for a concerted attack, and precipitated a disjointed and -indiscriminate assault. For they stumbled on a far more difficult task -than they had anticipated, and it was indeed fortunate for the wily -Muscovites that the Japanese, probably suspicious of their intentions, -were not far off. For the Chinese flocked to the threatened spot and -from the comparative safety of the wall poured a devastating fire upon -the Russians. The fiercest efforts of their stormers were unavailing. -General Vasilievski fell wounded. In vain the bravest officers of the -Czar led their men forward in desperate assaults. Baffled and beaten, -they recoiled in impotent fury. Retreat or annihilation seemed the -only alternatives; when the Japanese troops attacked the Tong Chih -gate. There, too, a terrible task awaited the assailants. Again and -again heroic volunteers rushed forward to lay a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> mine against the -ponderous doors, only to fall lifeless under the murderous fire of the -defenders. But the soldiers of the Land of the Rising Sun admit no -defeat. As men dropped dead, others stepped forward and took the fuses -from the nerveless fingers. The gate was at length blown open. Fierce -as panthers, the gallant Japanese poured into the doomed city. The -pressure relieved, the Russians again advanced to the assault. An entry -was effected at last; and, furious at their losses, they raged through -the streets, dealing death with a merciless hand, heedless of age or -sex.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the other Allies, roused by the sound of heavy firing, were -lost in amazement as to its meaning; and dawn came before the truth was -known. The British and Americans then attacked the Chinese city and met -with a less stubborn resistance. An entry effected, the Indian troops -wandered through the maze of streets until met by a messenger sent out -from the Legations to guide them. He led them through the water‐gate, -the tunnel in the wall between the Tartar and the Chinese city, which -serves as an exit for the drain or nullah passing between the English -and the Japanese Legations, and so right into the arms of the besieged -Europeans. Thus they arrived first to the relief, while the Japanese -and Russians were still fighting in the streets. But every nation whose -army was represented in the Allied Forces claims the credit of being -foremost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span> of all into the Legations. I have read the diary of the -commander of the Russian marines in the siege, in which he speaks of -the arrival of the Czar’s troops to the relief and completely ignores -the presence of the other Allies. And in pictures that I have seen in -Japan of the entry of the relievers, the besieged are shown rushing -out to throw themselves on the necks of the victorious Japanese, whose -uniform is the only one represented. But, while the brunt of the -fighting fell on them and the Russians, the Indian troops were actually -the first to reach the Legations.</p> - -<p>As we rode up to the gate through which the soldiers of Japan had -fought their way so gallantly, a guard of their sturdy little -infantrymen at it sprang to attention. For it and the quarter near was -in the charge of their contingent, and their flag, with its red ball on -a white ground, was to be seen everywhere around. The sentry brought -his rifle to the present with the jerky movement and wooden precision -of an automatic figure. Returning the salute, we clattered through the -long tunnel of the gateway and emerged beyond the walls of the city.</p> - -<p>Here began a wide road, paved with large stone flags, which runs for an -immense distance through the country, stopping short at the threshold -of the capital. It was bordered in places by hedges of graceful bamboos -with their long feathery leaves. Elsewhere a narrow ditch divided -the roadway<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> from the fertile fields, where tall crops of <em>kowliang</em> -(a species of millet) rose higher than a mounted man’s head, almost -completely hiding the houses of tiny hamlets. Over the stone flags, -sparks flashing from under our ponies’ hoofs, we clattered past crowds -of coolies trudging towards the city, long lines of roughly built carts -laden with country produce, or an occasional long‐queued farmer perched -on the back of his diminutive steed.</p> - -<p>By fields of waving grain, past groves of thick‐foliaged trees, through -trim villages that showed no trace of the storm that had swept so close -to them. But here and there signs of it were not wanting. A wayside -temple stood with fire‐scorched walls and broken roof. On the threshold -lay the shattered fragments of the images that had once adorned its -shrine. But from the doorways of the houses we passed the inhabitants -looked out at us with never a vestige of fear or hate, and as little -interest. In the stream of travellers setting towards Pekin came a -patrol of Bengal Lancers, spear‐point and scabbard flashing in the sun -as they rode along with the easy grace of the Indian cavalryman, their -tall chargers towering above our small Chinese ponies as the <em>sowars</em> -saluted. Farther on we passed two men of the German Mounted Infantry, -their tiny steeds half hidden under huge dragoon saddles. A brown dot -in the distance resolved itself into a British officer as we drew near. -He was Major De Boulay, <span class="smcap">R.A.</span>, who had charge of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span> the treasures -of the Summer Palace. For when the English took the place over these -were collected and locked up for safe keeping in large storehouses. -When the palace was handed back to the Chinese, the Court sent a -special letter of thanks to this officer for his careful custody of the -valuables. This campaign was not Major De Boulay’s first experience -of the Far East. As an authority on the Japanese army, when few in -Europe suspected its real efficiency as a fighting machine, he had been -appointed military <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">attaché</span> to it when it first astonished the world in -the China‐Japan War; and he accompanied the troops that made the daring -march that ended in the capture of Wei‐hai‐wei.</p> - -<p>Our meeting him on his way in to Pekin was a distinct disappointment to -us; for the keys of the godowns in which the treasures of the palace -were stored never left his keeping, and in his absence we had no chance -of seeing them. With many expressions of regret for this unfortunate -circumstance, he continued on his way to the capital.</p> - -<p>Trotting on, we reached a long village bordering the road on each side. -It was quite a populous and thriving place. The inhabitants looked -sleek and content; and shops stocked with gay garments or weird forms -of food abounded. Half‐way down on the left‐hand side a narrow lane -led off from the highway. At the corner stood a sign‐post with the -words, “<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Au palais de l’été</span>.” It was our road. We turned our ponies down -it, nothing loth, I warrant,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> to exchange the hard stone flags for -the soft ground now underfoot. We were soon clear of the houses and -among the fields. Passing a belt of trees that had hitherto obstructed -our view, we saw ahead of us a long stretch of low, dark hills. Far -away to our left front, from a prominent knoll a tall, slender pagoda -rose up boldly to the sky, and straight before us, standing out on -the face of the hills, was a confused mass of buildings—the Summer -Palace. We broke into a brisk canter, the canter became a gallop, and -we raced towards our goal. As we drew nearer, and could more clearly -distinguish the aspect of the buildings, we slackened speed. On the -summit was a temple which, so one of our party who had visited the -place before told us, was known as the Hall of Ten Thousand Ages. -Below it stood a curious circular edifice, with a triple yellow roof. -It was built on a huge square foundation, on the face of which were -the lines of a diamond‐shaped figure. These we afterwards found to -be diagonal staircases ascending to the superstructure which was the -Empress‐Dowager’s own particular temple. Trees hid the lower portion -and concealed from our view a lovely lake that lies at the foot of the -hills. Passing onwards by a high‐walled enclosure, we reached a wide -open space, at the far end of which were the buildings of the palace -proper. Out in the centre of it stood one of those Chinese paradoxes—a -gateway without a wall, similar to the one at the Great Lama Temple. -It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span> gaily painted with weird designs in bright colours. We rode -past it and reached the entrance to the outer courtyard. At it was a -guard of an Indian infantry regiment which was quartered in the Summer -Palace. Dismounting, we passed through the gate and found ourselves in -a large court. Facing us was a long, low building of the conventional -Chinese type. It was a temple. On the verandah stood large bronze -storks and dragons. We had seen too many similar joss‐houses to care -to visit it; so we secured a sepoy to guide us through the labyrinth -of courts to the pavilion that was occupied as a mess by the officers -of the troops garrisoning the palace—a British Field Battery and -the Indian regiment. Here we were warmly welcomed and ushered into a -building of particular historical interest; for in this very pavilion -the Emperor had been confined.</p> - -<p>The interior was elaborately furnished. Large mirrors covered the -walls. Marble‐topped tables with the inevitable clocks and vases of -artificial flowers were placed round the sides. European chairs and -Chinese blackwood stools stood about in curious contrast. But the -<em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">pièce de résistance</span></em> was a lovely screen. An inner chamber was used -as a mess‐room; and a long table covered with a white cloth, on which -stood common Delft plates and glass tumblers, looked out of keeping -with the surroundings. But, more regardful of the thirst induced -by a hot ride than artistic proprieties, we threw ourselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span> into -comfortable chairs and quaffed a much‐needed, cooling drink.</p> - -<p>In front of the pavilion was a square, paved yard, in which stood a -curious scaffolding of gaily painted poles, which had served to spread -an awning above the court. For here the imprisoned Emperor had been -permitted to walk; and as we sat on the verandah and gave our hosts -the latest news of Pekin, we gazed with interest on the confined space -in which the monarch of the vast Empire of China had paced in weary -anticipation of his fate.</p> - -<p>As it wanted an hour or two to lunch‐time, one of the officers of the -garrison volunteered to guide us round the palace. We eagerly accepted -his offer and were led out into a maze of courts surrounded by low -houses. He brought us first to his quarters in a long, two‐storied -building. From the upper windows on the far side a lovely view lay -spread before our eyes. Below the house was a large lake, confined -by a marble wall and balustrade that passed all round it. Close -to us, on the right, the long, tree‐clad hill, on which stood the -Empress‐Dowager’s temple and the Hall of Ten Thousand Ages, rose almost -from the brink. To the left a graceful, many‐arched bridge stretched -from the bank to a tiny island far out in the placid water. On it stood -a small pavilion. Near the shore a flotilla of boats was anchored. It -comprised foreign‐designed barges, dinghies, and a half‐sunken steam -launch. Patches of lotus leaves lay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> on the tranquil surface. And away, -far beyond the lake, a line of rugged and barren hills rose up from the -plain.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus14"> -<img src="images/illus14.jpg" width="600" height="541" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">A STREET IN THE TARTAR CITY, PEKIN, AFTER HEAVY RAIN</p></div> - -<p>Emerging from the building, we walked along by the low wall and carved -balustrade bounding the water, towards the side above which stood the -Empress‐Dowager’s temple. At the corner of the lake was a gateway, at -which stood a guard of Bersagliere, clad in white with cocks’ feathers -fluttering gaily in their tropical helmets. The Italians, as I have -said, were joined with the English in the charge of the Summer Palace. -Returning the sentry’s salute, we passed on and found a roofed and -open‐pillared gallery running along beside the lake. Its shelter was -grateful in the burning sun; for the breeze was cut off by the hill -that rose almost perpendicularly above us. The slender, wooden columns -supporting the tiled roof were painted in brightly coloured designs. On -the cornices were miniature pictures of conventional Chinese scenery. -Here and there the gallery widened out or passed close to pretty little -summer‐houses built above the wall of the lake. We reached the square -white mass of masonry on which stood the temple. Before it massive -gates, guarded by bronze lions, opened on a broad staircase leading -to the foot of the substructure. But reserving the sacred edifice, -which towered above us at an appalling height, for a later visit after -lunch, we passed on around the lake until we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span> reached the strangest -construction in the Summer Palace.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus15"> -<img src="images/illus15.jpg" width="557" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">THE MARBLE JUNK<span class="add4em">[<em>page</em> 127</span></p></div> - -<p>One of the former Empresses, whose life had been passed far from -the sea, complained that she had never beheld a ship. So a cunning -architect was found, who built in the lake close to the bank an -enormous marble junk. The hull, which has ornamented prow and stern -and small paddle‐boxes, rests, of course, on the bottom. On the deck -he erected a large two‐storied pavilion; but as the Chinese are seldom -thorough, this he constructed of wood painted to look like marble. It -formed an ideal and picturesque summer‐house, for the sides, between -the pillars, were open or closed only by blinds. But at the time of our -visit it looked dismally dilapidated; for the paint was blistered and -peeling off. The Marble Junk resembles a white house‐boat at Henley, -and at a little distance across the water looks quaint and graceful. -Close to it, spanning a small stream that runs into the lake, is a -lovely little covered bridge with carved white marble arches and -parapets. Venice can boast no more perfect gem of art on its canals.</p> - -<p>Our conductor, looking at his watch, tore us from our contemplation of -this masterpiece and insisted on our returning to the mess for lunch. -And in the pavilion where the powerless monarch of a mighty empire had -lain a helpless prisoner, a victim to the intrigues of his own family, -British officers sat at table; and the conversation ranged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span> from the -events of the campaign to sport in India or criticisms of the various -contingents of the Allied Army.</p> - -<p>A recent occurrence, thoroughly typical of the readiness with which -the Court party snatched at every opportunity to “save face,” was -alluded to. The British Minister in Pekin, at the humble request of Li -Hung Chang, who was negotiating about the return of the Summer Palace -to the Chinese, had removed the Field Battery garrisoning it to the -capital. An Imperial Edict was immediately issued, which stated in -grandiloquent terms that the Emperor had <em>ordered</em> this removal. Sir -Ernest Satow, who was fast proving himself a far stronger man than -had been anticipated and well fitted to cope with Oriental wiles, -promptly commanded the return of the battery as the fitting answer to -this impudent declaration. It was almost the first strong action taken -by our diplomats in a wearisome series of “graceful concessions”; and -great satisfaction was occasioned among the officers of the British -forces, who hailed it as a hopeful prelude to a firmer policy.</p> - -<p>After lunch we ascended the tree‐clad hill on which stood the Hall -of Ten Thousand Ages. From the summit a beautiful view over the -surrounding country was obtained. Below us was the confused jumble of -yellow‐roofed buildings that constituted the residential portion of -the Summer Palace. At our feet lay the gleaming lake, hemmed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span> in by -its white marble walls, the tiny island united to the shore by the -graceful arches of the long bridge. The bright roof of the pretty -little pavilion on it shone in the brilliant sunlight. Along the far -bank stretched a tree‐shaded road that ran away to the right until lost -in thick foliage or fertile fields. A thin line marked the crowded -highway to the capital. The plain was dotted with villages or lay in a -chessboard‐pattern of cultivation interspersed with thickets of bamboos -or dense groves of trees. Far away the tall towers of the walls of -Pekin rose up above the level sea of roofs, broken only by the lofty -buildings of the Imperial city, the temples or the residences of the -Europeans in the Legation quarter. Over the capital a yellow haze of -smoke and dust hung like a golden canopy. Away to the right lay a -long stretch of dark and sombre hills, among which nestled the summer -residence of the members of the British Legation. Here in the hot -months they hie in search of cooling breezes not to be obtained in the -crowded city.</p> - -<p>The grandiloquently named Hall of Ten Thousand Ages was a rectangular, -solidly constructed building with thick walls. But inside a sad scene -of ruin met our eyes. Enormous fragments of shattered colossal statues -choked the interior, so that one could not pass from door to door. -Huge heads, trunks, and limbs lay piled in fantastic confusion. The -temple had contained a number of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span> giant images of Buddha. Some troops, -on occupying the palace, had been informed that these were hollow and -filled with treasures of inestimable value. The tale seemed likely; so -dynamite was invoked to force them to reveal their hidden secrets. The -colossal gods were hurled from their pedestals by its powerful agency; -and their ruins were eagerly searched by the vandals. But it was found -that the interiors of the statues, though indeed hollow, were simply -modelled to correspond with the internal anatomy of a human being, -all the organs being reproduced in silver or zinc. And the gods were -sacrificed in vain to the greed of the spoilers.</p> - -<p>The Empress‐Dowager’s temple had escaped such rough treatment, as -it held nothing that tempted the conquerors. Under its huge shadow -lay a lovely little structure, the Bronze Pagoda. On a white marble -plinth and surrounded by a carved balustrade of the same stone, stood -a delicately modelled, tiny temple about twenty or thirty feet high. -Roof, pillars, walls—all were of the same valuable material. From -the corners of the spreading, upturned eaves hung bells. The whole -structure was a perfect work of art; and one sighed for a miniature -replica of the graceful little building.</p> - -<p>But while we wandered among these quaint temples we had failed to -notice dark masses of clouds that had gradually climbed up from the -horizon and overcast the whole sky. One of the heavy storms of a North -China summer was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> evidently in store for us. So, anxious to regain -the capital before it could break, we returned to the palace, bade -a hurried farewell to our kind hosts, and mounted our ponies. Back -through the fields and on to the paved highway we rode at a steady -pace, our ponies, refreshed by the long halt and eager to reach their -stables, trotting out willingly. The storm held off, and as we came -in view of the gate of Pekin, we congratulated ourselves on our good -fortune. But suddenly, without a moment’s warning, sheets of water -fell from the dark sky. In went our spurs, and we raced madly for the -shelter of the gateway. But long before we reached it we were soaked -through and through. Our boots were filled with water, the broad brims -of our pith hats hung limply over our eyes, and we were as thoroughly -wet as though we had swum the Peiho.</p> - -<p>Under the tunnelled gateway we dismounted. The water simply poured -from us, and formed in pools on the stone flags where we stood. We -found ourselves in a damp crowd of jostling, grinning Chinamen, who -were cheerfully wringing the moisture from their thin cotton garments -or laughing at the plight of others caught in the storm and racing for -shelter through the ropes of rain. Coolies, carts, ponies, mules, and -camels were all huddled together under the archway. Jests and mirth -resounded on every side; for the Celestial is generally a veritable -Mark Tapley under circumstances<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span> that would depress or irritate the -more impatient European.</p> - -<p>We waited for an hour beside our shivering ponies for the deluge to -cease; then, seeing little prospect of it, we mounted again and rode -on into the city. But short as was the time the rain had lasted, -the streets were already almost flooded. The ditch‐like sides were -half filled with rushing, muddy torrents; and in crossing one of the -principal roads the water rose up to our saddle‐girths in the side -channels. In one place my pony was nearly carried off his feet and I -feared that I would be obliged to swim for it. From the shelter of the -verandahs of the houses along the streets crowds of Chinese laughed at -our miserable plight, as our small steeds splashed through the pools -and their riders sat huddled up in misery under the pitiless rain. With -heartfelt gratitude we reached at last the welcome shelter of Chong -Wong Foo. So ended our visit to the famous Summer Palace, which is once -more in the possession of its former owner. The courts that echoed to -the ring of artillery horses’ hoofs, the rumble of our gun‐wheels, the -deep laughter of the British soldier, or the shriller voices of his -sepoy comrades, are now trodden only by silent‐footed Celestials. The -white man is no more a welcome guest.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_VII"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER VII</span><br /> - -A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">THE railways throughout North China and Manchuria were originally -constructed chiefly by British capital; and England had consequently -priority of claim upon them. The line from Pekin runs first to the -sea at Tong‐ku, at the mouth of the Peiho River, thence branching off -northward along the coast to Newchwang, the treaty port of Manchuria. -Its continuation passes southward from Newchwang to Port Arthur. At the -beginning of the campaign in North China it was seized by the Russians -and held by them until diplomatic pressure loosened their grasp. -Instead of restoring it direct to the British, they handed over to the -Germans the railway as far north as Shanhaikwan, a town on the coast -where the famous Great Wall of China ends in the sea; but they retained -in their own possession that portion between Shanhaikwan and Newchwang. -The Germans then held on to the remainder until they were eventually -restored to the British.</p> - -<p>Shanhaikwan thus became the natural boundary between the territory -under the sway of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span> Russians and the country in the combined -occupation of the Allies. The Czar’s servants had laid covetous eyes -upon it; for its position and a number of strong and well‐armed forts -which had been constructed by the Chinese rendered it an important -<em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">point d’appui</span></em> whence to dominate North China. So a powerful Russian -force was despatched by land to seize these fortifications; but it -was forestalled by the smart action of the British Admiral, who sent -a gunboat, the <em>Pigmy</em>, to Shanhaikwan. The captain of this little -craft audaciously demanded and actually received the surrender of the -forts; so that when the Russians arrived they found, to their intense -surprise, the Union Jack flying from the ramparts. Eventually, to avoid -dissensions, the various forts were divided among the Allies.</p> - -<p>Previous to my departure on a long‐projected trip to Japan—seeing a -little of Manchuria and Corea <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en route</span></em>—I joined a small party of -officers who had arranged to pay a flying visit to Shanhaikwan. With -light luggage and the roll of bedding without which the Anglo‐Indian -seldom travels in the East, we entrained at Tientsin. A couple of -hours sufficed to bring us to Tong‐ku, where the railway branches -off to the north. The platform was thronged with a bustling crowd -of the soldiers of many nations, the place being the disembarkation -port for the Continental, the American, and the Japanese troops. In -the station buildings the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> British officers in charge of that section -of the railway and of the detachments guarding it had established a -mess. As we had some time to wait before the departure of the train to -Shanhaikwan, they warmly welcomed us within its hospitable, if narrow, -walls.</p> - -<p>When the warning bell summoned us to take our places, we established -ourselves in a comfortable first‐class carriage—partly saloon, -partly <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">coupé</span>. I may mention that during the occupation of North China -by the Allies the wearers of uniform travelled free everywhere on -the railways. Among our fellow‐passengers were some Japanese naval -officers, a German or two, a few Russians, and an old friend of mine, -Lieutenant Hutchinson, of H.M.S. <em>Terrible</em>, who had served with the -Naval Brigade in the defence of Tientsin. He had just returned from a -trip to Japan, and was full of his adventures in the Land of the Geisha.</p> - -<p>The railway to Shanhaikwan runs at first close to the sea through -a monotonous stretch of mud flats, and then reaches a most fertile -country with walled villages and substantially built houses. It was -guarded by the 4th Punjaub Infantry, detachments of which occupied -the stations along the line. Not long before, this fine regiment had -been engaged in a punitive expedition against the brigands who had -slain Major Browning. After a severe fight they captured the fortified -villages held by 4,000 well‐armed banditti, and terribly avenged their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> -officer. As the country was still infested by roving bands of robbers -who raided defenceless villages, the station buildings were put in a -state of defence, the walls loopholed and head‐cover provided by means -of sandbags until each resembled a miniature fort. But the brigands, -after practical experience of the fighting qualities of the gallant -Punjaubis, evinced no desire to come in contact with them again; and -the detachments along the line were left to languish in inglorious ease -and complain bitterly of the want of enterprise on the part of the -robbers.</p> - -<p>For some distance alongside the railway runs a canal, which is -largely used by the Chinese for transporting grain and merchandise. -As our train rattled along, we passed numbers of long, shallow boats, -fashioned like dug‐outs and loaded down until the gunwale was scarcely -a few inches from the water. The half‐naked boatmen toiling at their -oars paused to gaze with envy at the swift‐speeding iron horse, which -covered the weary miles with such apparent ease.</p> - -<p>The crops here were even more luxuriant than on the way to Pekin. -Fields of ripe grain stretched away on either side of the line, -interspersed with groves of trees or dotted with villages surrounded -by high walls, significant of the continual insecurity of life and -property in this debatable land. Here and there were deserted mud forts.</p> - -<p>The journey from Tientsin to Shanhaikwan occupied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> about twelve hours. -About midway the train stopped for a short time at Tongshan, a town -important for the coal mines near, which are worked under the direction -of Europeans. From the windows of our carriage we could see the tall -buildings and the machinery at the mouths of the pits, which gave -quite an English character to the landscape. For the convenience of -travellers, the British officers quartered in the place had established -a refreshment room in some Chinese buildings near the station, and -lent some Indian servants to it. As our train was due to wait some -little time, we all descended in search of lunch, and were provided -here with quite a good meal at a very reasonable rate. Our German -fellow‐passengers, ignorant of Hindustani, found some difficulty in -expressing their wants to the Indian waiters, whose knowledge of -English was very limited. We came to the rescue and interpreted, and -gained the gratitude of hungry men.</p> - -<p>As we journeyed on to Shanhaikwan the country began to lose its flat -appearance. Low, tree‐clad eminences broke the level monotony of the -landscape; and the train passed close to a line of rugged hills. In -their recesses bands of brigands were reported to be lurking, so we -had the pleasant excitement of speculating on the chances of the train -being held up by some of these gentry. But without mishap we reached -our destination about half‐past six o’clock in the evening.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span></p> - -<p>The railway station of Shanhaikwan was large and well built, with -roomy offices and a long platform. There were, besides, engine sheds, -machinery shops, yards, and houses for the European employees, all -of which had been seized by the Russians. We were met on our arrival -by some officers of the Gurkha Regiment in garrison, to whom we had -written from Tientsin to ask if they could find quarters for us. -But as they were exceedingly short of accommodation for themselves, -being crowded together in wretched Chinese hovels, they received us -with expressions of regret that they were unable to find room for -all our party. The two junior ones must seek shelter for themselves. -I, unfortunately, was one. There was no hotel or inn of any sort. My -companion in distress, luckily for himself, had a friend in a squadron -of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, quartered in one of the forts, and set -off to request his hospitality. So our party separated; and I was -left stranded on the platform with no prospect of a bed, and, worse -still, not the faintest idea as to where to get a meal. On appealing -to a British railway employee, I found that there were two military -officers in charge of the station—one English, the other Russian; for -the portion of the line held by the latter nationality began, as I -have said, at Shanhaikwan. Both had quarters in the station, but both, -unfortunately, had gone out to dinner; and there was no likelihood -of their return before midnight.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> Taking pity on my distress, this -employee promised to send me down a Chinese cane bed from his house, -and then went off, leaving me to brood over the hopelessness of my -situation. I sat down on a bench and cursed the name of Shanhaikwan. -The lunch at Tongshan seemed by now a very far‐off memory; and I -endeavoured to allay the pangs of hunger with a cigar. As I meditated -on the inefficacy of tobacco as a substitute for food, I saw the door -of a room marked “Telegraph Office” open and a smart bombardier of the -Royal Marine Artillery emerge. On seeing me he saluted, and, snatching -at every straw, I called him over and asked him if he knew of any -place where I could get anything to eat. He told me of the existence -of a low <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">café</span>, patronised by the Continental soldiers of the garrison, -where I might possibly obtain some sort of a meal. I jumped eagerly at -the chance; and, calling one of the Chinese railway porters to guide -us, he offered to show me the way. Quitting the station, we entered -a small town of squalid native houses and proceeded through narrow -and unsavoury lanes until we reached a low doorway in a high wall. -Passing through, I found myself in a small courtyard. On the muddy -ground were placed a number of rickety tables and rough benches. Here -sat, with various liquors before them, groups of Cossacks and German -soldiers, who stared with surprise at the unusual sight of a British -officer in such a den.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> At the far end of the court was a tumbledown -Chinese house, on the verandah of which sat the proprietor and his -wife, evidently Italian or Austrian. The lady, a buxom person of -ample proportions, was attired in a very magnificent, but decidedly -<em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">décolleté</span></em> evening dress. Her wrists were adorned with massive -bracelets, her fingers covered with rings. Altogether she looked a very -haughty and superb beauty and more fitted to adorn a café in the <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Champs -Elysées</span> than a rough drinking‐booth in the heart of China. Her husband -came forward to meet me; and on my stating my wants in imploring tones, -he seemed at first in doubt as to whether he could supply them. My -heart sank. He turned to consult the lady. To my intense astonishment -this magnificent personage sprang up at once, called to a Chinese -servant to bring her a chicken, and then, pinning up the skirt of her -rich dress, plunged into a kitchen which opened off the verandah, and -then and there, with her own fair hands, spatch‐cocked the fowl, and -served me with a welcome and appetising meal.</p> - -<p>My hunger satisfied thus unexpectedly, I strolled back to the station -in a contented frame of mind, indifferent to anything Fate had in -store for me. Nothing could harm me; I had dined. I was quite ready to -wrap myself in a blanket and sleep on a bench, or on the ground for -that matter. But my star was in the ascendant. I found a comfortable -camp‐bed of a Chinese pattern awaiting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span> me, sent by the kind‐hearted -employee. Placing it on the platform, I spread my bedding on it, -undressed, and lay down to sleep.</p> - -<p>But I had reckoned without the merry mosquito. I have met this little -pest in many lands. I first made his acquaintance on the night of my -arrival in India with a raw, unsalted regiment from home; when he could -batten on seven hundred fresh, full‐blooded Britishers and feast to the -full on their vital fluid unthinned by a tropical climate; when next -morning the faces of all, officers and men alike, were swollen almost -beyond recognition. I have remonstrated with him as to his claim to the -possession of the interior of a mosquito net and failed to move him. I -have scarcely doubted when a friend vowed that he had broken the back -of a hairbrush over the head of one of the giant, striped species we -knew as “Bombay tigers” or questioned the truth of the statement that a -man had lain on his bed and watched two of them trying to pull open his -curtains to get at him. I have cursed him in the jungle when sitting -up in a <em>machân</em> over a “kill” waiting for a tiger. I have wrestled -with him when out on column and bivouacked beside a South China river, -where his home was; but never have I seen him in such wonderful vigour -and maddening persistence as during that night on the station platform -of Shanhaikwan. In vain I beat the air with frenzied hands; in vain I -smoked. I tried to cover my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span> head with a sheet; but the heat was too -great, and I emerged panting to find him waiting for me. As Thomas -Atkins says: “It h’isn’t the bite of the beggar I ’ates so much as ’is -bloomin’ h’irritatin’ buzz”; and the air was filled with his song. It -was a concert with refreshments. <em>I</em> was the refreshments. To make -matters worse, I had the tantalising knowledge that I had mosquito -curtains with me, which I had been unable to fix up as the bed was -without poles.</p> - -<p>At last, maddened by the persistent attacks of the irritating pests, -I sat up and reviewed the situation until I hit upon a plan. I shoved -the bed under the windows of a room which looked out on the platform -and which happened to be the quarters of the British Railway Station -Officer. The venetian shutters opened outward. About ten feet away was -a telegraph‐pole; and a short distance from the foot of the bed stood -a lamp‐post. Taking the cords of my Wolseley valise, the straps of my -bedding and my luggage, and some string which I looted from one of the -railway offices, I contrived to suspend my curtains from the shutters, -the pole, and the lamp‐post. It was really an ingenious contrivance, -and I lay down in triumph and security. The baffled mosquitoes uttered -positive shrieks of rage.</p> - -<p>Somewhere about midnight I was awakened by the sounds of revelry in a -foreign tongue. Peering through the curtains, I saw by the dim light of -the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> turned‐down station lamps two figures in uniform advancing along -the platform. One was a very drunken but merry Russian officer, who was -being carefully helped along by a sober and amused British subaltern. -They suddenly caught sight of the white mass of my mosquito curtains, -which swayed in ghostly folds in the wind and looked uncanny in the -uncertain light.</p> - -<p>“What the devil is that?” exclaimed the Englishman.</p> - -<p>The Russian hiccoughed a reply in words that sounded like a sneeze.</p> - -<p>The former, gently propping up his companion against the lamp‐post to -which he clung lovingly, advanced to my bed. I recognised him by his -uniform to be our Railway Station Staff Officer. Peering through the -curtains, he asked me who on earth I was and what I was doing there. In -a few words I explained myself and my situation. With a soldier’s ready -hospitality he said—</p> - -<p>“My dear fellow, I am so sorry that I was absent. Get up and move your -bed into my quarters. I shall be delighted to put you up.”</p> - -<p>I thanked him, but assured him that I was very comfortably fixed for -the night.</p> - -<p>“But you can have had no dinner. Did you get anything to eat?” he asked.</p> - -<p>I recounted my successful search for a meal; whereat he laughed and -again expressed his regret at his absence, explaining that he had -gone to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> dinner‐party given by the wife of a Russian colonel on her -husband’s name‐day.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile his companion, still clinging tightly to the lamp‐post, -had been regarding with wonder my contrivance for the support of the -mosquito curtains, shaking his head, and muttering to himself.</p> - -<p>The Britisher, informing me that he was the Russian Railway Staff -Officer, then spoke to him in his own language, and introduced me to -him, mentioning a name that ended in —itch or —sky. I sat up in bed and -bowed. But my new acquaintance, still holding to the friendly support -of the post, stared solemnly at the network of straps and cords. At -last he broke silence.</p> - -<p>“Ver’ good! Ver’ practical! You English is ver’ practical nation.” Then -he hiccoughed sadly, “I am ver’ <em>drink</em>!”</p> - -<p>Thoroughly awakened, I got up, and we adjourned to the British -officer’s quarters, where we drank to our better acquaintance in an -iced whisky and soda; for the night was distressingly hot.</p> - -<p>The hospitable Englishman was Lieutenant Kell, South Staffordshire -Regiment. He was a good specimen of the linguists in our army who -surprised our Continental allies. A passed Interpreter in Russian -and Chinese, he spoke French, German, and Italian fluently; and, as -I discovered afterwards, although he had never been to India, he was -rapidly picking up Hindustani from the sepoys with whom he was brought -in contact through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span> his station duties. He had served on General -Dorward’s staff during the hard fighting in Tientsin and had been -mentioned in his despatches. His linguistic powers had caused him to -be appointed as Railway Staff Officer at Shanhaikwan, where his ready -tact and genial qualities endeared him to the Russians and contributed -greatly to the harmonious working of affairs in that debatable garrison.</p> - -<p>Before we parted for the night our Russian friend gave us both a -cordial invitation to dine with him the following night and meet some -of his comrades. And then I retired again to bed, feeling no longer a -lost sheep and a homeless orphan.</p> - -<p>In the morning I was awakened by Lieutenant Kell’s servant, who -brought me my <em>chota hazri</em>, the matutinal tea and toast dear to the -heart of the Anglo‐Indian. He had taken my luggage into his master’s -quarters, where a bath and a dressing‐room awaited me. I found my host -busily engaged in his railway work, interviewing soldiers of every -nationality. As I was in the act of wishing him “Good morning” we -suddenly observed a heavy transport waggon, drawn by two huge horses, -being driven across the line and right on to the platform by a Cossack, -who thus thought to save himself a <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">détour</span></em> to the level crossing at -the far end of the station. It was done in flat defiance of well‐known -orders. Kell spoke to him in his own language, and told him to go back. -The soldier, muttering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span> some impertinent remark, took no notice and -drove on. At that moment a Russian colonel entered the station. Kell -immediately reported the man’s disobedience to him. The officer flew at -the culprit, abused him in loud and angry tones; and if the Cossack had -not been out of reach where he sat perched up on the waggon, I am sure -he would have received a sound thrashing. Crestfallen, he turned his -horses round and drove away; while the colonel apologised profusely to -Kell for the fault of his subordinate and promised that the man would -receive a severe punishment for his disobedience and impertinence to an -English officer.</p> - -<p>After breakfast one of my companions, Captain Labertouche, 22nd -Bombay Infantry, who, like me, had been unable to find quarters among -the Gurkhas the night before, but who had been given shelter by the -officers of the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, rode up to look for me. -Sending away his horse, we set out on foot to hunt up the rest of our -party in the Gurkha mess.</p> - -<p>Our way lay first along the railway line. On the right‐hand side were -the station yards, engine sheds, and machinery shops, all now in the -hands of the Russians, who had removed the spare rolling stock and -plant found there and sent them to Port Arthur. The Muscovite believes -in war being self‐supporting. To the left, behind the station, lay the -rookery of squalid Chinese houses, where I had hunted for a dinner -the night before. Farther away lay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> Shanhaikwan. High battlements -and lofty towers enclosed the city, the sides of which ran down to -the Great Wall of China. For ahead of us, a mile away athwart the -railway, lay a long line of grass‐grown earthworks, with here and there -fragments of ruined masonry peering out among the herbage and bushes -that clothed it. It was that wondrous fortification which stretches -for more than a thousand miles along the ancient boundary of China, -climbing mountains, plunging into valleys, and running through field -and forest—a monumental and colossal work that has never served to -roll back the tide of war from the land it was built to guard. Through -a wide breach in it the railway passes on to the north, to Manchuria -where the Russian Bear now menaces the integrity of the Celestial -Kingdom. Before reaching the Wall our way turned off sharp to the -right; so, leaving the railway, we followed a rough country road which -led to the Chinese village that sheltered the Gurkhas. It was crossed -by a broad stream two or three feet deep. As we were grumbling at the -necessity of taking off boots and gaiters in order to wade it, a sturdy -Chinaman strolled up and looked extremely amused at our distress. We -promptly seized him, and made signs that we wanted him to carry us -across. The Celestial smilingly assented, and kicked off his felt‐soled -shoes. Hoisting my companion on his back, he waded with him to the -other side, and then returned to fetch me. When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> we rewarded him with -a small silver coin he seemed extremely surprised; and he made frantic -signs, which we interpreted as meant to express his desire to remain on -the spot in readiness to ferry us over on our return. Without further -difficulty we reached the Gurkha mess, where we found our friends on -the point of setting out to visit the Great Wall. So the whole party -walked back along the road by which Labertouche and I had come, and -at the stream found our ferryman awaiting us with a beaming smile. He -eagerly proffered his services, and conveyed us all across in turn. -Payment being duly made, he expressed his gratitude in voluble, if -unintelligible, language.</p> - -<p>Reaching the railway, we proceeded along it in the direction of the -Wall. The country between it and us was flat and cultivated, though -at its foot lay a strip of waste ground. To our left ran a rough road -leading out, through the same gap as the line, towards some forts -to the north. Along it, behind three sturdy little ponies harnessed -abreast, sped a Russian <em>troiscka</em>, driven by a Cossack and containing -two white‐coated officers.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the inner face of the Wall, we climbed its sloping side -and found ourselves on a broad and bush‐grown rampart. We were twenty -or thirty feet above the ground. The outer face of this ancient -fortification, which was begun in <span class="smcap">B.C.</span> 241, was in a better -state of preservation than the inner; though in places it bore little -resemblance to a wall.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span> From the ruins of an old bastion we had a -splendid view of the surrounding country. Before us a level plain -stretched away to the horizon, broken by the ugly outlines of forts or -patched with cultivated fields and small woods. To the right the Great -Wall ran to the cliffs above the sea, which sparkled in the distance -under a brilliant sun. On its bosom lay the ponderous bulks of a -number of Japanese warships; for their fleet had arrived unexpectedly -at Shanhaikwan the night before. The Russian dinner‐party, which -Lieutenant Kell had attended the previous evening, had been given in -the open air, on the cliffs over the sea. The numerous guests, nearly -all officers of the Czar, could look out over the blue water as they -smoked the cigarettes with which every Russian meal is punctuated. -While the feast was proceeding merrily trails of smoke, heralding the -approach of a fleet, appeared on the horizon. The Russian officers -gazed in surprise as the ships came into view, and wonder was expressed -as to their nationality and the purpose of their coming. In those -troublous times, when national jealousies were rife, no one knew that -war might not suddenly break out among the so‐called Allies; and Slav, -Teuton, Frank, and Briton might be called on without a day’s warning -to range themselves in hostile camps. So something like consternation -fell upon the dinner‐party when the approaching ships were seen to be -the Japanese fleet. For the relations between Russia and Japan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span> were -very strained at the time; and all present at the table wondered if the -unexpected arrival of this powerful squadron meant that the rupture had -come. But no hostile signs were made by the ships; and, with the motto -of the trooper all the world over—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="line">“Why, soldiers, why</div> -<div class="line"> Should we be melancholy, boys,</div> -<div class="line"> Whose business ’tis to die?”</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p class="noindent">the interrupted revelry was renewed.</p> - -<p>Between us and the sea lay the strong and well‐armed forts that had -fallen before the audacious challenge of the little <em>Pigmy</em>. From their -walls floated the flags of the Allies; and Cossacks, German, Japanese, -and Indian troops could be seen upon their ramparts. Behind us lay the -ruins of what must have been a large fortified camp just inside the -Wall.</p> - -<p>To the left the town of Shanhaikwan lay penned in by its lofty but -antiquated fortifications. Past it the Great Wall ran away to the west -until lost to our sight among the slopes of a range of hills. Here -and there the climbing line was seen topping the summit of a steep -eminence, and one could appreciate the magnitude of the task of its -builders when they set themselves to fence China from the ravaging -hordes of the unknown lands.</p> - -<p>And away north and south stretched the thin shining line of the -railway, along which the soldiers of the Czar hope to swarm one day to -plant their eagles once more in Pekin, never again to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span> removed. As -we stood on the Great Wall flocks of snipe and duck flew past us to -the south, already fleeing before the approach of the dread winter of -Northern Asia.</p> - -<p>We went on to pay a visit to the forts, which, when they were held by -the Chinese, had been armed with powerful and modern guns. Concerning -one of these forts an amusing story, illustrative of foreign guile, -was told. The place was occupied by one Power, who had quartered in -it a battery of artillery. In the re‐arrangement of the garrison of -Shanhaikwan, at a council of the allied commanders, it was decided -that this fort should be handed over to the English. But although the -foreign General agreed at the time, all the subsequent endeavours of -the British to induce him to name a day for the evacuation and transfer -were fruitless. Regrets, excuses, indefinite promises were freely made; -but some unexpected and insurmountable obstacle invariably intervened. -At length when the surrender of the fort could no longer be refused, a -certain date for the foreign troops to march out and the place to be -handed over to the English was fixed. The day arrived. The relieving -British garrison marched up to the gate. There they were met by the -apparently bewildered foreign commander, who expressed considerable -astonishment at their presence. When reminded that this was the day -agreed upon, he smiled politely, and assured the British officers that -they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span> had made a mistake. He pointed out that they had apparently -calculated by the modern style calendar, forgetting that the old style -was still in vogue in some countries and had been adopted by him in his -reckoning. Consequently the day had not yet come. Lost in unwilling -admiration at this clever instance of duplicity, the British were -obliged to withdraw.</p> - -<p>On the eve of the day on which he declared that the fort would really -be evacuated, the battery garrisoning it marched out with much pomp and -publicity. The British smiled as they watched them go, well pleased at -having got rid of them at last. They plumed themselves on their moral -victory; and they marched up next morning to the fort in triumph. But -the other flag was still flying, and inside they saw the same battery -whose departure they had witnessed the evening before. They stared in -bewilderment. They could recognise some of the officers and men. Then -an explanation was angrily demanded. It was readily forthcoming. This -was <em>not</em> the same battery as before. Far from it. That was by this -time well on its way to the North. But by an extraordinary coincidence -another battery had suddenly and most unexpectedly arrived during the -night to the foreign General’s utter astonishment, as no intimation of -their coming had been vouchsafed him. And as he had no other place to -quarter them in but the fort, he had been obliged most reluctantly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span> -to send them there. He was desolated at the unfortunate necessity. He -offered his profoundest regrets, and trusted that his dear allies would -realise that he was helpless. So the outwitted British had again to -withdraw. As a matter of fact the battery had simply marched out of -sight in the evening and come back during the night. So with baffling -ingenuity the foreign General contrived to retain the fort for some -time longer in his hands; though he was forced to surrender it in the -end.</p> - -<p>After inspecting several of the forts, some of our party went off to -pay a visit to the town, while others walked down to the shore and -gazed out at the Japanese fleet and the long hull of H.M.S. <em>Terrible</em>, -which was lying at anchor. As we looked at the water sparkling in the -bright sunlight, it was difficult to realise that in the winter the sea -here is frozen for several miles out from the shore. From this fact one -can form some idea of the intense cold of the winter months in North -China. And yet the Indian troops, natives of a warm climate, suffered -comparatively little and the percentage of admissions into hospital -from our contingent was remarkably small, so well were they looked -after by their officers and so generous was the free issue of warm -clothing by the Indian Government.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon some of us attended a cricket match between the crew -of the <em>Terrible</em> and the British garrison. Hardly had the stumps been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span> -drawn and the players gone into the refreshment tent when some snipe -settled on the pitch. An officer quartered in a fort close to the -cricket ground sent for his gun, and secured a couple then and there.</p> - -<p>I dined that night with the Russian Railway Staff Officer in his -quarters in the station. They consisted of two or three large and -comfortable rooms. The furniture, which had been supplied to him by -his Government, was almost luxurious, in marked contrast with the -indifferent tables and the camp chairs with which Lieutenant Kell had -to provide himself. All through the combined occupation the Continental -Powers endeavoured to enable their officers to present a good -appearance among the other nationalities. The Germans were especially -generous in the pay and allowances they gave to the commissioned ranks -of their expeditionary force.</p> - -<p>The guests that evening comprised, besides Kell and myself, three -Russian officers, one of whom spoke English, one French, while the -third could converse only in his own language, so the conversation -was of a polyglot character. The dinner began by the preliminary -<em>sakouski</em>—that is the nearest approach I can make to its name—a -regular little meal in itself of <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">hors d’œuvres</span></em>. Caviare, -sturgeon’s roe, very salt ham, brawn, and a dozen other comestibles -were served. My host asked me if I had ever tasted vodki, and although -I assured him<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span> that I had, proceeded to make me try five differently -flavoured varieties of the national liquor. With the regular dinner -the nauseatingly sweet champagne, so much in favour with Continental -peoples, was served. On my declaring that champagne was a wine I -never drank, I was allowed to have a decanter of whisky and a syphon -of soda‐water and permitted to help myself. Kell adhered faithfully -to claret and soda throughout the evening; but our Russian comrades -indiscriminately mixed champagne, beer, and red or white wines, with -the result that they soon became exceedingly merry. We were served by -Chinese and a Russian soldier, whose manner of waiting at table was -perfection. The best‐trained London butler could not have moved with -more noiseless tread, or decanted the wine more carefully.</p> - -<p>As the meal wore on and the bottles were emptied, the conversation -waxed somewhat noisy. Our friends were filled with the most generous -sentiments towards England and lamented the estrangement of our -nations. They confessed that they had come to China prepared to dislike -the British officers intensely; but, in common with all their comrades -who had been brought in contact with us, their feelings had entirely -changed. They said frankly that the hostility to England was mainly -owing to the continual opposition she offers to the natural desire of -Russia to find an outlet to the sea. As they pointed out with truth, a -great and rising nation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span> like theirs will not submit to be confined for -ever to the land; that it was intolerable that their vast Empire had -not a single port free from ice all the year round or entirely at their -own disposal. For Odessa is practically an inland harbour; and the -Baltic is frozen in winter. Their ambition to reach the Mediterranean -entangled them in the campaign against Turkey; and one can understand -their indignation against England, who stepped in at the last moment -when Constantinople was almost in their grasp and despoiled them of -the fruits of victory achieved at the cost of many sacrifices and a -long and bloody war. Foiled in the attempt to reach the open sea there, -they embarked on the marvellous career of conquest which carried them -across Asia to the Pacific. And there they found their first port, -Vladivostock, useless in winter. And if other nations had had the -courage of their convictions, they would never have been suffered to -retain Port Arthur.</p> - -<p>But although the talk was largely political, there was absolutely no -bitterness on the part of our host and his comrades. The conversation -passed on to a comparison of the various systems of the armies of the -world and a frank criticism of our own as well as the other contingents -of the Allied forces. They were not very much impressed by our Indian -army. They admired the regiments they had seen, but pitied us for -the necessity we were under of having coloured troops at all. They -forgot that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span> a large portion of their own army can scarcely be called -European. Like all the Russians I have met, from a Grand Duke to a -subaltern, they exhibited a rancorous hatred to Germany. What they had -seen of her troops in this campaign had added neither to their respect -nor their love for that nation. In fact, the Germans did not succeed in -making themselves cordially liked by those with whom they were brought -in contact; just as their country may find, when her day of trouble -comes, that her friends are few. Our friends betrayed a contempt, not -altogether unmixed with fear, for the Japanese; and they marvelled at -our friendship for them. They acknowledged their bravery in the present -campaign, but doubted if they would exhibit the same courage when -pitted against white troops. Their doubts will be resolved when the -time comes.</p> - -<p>The wine passed freely between our Russian comrades; but with the -truest hospitality they forbore to press us to drink against our wish. -The dinner was extremely good, even luxurious; and Kell laughingly -lamented to me his inability to entertain his friends as well as his -Russian colleague could contrive to do. But here, again, I think he was -helped by his Government, for I fancy that he received an entertainment -allowance. As the wine circulated rapidly our companions became -boisterous and showed some signs of inebriation.</p> - -<p>Beside me sat an officer who filled the post of military director -of the railway between Shanhaikwan<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> and Newchwang. I had long been -desirous of visiting Manchuria by this route, but had always been -assured that the Russians were very unwilling to allow any foreigner, -especially a British officer, to use it; that it was hopeless to try to -obtain their permission. As my neighbour’s tongue seemed a good deal -loosened by his potations, I determined to get him off his guard and -sound him as to the possibility of my proceeding northward to Manchuria -from Shanhaikwan. I began by telling him that I hoped to sail in a few -days from Taku for Newchwang, and remarked that it was a pity that -the Russian authorities were so averse to British officers visiting -Manchuria. He waxed quite indignant at the idea, and assured me that -they were sadly misrepresented.</p> - -<p>“But,” said I, “we would not be allowed to travel from here to -Newchwang by your railway.”</p> - -<p>“Not be allowed? Absurd! Of course you would,” he replied. “I am the -director of that section of the line; it is under my charge. Surely I -know best.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, come,” I said chaffingly, “you know that if I wanted to travel by -it you would not permit me.”</p> - -<p>“Most certainly I would. I should be delighted.”</p> - -<p>I shall pin you to that, I thought. I felt very pleased at achieving a -result that everyone had told me was impossible, Kell among them; so I -glanced in triumph at him. He smiled.</p> - -<p>“Do you mean to say that I could go to Newchwang<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> whenever I liked by -your line?” I continued to my neighbour.</p> - -<p>“Certainly you could,” he replied, draining his glass, which I had -taken care had not stood idle during our conversation. Wine in, wit -out, I thought.</p> - -<p>“Well, in that case,” said I, “I will cancel my passage by steamer and -start by rail from here to‐morrow.”</p> - -<p>“Eh? Oh! You are serious? You really wish to go by train?” he -stammered, taken aback.</p> - -<p>“Yes; I shall telegraph to the Steamship Company at Tientsin in the -morning, and start by the first train I can get.”</p> - -<p>For a second my friend seemed disconcerted. The other Russians had -been following our conversation with interest. Suddenly sobered, my -neighbour spoke to them in a low tone; and a muttered colloquy took -place. Then he turned again to me and said, with a smile of innocent -regret—</p> - -<p>“I am <em>so</em> sorry. It would be impossible for you to start so soon. -The railway has been breached in several places by floods, and three -bridges have been washed away. The line is broken and all traffic -suspended. It is <em>most</em> unfortunate.”</p> - -<p>I realised that I had caught my Tartar.</p> - -<p>“How soon do you think I could travel?” I asked.</p> - -<p>“Oh, not for several days, I am afraid,” was the answer, in a tone of -deep sympathy for my disappointment.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span> “The repairs will take some time -as the damage is extensive.”</p> - -<p>I saw that I was no match for Russian wiliness, and retired from the -contest.</p> - -<p>“It is very unfortunate. But perhaps, after all, it would be best to go -by sea.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, yes,” he assented eagerly. “It would be very difficult, even -dangerous, by the railway.”</p> - -<p>Then the host interposed and changed the conversation. But at the end -of the evening, when all the Russians had imbibed freely, my neighbour -forgot his caution. When bidding me good‐night, he insisted on giving -me his address in Newchwang, where he usually resided, being then only -on a visit to Shanhaikwan. He cordially invited me to come and see him.</p> - -<p>“But I fear that I shall have come and gone before you can possibly -arrive there,” I said. “We leave Taku in three or four days; and it is -not twenty‐four hours’ sail from there to Newchwang. So I shall have -left before you can get there.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, not at all,” he said unguardedly. “I am leaving Shanhaikwan for -Newchwang to‐morrow morning by a train starting at ten o’clock. So be -sure to come and see me.”</p> - -<p>I smiled to myself as I shook his hand. No wonder Russian diplomacy -prospers.</p> - -<p>That dinner was the merriest function at which I had assisted for -a long time. Our friends were excellent boon companions, and the -conversation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span> in divers tongues never flagged. Tiny cigarettes -were handed round between each course; and the menu comprised many -delicacies that came as a pleasant surprise in the wilds of China. -When the meal was ended and cigars were lit, my host asked me whether -I would prefer coffee or <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">thé à la Russe</span></em>. As I had always understood -that this latter beverage was prepared from a special and excellent -blend of tea and flavoured with lemons, I voted for it. To my -horror, the soldier‐servant brought me a long tumbler filled with an -amber‐coloured liquid and proceeded to stir a large spoonful of <em>jam</em> -in it. The mixture was not palatable, but courtesy demanded that I -should drink it. I declared the concoction delicious, drained my glass -and set it down with relief. The attendant promptly filled it up again, -my host insisting that as I liked it so well, I must have more. It -nearly sufficed to spoil my enjoyment of the whole dinner.</p> - -<p>During the evening, whenever our companions were not observing me, I -replenished my glass with plain soda‐water, and my brother officer -had remained faithful to his weak beverage. Consequently, at the end -of dinner we were perfectly sober; while our host and his friends who -had imbibed freely were—well, the reverse. Conscious of their own -state and contrasting it with ours, they gazed at us in admiration, -and exclaimed, “These English officers have the heads of iron.” We -parted at a late hour. With many expressions of mutual friendship and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> -goodwill, the party broke up; and so ended a very interesting and -enjoyable evening. No longer a homeless outcast, I retired to rest in -the friendly shelter of Kell’s quarters.</p> - -<p>During the night I was dimly conscious of heavy rain but slept on -unregarding. When I rose in the morning I found that a change had come -over the scene. A burning sun no longer blazed overhead. The sky was -dark with leaden clouds; the rain was falling with tropical violence, -and all the landscape beyond the station was almost invisible. Already -the line was covered with water; and fears were expressed by the staff -that a freshet might occur in the hills and the railway be rendered -impassable and possibly be breached. As the day wore on, these -apprehensions became intensified. In the afternoon the train from -Tong‐ku steamed in, literally ploughing its way through the water. -The driver reported that not many miles from Shanhaikwan the floods -were out and as his engine passed through them the fires were nearly -extinguished. Another hour would render the line impassable. Pleasant -tidings these for me; for our party purposed returning to Tientsin on -the morrow, and some of us were starting for Japan the day after.</p> - -<p>My rambles that afternoon were confined to the station platform and the -house of some friends of Kell’s, who, learning of my forlorn state, had -most kindly asked him to bring me there for lunch and dinner. They were -connected with the railway;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span> and the ladies of the family had passed -through an anxious time during the troubles, but had bravely refused to -seek safety in flight.</p> - -<p>Next day the rain still continued. Reports came in that the line was -impassable. The station was completely isolated from the rest of the -world. Those of my party who were living with the Gurkhas, ignorant -of the fact that no train could start, essayed to drive down to it in -native carts. The stream over which the friendly Chinaman had carried -us was in flood; and as they endeavoured to cross it, horses, vehicles, -and passengers were nearly swept away. One smaller cart with their -luggage was carried some distance down from the ford; and kit‐bags -and portmanteaus were only rescued with the greatest difficulty. An -invaluable collection of films and negatives belonging to one of the -party, who was an expert photographer, was entirely spoilt. It was a -real loss, as they contained a complete pictorial record of North China.</p> - -<p>The low ground behind the station was flooded. I watched with amusement -the antics of a number of Cossacks, who, heedless of the rain, had got -together planks and old doors torn off ruined houses, and, using them -as rafts, had organised a miniature regatta on the pond thus formed. -Exciting races took place; and a friendly dispute over one resulted -in a naval battle full of comic incidents. Like schoolboys, they -charged each other’s rafts and if capsized continued the struggle in -the water.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> One, diving beneath the surface, would suddenly reappear -beneath an enemy’s vessel, tilt it on end, and precipitate the -occupants into the muddy flood, to be immediately grappled by them and -ducked.</p> - -<p>In the morning a letter from Captain Labertouche was brought me by a -trooper of the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry, who had been forced to swim -his horse across a swollen stream in order to reach the station. I -chatted for some time with the man—a fine, lithe specimen of the -Indian sowar. Anxious to hear every expression of the impression which -the Russian troops had made upon our native rank‐and‐file, I asked him -his opinion of them.</p> - -<p>“They are not bad, sahib,” he replied in Hindustani. Then, with an -expressive shrug, he added, “But they will never get into India.”</p> - -<p>The remark was significant, for it showed not only what our men thought -of the soldiers of the Czar, but also that the possibility of the -Russian invasion is occasionally discussed amongst them, only to be -dismissed with contempt.</p> - -<p>Our Indian contingent, one and all, have conceived a wonderful disdain -of most of the troops of the other nationalities with whom they -were brought in contact in China. They had the greatest admiration -and affection for the gallant little Japanese, but considered their -training obsolete. The Russians they regarded with little respect and -no dread, and looked upon them as scarcely civilised. The Infanterie -Coloniale, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> whom they saw a good deal, filled them with the greatest -contempt, undeserved though it was, for the whole French army. And I -wish that the armchair critics, who condemn our forces and hold up the -Germans as models to be slavishly followed in every respect, could have -heard the opinion formed of them by these shrewd fighting men, Sikh, -Gurkha, and Punjaubi, whose lives have been passed in war.</p> - -<p>An instance of the friendship existing between our sepoys and the -Japanese came under my notice that day. On the railway platform some -Gurkhas and a few of the 4th Punjaub Infantry were loitering or sitting -about watching the heavy rain. Three or four Japanese soldiers came -into the station and promptly sat down beside the Gurkhas, greeting -them with effusive smiles. I was struck by the similarity in feature -between the two races. Dressed in the same uniform, it would be -difficult to distinguish between them. They are about the same height -and build, and very much alike in face; though the Japanese is lighter -coloured. Before long the mixed party were exchanging cigarettes and -chatting away volubly; though the few words of English each knew, eked -out by signs, could have been the only medium of intercourse.</p> - -<p>A Pathan sepoy was sitting alone on a bench. To him came up another -little white‐clad soldier of Dai Nippon. He proffered a cigarette and -gesticulated wildly. Before I realised his meaning,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span> he had removed -the Pathan’s <em>pugri</em> from his head, replaced it with his own cap, and -donned the borrowed headgear himself. Then he strutted up and down the -platform amid the laughing applause of his comrades and the Gurkhas. -The Pathan, highly amused, joined in the merriment. I had noticed a -Dogra sepoy standing by himself with eyes fixed on the ground, lost -in deep thought. Suddenly a cheery little Japanese soldier, motioning -to the audience on the benches not to betray him, stole up quietly -behind the Dogra, seized him round the waist, and lifted the astonished -six‐foot sepoy into the air. Then with a grin he replaced him on his -feet, and with mutual smiles they shook hands.</p> - -<p>When the day comes for our Indian army to fight shoulder to shoulder -with its comrades of Japan, a bond stronger than a paper alliance will -hold them; and their only rivalry will be as to which shall outstrip -the other in their rush on the foe.</p> - -<p>All that day reports of houses used as barracks half collapsing under -the heavy rain reached the station. My friends who were living with the -Gurkha officers were nearly washed out.</p> - -<p>Once during the occupation of Shanhaikwan, when a similar deluge -rendered the Chinese huts occupied by some foreign troops there -untenable, their commander sought the aid of the colonel of the Gurkha -Regiment, who offered to share the village in which his men were -quartered with the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> others. The offer was gratefully accepted. The -Gurkhas made their guests welcome; but the latter soon began to jeer -at and insult them, and call them coolies—the usual term of reproach -which the Continental troops hurled at our sepoys. Now, the Gurkhas -are not naturally either pacific or humble; and it was only with the -greatest difficulty that the fiery little soldiers were restrained -from drawing their deadly <em>kukris</em> and introducing the guests to that -national and favourite weapon. On the conduct of his men being reported -to the foreign commander, he sent a written, but not very full, apology -to the Gurkha colonel.</p> - -<p>Towards evening the rain ceased, and the floods subsided as rapidly -as they had arisen. So the following day saw us on our way back to -Tientsin. At one of the stations an old friend of mine entered our -carriage. He was an officer of the 4th Punjaub Infantry, Captain Gray, -the son of a well‐known and very popular Don of Trinity College, -Dublin. He had just received a report from the native officer -commanding a detachment in a village near the canal which runs beside -the railway. This jemadar had been sitting in front of his quarters -watching the boats pass, when something about one of them aroused his -suspicion and caused him to order the boat to stop and come into the -bank. Three Chinamen in it sprang out and rushed away into the high -crops. The boat was laden with cases, which, on search, proved to -contain eighty new<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> barrels of Mauser and Mannlicher magazine rifles. -Besides these there were five boxes of cartridges and several casks of -powder. This is but a small instance of the enormous extent to which -the smuggling of arms goes on. The brigands were provided with weapons -of the latest pattern and excellent make. The Germans are the chief -offenders here as in Africa and elsewhere.</p> - -<p>Another officer of the 4th Punjaub joined our train later on. He was -Lieutenant Stirling, who worthily gained the <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span> for his -brave exploit when Major Browning, of his regiment, fell in an attack -with eighty men on walled villages held by thousands of brigands. -Stirling refused to abandon the body, and carried it back, retiring -slowly over seven miles of open country, attacked by swarms of mounted -robbers, who feared to charge home upon the steady ranks of the gallant -Punjaubis. He was wounded himself in the fight.</p> - -<p>In the evening we arrived at Tientsin.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_VIII"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER VIII</span><br /> - -OUR STRONGHOLD IN THE FAR EAST<br /> - -<span class="smaller">HONG KONG AND THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND</span></h2></div> - -<h3><span class="smaller">HONG KONG</span></h3> - -<p class="drop-cap2">GEOGRAPHICALLY, of course, Hong Kong is very far from North China. But -it was the base of our expeditionary force in the recent campaign. From -it went the first troops that helped to save Tientsin; and one brigade -of Indian regiments was diverted from General Gaselee’s command to -strengthen its garrison. For in the event of disturbances in Canton, or -a successful rebellion in the southern provinces, it would have been in -great danger. As our base for all future operations in the Far East, -it is of vast military as well as naval and commercial importance and -well merits description. In complications or wars with other Powers, -Hong Kong would be the first point in the East threatened or assailed. -Lying as it does on what would be our trans‐Pacific route to India, -it is almost of as much importance to our Empire as Capetown or the -Suez Canal. Its magnificent dockyards, which are capable of taking our -largest battleships on the China station, are the only ones<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> we possess -east of Bombay; and so it is of equal value to our fleet, besides being -the naval base for coal, ammunition, and supplies, without which the -finest ship that floats would be helpless.</p> - -<p>Looked at from other than a military point of view, Hong Kong is an -object‐lesson of our Empire that should fill the hearts of Imperialists -with pardonable pride. A little more than half a century ago it was -but a bleak and barren island, tenanted only by a few fisherfolk. It -produced nothing, and animal life could scarce be supported on it. But -now, touched by the magic wand of British trade, how wonderful is the -transformation! A magnificent city, with stately buildings climbing in -tier after tier from the sea. The most European town between Calcutta -and San Francisco. The third, some say the second, largest shipping -port in the world. The harbour to which turn the countless prows of -British, American, German, French, Austrian, and Japanese vessels; -where the vast current of the trade of the world with the Far East -flows in, to issue forth again in an infinitude of smaller streams to -every part of China and the Philippines.</p> - -<p>Yet, though the barren hillsides are covered with houses, though a -large population of white men and yellow inhabit it, and its harbour is -crowded with shipping, the island itself is still as unproductive as -ever. Not merely is mineral wealth unknown and manufactures practically -<em>nil</em>, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span> Hong Kong cannot provide enough of foodstuffs to support -its inhabitants for half a day. From Canton, almost a hundred miles -away up the Pearl River, comes everything required to feed both -Europeans and Chinese. Each morning the large, flat‐bottomed steamers -that ply between the two cities carry down meat or cattle, fish, rice, -vegetables of all kinds, fruit, even flowers; and were communications -interrupted by storm or war for a few days, Hong Kong would starve. For -neither the island nor the couple of hundred square miles of adjacent -mainland, the Kowloon Hinterland, which we took over in 1898, could -produce enough to feed one regiment; and although two months’ supply of -provisions for the whole population, white and yellow, is supposed to -be stored, it is never done. Therein lies Hong Kong’s great danger. Let -Canton refuse or be prevented from feeding her, and she must starve.</p> - -<p>The secret of her rapid rise and present greatness lies in the fact -that she is the great mart, the distributing centre, whence European or -American goods, arriving in large bottoms, are sent out again in small -coasting steamers or junks to reach the smallest markets for Western -commerce. And her prosperity will continue and be vastly increased -if the long‐projected railway to Canton, to meet another tapping the -great inland resources of China, is ever built; although the Americans -fondly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span> hope that Manilla under their energetic rule will one day rival -and even excel her.</p> - -<p>Hong Kong is an island of irregular shape, about nine miles in length -and six miles broad in its widest portion, and consists of one long -chain of hills, that rise almost perpendicularly from the sea. Scarcely -the smallest spot of naturally level ground is to be found. Around are -countless other islands, large and small, all equally mountainous. It -lies close to the Chinese mainland, the Kau‐lung, or Kowloon Peninsula; -and the portion of sea enclosed between them forms the harbour. At one -extremity of the island this is a mile across; and at the other it -narrows down to a strait known as the Lyeemoon Pass, only a quarter -of a mile broad. In the centre the harbour is about two miles in -width. The high hills of island and mainland—for the latter is but -a series of broken, mountainous masses rising two or three thousand -feet—shelter it from the awful typhoons that ravage the coast.</p> - -<p>Approaching Hong Kong by steamer there lies before us a confused jumble -of hills, which gradually resolve themselves into islands fronting -the mountainous background of the mainland. All, without exception, -spring up from the water’s edge in steep slopes, with never a yard of -level ground save where an occasional tiny bay shows a small stretch -of sparkling sandy beach. Granite cliffs carved into a thousand quaint -designs, or honeycombed with caverns by the white‐fringed waves; -steep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span> grassy slopes, with scarcely a bush upon them, rising up to a -conical peak; here and there a fisher’s hut, the only sign of human -habitation—such are they almost all. At last one larger than the -others. On the long ridge of the lofty summits of its hills the slated -roofs and high walls of European buildings outlined against the sky, -and we know that we are nearing Hong Kong. Swinging round a bluff -shoulder of this island, we enter the land‐locked harbour. On the -right the myriad houses climbing in terraces above each other from the -water’s edge, long lines of stately buildings, the spires of churches -come into view. It is the city of Victoria, or Hong Kong. The harbour, -sheltered by the lofty hills of island and mainland, is crowded with -shipping. The giant bulks of battleships and cruisers, the tall masts -of sailing vessels, the gaily painted funnels of passenger and merchant -steamers, the quaint sails and weird shapes of junks, the countless -little <em>sampans</em> or native boats, a numerous flotilla of steam -launches, rushing hither and thither. Ahead of us the hills of island -and mainland approach each other until they almost touch, and tower up -on either hand above the narrow channel of the Lyeemoon Pass. On the -left a small, bush‐clad, conical isle, with a lighthouse—Green Island; -another, long and straggling—Stonecutters’ Island, with the sharp -outlines of forts and barracks and the ruins of an old convict prison.</p> - -<p>Behind them the mainland. A small extent of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span> comparatively level land -covered with houses, the curving line of a pretty bay, low, pine‐clad -hills. This is the very modern suburb of Kowloon, which has been -created to take the overflow of European and Chinese population from -Hong Kong. Here will be the terminus of the railway to Canton—when it -is built. And behind, towering grim and dark to the sky, stands a long -chain of barren mountains that guard the approach from the landward -side. Behind them range upon range of other hills. Such is the Kowloon -Peninsula.</p> - -<p>Hong Kong, with the blue water of its harbour, the dark hills towering -precipitously above the town, the walls of whose houses are gaily -painted in bright colours, is one of the loveliest places on earth. -After long days on board ship, where the eye tires of the interminable -monotony of sea and sky, it seems doubly beautiful. And one marvels -to find this English lodgment on the coast of China a city of stately -buildings, of lofty clubs and many‐storied hotels, of magnificent -offices and splendid shops, of well‐built barracks and princely villas.</p> - -<p>The town of Victoria—for Hong Kong, though used for it, is really -the name of the island—stretches for miles along the water’s edge, -being for the most part built on reclaimed ground; for the hills -thrust themselves forward to the sea. Up their steep sides the houses -clamber in tier upon tier until they end under the frowning face of a -rocky precipice that reaches up to the summit. And there along its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span> -ridge, which is called the Peak, 1,800 feet above the sea, are more -houses. Large hotels, villas, and barracks—for it is fast becoming -the residential quarter for Europeans—are perched upon its narrow -breadth, seemingly absolutely inaccessible from below. But a thin, -almost perpendicular, line against the face of the hill shows how they -are reached by a cable tramway, which, in ten minutes, brings its -passengers from the steamy atmosphere of Victoria to the cool breezes -of the Peak—another climate altogether.</p> - -<p>The city practically consists of one long street, which runs from end -to end of the island and is several miles in length. On the steep -landward side smaller streets run off at right angles and climb the -hills, many of them in flights of steps. On the slopes above the town -are one or two long roads parallel to the main street and consisting -altogether of residential buildings, churches, convents, and schools.</p> - -<p>But this main street—Queen’s Road as it is named—is wonderful. At -the western extremity near Belcher’s Fort, the end of the island round -which our steamer passed, it begins in two or three‐storied Chinese -houses, the shops on the ground floor being under colonnades. Then come -store and warehouses, offices, and small Chinese shops where gaudy -garments and quaint forms of food are sold, interspersed with saloons, -bars, and drinking‐shops of all kinds, which cater for merchant -sailors,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span> soldiers, and bluejackets of every nationality, the well‐paid -American tars being most in evidence among their customers. Beyond this -the Queen’s Road is lined with splendid European‐looking shops with -extensive premises and large plate‐glass fronts, finer than many in -Bond Street or Regent Street, though not as expensive. Some of them, -mostly kept by Chinamen, sell Chinese or Japanese curios, silver‐work -or embroideries, pottery or blackwood furniture. Others, generally, -though not always, run by Europeans, are tailoring and millinery -establishments, chemists, book or print shops. The side‐walks run under -colonnades which afford a grateful shade. Here are found a few of the -smaller hotels; and the magnificent caravanserai of the high Hong Kong -hotel stretches from the harbour to the street. Then come some fine -banks, the building of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation -being a splendid piece of architecture. Opposite it a sloping road, -with lovely fern‐clad banks and trees, leads upward to the cathedral -and to Government House. Past the banks, a little back from the -thoroughfare, is the fine City Hall, which contains a museum and a -theatre, as well as large ball and concert rooms, in which most of the -social gaieties of Hong Kong take place.</p> - -<p>Here occurs the one break in the long line of the Queen’s Road. On -the seaward side, fenced in by railings, lies the cricket‐ground with -its pretty pavilion. Between it and the harbour stands the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span> splendid -structure of the Hong Kong Club, a magnificent four‐storied building. -Few clubs east of Pall Mall can rival its palatial accommodation. -From the ground‐floor, where billiard‐rooms and a large bowling -alley are found, a splendid staircase, dividing into two wings, -leads to a magnificent central hall on the first floor. Off this is -a large reading‐room, where a great number of British, American, and -Continental journals are kept. Electric fans, revolving from the -ceiling, cool the room in the damp, hot days of the long and unpleasant -summer. On the same floor are the secretary’s offices, a luxurious -public dressing‐room, and a large bar, which opens on to a wide -verandah overlooking the harbour. From it one can gaze over the water, -crowded with shipping, to the rugged hills of the mainland. In front -lie the warships of many nations. Close inshore is a small fleet of -<em>sampans</em> crowded together, their crews, male and female, chattering -volubly or screaming recriminations from boat to boat. From a tiny -pier near the Club the steam pinnace of an American man‐o’‐war shoots -out into the stream, passing a couple of gigs from British warships -conveying officers in mufti ashore.</p> - -<p>On the next floor are the dining‐rooms and a splendid library. Above -these again are the members’ bedrooms, bath and dressing rooms. -Altogether, internally and externally, the Club is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span> worthy to rank with -almost any similar institution in the Empire.</p> - -<p>On Queen’s Road, facing the cricket‐ground, is a small, square open -space below the cathedral, raised above the level of the street, as -the ground slopes upward. It is known as the Garrison Brigade Parade -Ground. During the recent campaign it was used as the store‐ground -of the Indian Commissariat, where huge mat‐sheds covered enormous -piles of supplies for the troops in China. Here the hard‐worked base -commissariat officer, Major Williams, watched the vast stores arriving -daily from India, and despatched the supplies for the army in the North -and the Indian brigades at Shanghai and Kowloon. Beside the parade -ground a road climbs the hill and passes the station for the cable -tramway, which is but a short distance up.</p> - -<p>Beyond this one gap in its continuous fencing of houses the Queen’s -Road runs on past the Naval Dockyard—where Commodore Sir Francis -Powell, <span class="smcap">K.C.M.G.</span>, had such heavy labour all through the -troublous time in China—and the Provost Prison on the seaward side, -and the barracks of the British troops and the arsenal on the other. -Then the military hospital and the ordnance yards, crowded with guns, -from the twelve‐inch naval monsters to the stubby howitzers or long -six‐inch on field‐carriages. Then more barracks. Then it runs on -again into Chinese shops, their upper stories used as boarding‐houses -for Celestials; and, turning down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> to the harbour and following the -shore line, it is bordered with coal‐yards, godowns, and warehouses. -Near this end are the two open spaces of the island, where the hills, -retreating from the sea, have left valleys which the sport‐loving -Britisher has seized upon for recreation grounds. The first and larger -one, known as the Happy Valley, is a lovely spot. All around the -tree‐clad hills ring it in, rising precipitously from its level stretch -on which is a racecourse, its centre portion being devoted to other -games. A fine grand stand is flanked by a block of red‐brick buildings, -the lower stories of which are used during race meetings as stables for -the horses and ponies running. The upper, with open fronts looking out -on the course, are used as luncheon rooms, where the regimental messes, -the members of the clubs, and large <em>hongs</em> (or merchant firms) and -private residents entertain their friends during the meetings. Surely -no other racecourse in the world is set in such lovely scenery as -this in its arena, surrounded by the mountains that tower above it on -every side. And that a <em>memento mori</em> may not be wanting in the midst -of gaiety, just behind the grand stand lie the cemeteries—Christian, -Mussulman, Hindu, and Parsee. Up the sides of the steep hills the white -crosses and tombstones gleam amongst the dark foliage of the trees; and -the spirits of the dead can look down from their graves upon the scene -of former pleasures.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span></p> - -<p>A little farther on is another and smaller valley used as a polo -ground. Previous to the advent of the Indian troops in 1900 the game -was played here almost exclusively on Chinese ponies. But the Arabs -used by the officers of the 22nd Bombay Infantry, by that excellent -sportsman, H. H. Major, the Maharajah of Bikanir, and other members of -the China expeditionary force, so completely outclassed the diminutive -Chinese ponies that a revolution was caused in the class of animals -required for the game. Small Walers from Australia and Arabs from India -have been freely introduced, much to the benefit of polo in Hong Kong.</p> - -<p>At the polo ground the city ends at present; though every day its -limits are extending. From here the road runs along close to the sea, -protected from the waves by a wall, and clinging to the flanks of -the hills. It passes an occasional row of Chinese‐occupied houses, -a lone hotel or two, the site of the immense new docks in process -of construction, large sugar works, with a colony of houses for its -employees, and an overhead wire tramway leading to their sanatorium -on the high peak above, until it reaches the Lyeemoon Pass. Here the -hills narrow in and press down to the sea, thrusting themselves forward -to meet the hills of the mainland on the other side. A strait, only -a quarter of a mile broad, separates them; and here on either hand, -high above the water, stand modern and well‐armed forts, which, with a -Brennan torpedo,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span> effectually close the narrow entrance of the harbour -to any hostile ships that venture to force a passage.</p> - -<p>Thus ends the northern and more important side of the island. On -the southern and ocean‐ward shore lie the ill‐fated and practically -deserted towns of Stanley and Aberdeen, where many years ago the -British troops garrisoning them were so decimated by fever and disease -that this side of the island was abandoned, and Victoria has become -practically Hong Kong.</p> - -<p>The Peak is altogether another world from the city that lies in the -steamy atmosphere below. Let us ascend in one of the trams that are -dragged up to the summit by the wire cables. Seated in the car, we are -drawn up rapidly at a weird and uncomfortable angle; for the slope of -the line is, in places, 1 in 2. Up the steep sides of the hill we go, -feeling a curious sensation as we are tilted back on the benches and -see the trees and houses on each side all leaning over at an absurd -angle. Even such a respectable structure as a church seems to be lying -back towards the hillside in a tipsy and undignified manner. This -curious optical effect is caused by the inclined position of the roof -and floor, as well as of the passengers, with the horizontal. We pass -over a bridge across a pretty road lined with stone villas, by large -and well‐built houses that grow fewer and fewer as we mount upward. -Here and there we stop at a small platform representing a station, -where passengers come<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span> on or leave the tram. The down car passes us -with a rush. The long ridge of the Peak, crowned with houses, comes -into view. Turning round in our slanting seats we look down on the -rapidly diminishing city and the harbour, now a thousand feet below -us. At last we reach the summit and step out on a platform with -waiting‐rooms, the terminus of the line. Now we see how the wire cable -runs on over pulleys into the engine‐house and is wound round the huge -iron drums.</p> - -<p>As we stand on the platform there towers above us, on the left, a large -and many‐windowed hotel, the Mount Austin. Along the fronts of its -three stories run verandahs with arched colonnades. This is a favourite -place of resort for visitors; and many residents, unwilling to face the -troubles of house‐keeping, take up their permanent abode here.</p> - -<p>Outside the station is a line of waiting coolies, ready to convey -passengers in their open cane sedan chairs with removable hoods. A -Sikh policeman standing close by keeps them in order and cuts short -their frequent squabbles. The road and paths, which are cemented and -provided with well‐made drains running alongside to carry off the -torrential rains of the summer and thus prevent the roadway from being -washed away, are too steep in their ascents and descents to make the -ricksha—Hong Kong’s favourite vehicle—useful up here.</p> - -<p>Standing on the narrow ridge of the Peak, we can look down upon the -sea on either hand. A wonderful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span> view unfolds itself to our gaze. On -the northern side the city of Victoria lies almost straight below us, -its streets and roofs forming a chessboard‐pattern. We can easily -trace the long, sinuous line of the Queen’s Road. From this height -the largest battleships and mail steamers in the harbour look no -bigger than walnuts. Beyond, the suburb of Kowloon lies in sharp lines -and tiny squares; and behind it rise up the hills of the mainland, -dwarfed in size. Now we can see plainly the interminable ranges of -mountains—chain after chain—of the Kowloon Peninsula, with the lofty -peaks of Tai‐mo‐shan and Tai‐u‐shan over 3,000 feet high. The coastline -is straggling and indented with numerous bays, the shores rising up in -steep, grassy slopes to the hills or presenting a line of rocky cliffs -to the waves. Here and there pretty cultivated valleys run back from -the sea to the never‐far‐distant mountains.</p> - -<p>Turning round, we look down the grass‐clad slopes of the south side -of the island to tiny, sandy bays and out over the broad expanse of -the sea, in which lie many large and small islands. Over a hundred -can be counted from the elevation of the Peak. Close by, to the west, -is the largest of them all—the barren and treeless Lantau, which was -once nearly chosen instead of Hong Kong as the site of the British -settlement. Below us, on the southern shore of our island, lie the -practically abandoned towns of Stanley and Aberdeen.</p> - -<p>Along the ridge the road passes by large and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> well‐built villas, -barracks, the Peak Club, a church, and many boarding‐houses. The -European inhabitants of Hong Kong are rapidly abandoning the lower -levels and taking up their residence here, where the climate, with its -cool and refreshing breezes, is delightful in the long summer when -Victoria swelters in tropical heat. During the rainy season, however, -the Peak is continually shrouded in damp mists; and fires are required -to keep rooms and spare garments dry. The saying in Hong Kong is: “If -you live on the Peak your clothes rot; if in Victoria <em>you</em> do. Choose -which you value more and take up your habitation accordingly.”</p> - -<p>The cable tramway is a comparatively recent institution; so that when -the houses on the summit were being built all the materials had to be -carried by coolies up a steep, zigzagging road from below. Even now -most of the supplies for the dwellers on the heights are brought up -in the same primitive and laborious fashion. In the morning the trams -are crowded with European merchants, bankers, solicitors and their -clerks, descending to their offices in the city. In the afternoon they -are filled with the gay butterflies of society going up or down to -pay calls, shop, or play tennis and croquet at the Ladies’ Recreation -Ground, half‐way between the Peak and Victoria. The red coats of -British soldiers are seen in the cars after parade hours or at night, -when they are hurrying back to barracks before tattoo.</p> - -<p>The harbour of Hong Kong is remarkable for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> the large “floating -population” of Chinese, who live in sampans and seldom go ashore -except to purchase provisions. Their boats are small, generally not -twenty feet in length, with a single mast, decked, and provided with -a small well, covered with a hood, where passengers sit. Under the -planking of the deck, in a tiny space without ventilation, with only -room to lie prone, the crew—consisting, perhaps, of a dozen men, -women, and children—sleep. Their cooking is done with a brazier or -wood fire placed on a flat stone in the bows. The children tumble about -the deck unconcernedly in the roughest weather. The smaller ones are -occasionally tied to the mast to prevent them from falling overboard. -The babies are bound in a bundle behind the shoulders of the mothers, -who pull their oars or hoist and lower the sail with their burdens -fastened on to them. Thus they live, thus they die; never sleeping on -land until their corpses are brought ashore to be buried amid much -exploding of crackers and burning of joss‐sticks.</p> - -<p>These sampans are freely used to convey passengers to and from ships or -across the harbour. Formerly cases of robbery and murder were frequent -on board them; and even now drunken sailors occasionally disappear -in mysterious fashion. The hood over the passengers’ seats could be -suddenly lowered on the occupants of the well; a few blows of a hatchet -sufficed to end their efforts to free themselves; the bodies were then -robbed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> and flung overboard, and their fate remained a secret to all -but the murderers. But stringent police regulations now render these -crimes almost impossible. At night all sampans must anchor at least -thirty yards from the shore. If hailed by intending passengers they are -allowed to come only to certain piers where European or Indian police -officers take their numbers as well as the names and destinations of -those about to embark on them. So that the Hong Kong sampan is now -nearly as safe a conveyance as the London hansom.</p> - -<p>Communication between Victoria and Kowloon is maintained by a line of -large, two‐decked, double‐ended steam ferries, that cross the mile of -water between them in ten minutes. The suburb on the mainland is of -very recent growth. Ten years ago the Observatory, a signal station, -and a few villas were almost the only buildings; and the pinewoods -ran uninterruptedly down to the sea. Now Kowloon possesses large -warehouses, two hotels, two fine barracks, long streets lined with -shops chiefly for Chinese customers, and terraces of houses occupied by -Europeans. These are generally employees in the dockyards or clerks, -or the families of engineers and mates of the small steamers that have -their headquarters in Hong Kong. New streets are continually springing -up, connecting it with Yaumati, a large Chinese suburb, or spreading -down towards Old Kowloon City, three miles off. Near the ferry pier -long wharves run out into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> harbour, alongside which the largest -vessels of the P. and O. or Norddeutscher‐Lloyd can berth and discharge -their cargo. Close by is a naval yard, with a small space of water -enclosed by stone piers for torpedo craft. Beside it are huge stacks -of coal for our warships. Just above rise the grass‐covered ramparts -of a fort. Near this are the fine stone and brick barracks built for -the Hong Kong Regiment—a corps raised and recruited in Northern -India about ten years ago for permanent service in this Colony. It -was recently disbanded when Hong Kong was added to the list of places -over‐seas to be garrisoned by the Indian army. Its material was -excellent; for the high rate of pay—eighteen rupees a month with free -rations as compared with the nine rupees and no rations offered to the -sepoy in India—gave its recruiting officers the pick of Mussulman -Punjaub, for it was a completely Mohammedan regiment. But it suffered -from the disadvantage of being permanently stationed in one cramped‐up -garrison with much guard duty, and of being officered by men coming at -random from various Indian regiments rarely of the Punjaub, or, worse -still, by others from British regiments, who knew absolutely nothing of -the sepoy and were attracted chiefly by the higher pay.</p> - -<p>On the Kowloon side two companies have built large and ample docks, -which can take the finest battleships we have in the China seas. -H.M.S. <em>Goliath</em>, <em>Ocean</em>, <em>Albion</em>, <em>Glory</em>; U.S.S. <em>Brooklyn</em><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span> and -<em>Kentucky</em> have all been accommodated there. As they are the only docks -in the Far East, with the exception of those at Nagasaki in Japan, they -are used by all foreign as well as British warships and merchantmen; -and the dividends they pay are very large. Small steamers and a yacht -for the King of Siam have been constructed in them. In Yaumati and -Kowloon many Chinese boat‐building yards have sprung up, where numbers -of large junks and sampans are turned out every year.</p> - -<p>Past the Kowloon Docks, above which tower a couple of forts, the -open country is reached. The road runs down through patches of -market‐gardens to Old Kowloon City, a quaint walled Chinese town, with -antique iron guns rusting on its bastions. This was the last spot of -territory in the peninsula handed over to the British by the Chinese. -“Handed over” is, perhaps, hardly an accurate description. Although -ordered by their Government to surrender it, the officials refused to -do so. A show of force was necessary; and a body of regular troops, -accompanied by the Hong Kong Volunteers, marched upon the place. The -Chinese, locking the gates and throwing away the keys, disappeared over -the walls and bolted into the country. It was necessary to effect an -entry by burglary. High hills tower above the city; and just beyond it -they close in to the Lyeemoon Pass.</p> - -<p>To one unused to the East, Hong Kong is intensely interesting. The -streets, lined with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span> European‐looking shops, are crowded with a strange -medley of races—white, black, or yellow. Daintily garbed English -ladies step from their rickshas and enter millinery establishments, -the windows of which display the latest fashions of Paris and London. -Straight‐limbed British soldiers, clad in the familiar scarlet of the -Line and blue of the Royal Artillery or in the now as well‐known khaki, -stroll along the pavement, bringing their hands to their helmets in a -smart salute to a passing officer. Sturdy bluejackets of our Royal Navy -walk arm‐in‐arm with sailors from the numerous American warships in the -harbour. A group of spectacled Chinese students move by, chattering -volubly. Long, lithe Bengal Lancers, in khaki blouses reaching to -the knee, blue putties, and spurred ankle‐boots, gaudy pugris and -bright shoulder‐chains, stop to chat with sepoys of a Bombay infantry -regiment or tall Sikhs of the Asiatic Artillery. Neat, glazed‐hatted -Parsis, long‐haired Coreans, trousered Chinese women, and wild, unkempt -Punjaubi mule‐drivers go by. German man‐o’‐war’s men, with flat caps -and short jackets covered with gilt or silver buttons, turn to look -back at a couple of small but sturdy Japanese bluejackets. Pig‐tailed -Chinese coolies push their way roughly along the side‐walk, earning -a well‐deserved cut from the swagger‐cane of a soldier against whose -red coat they have rubbed their loads. Even the weird figure of a -half‐naked Hindu fakir, his emaciated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span> body coated with white ashes, -the trident of Vishnu marked in scarlet on his ghastly forehead, -carrying his begging‐bowl and long‐handled tongs, is seen. Europeans, -in white linen coats and trousers or smartly‐cut flannel suits, rush -across the road and plunge hurriedly into offices. These are probably -brokers, busily engaged in floating some of the numerous companies -that spring up daily in Hong Kong like mushrooms. Globe‐trotters, in -weird pith hats, pause before the windows of curio‐shops which display -the artistic efforts of Japan or Canton. The street is crowded with -rickshas bearing ladies, soldiers, civilians, or fat Chinamen in bowler -hats and long, blue silk coats. Carriages are seldom seen, for horses -are of little use in the colony, owing to its hilly character. Queen’s -Road is almost the only thoroughfare where they could be employed. Tall -Sikh and Mussulman policemen in blue or red pugris direct the traffic -or salute a white‐helmeted European inspector as he passes.</p> - -<p>Society in Hong Kong is less official than in India, where almost every -male is to be found in either the Army or the Civil Service List. The -Governor and the General are, of course, the leaders, and in a small -way represent Royalty in the colony. The merchant class is supreme, -and their wives rule society; naval and military people being regarded -as mere birds of passage in a city where Europeans practically settle -for life and England seems a very far‐off country indeed. Altogether<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span> -life in Hong Kong is of a more provincially English character than -it is in India. The warm‐hearted hospitality of the Anglo‐Indian has -but a faint echo in this very British colony. One is not brought into -such daily contact with friends and acquaintances. In every station, -large and small, throughout the length and breadth of Hindustan there -is always a club which acts as the rallying‐place of European society. -Ladies as well as men assemble there in the afternoons when the sun -is setting, and polo, tennis, and cricket are over for the day. The -fair inhabitants of the station sit on the lawn, dispense tea to their -friends, talk scandal or flirt; while their husbands play whist, -bridge, and billiards, or gather in jovial groups round the bar and -discuss the events of the day.</p> - -<p>But in Hong Kong, despite the large European population, there is no -similar institution or gathering‐place. The clubs are sternly reserved -for men. Save at an occasional race meeting or gymkhana, one never -sees all the white inhabitants assembled together. In the summer the -climate is far too hot for indoor social functions. Even tennis parties -are too exhausting. So hospitable hostesses substitute for their “At -Homes” weekly mixed bathing parties; and in the comparative cool of the -afternoons gay groups gather on the piers near the club and embark on -the trim steam launches that lie in shoals alongside. Then out they go -to some sandy bay along the coast, where mat‐sheds have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span> been erected -to serve as bathing‐boxes for the ladies, who go ashore and attire -themselves for the water. The gentlemen of the party don their swimming -costume in the cabin of the launch, and, plunging overboard, make their -way to the beach to join their fair companions. When tired of bathing, -the ladies retire to the mat‐sheds, the men to the launch. Then, -dressed again and reunited, all steam back to Hong Kong, refreshing -themselves with tea and drinks on the way. This is the favourite form -of amusement in Hong Kong society during the summer.</p> - -<p>In the cold weather dances at Government House, Headquarter House (the -General’s residence), and in the City Hall are frequent; and theatrical -companies from England and Australia occupy the theatre. Picnics, -walking or by launch, to the many charming spots to be found on the -island or the mainland are given. Polo, racing, cricket, tennis, and -golf are in full swing; and, as the climate during winter is cold and -bracing, life is very pleasant in the colony then.</p> - -<p>To the newly arrived naval or military officer society in Hong Kong is -full of pitfalls and surprises. The English merchant or lawyer over -seas is usually a very good fellow, though occasionally puffed up by -the thought of his bloated money‐bags; but his wife is often a sad -example of British snobbery, the spirit of which has entered into her -soul in the small country town or London suburb<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span> from which she came. -Society in the boarding‐houses of West Kensington is a bad preparation -for the rôle of <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">grande dame</span></em> in the hospitable East. And so the naval -or military officer, accustomed to broader lines of social demarcation -in England, is puzzled and amused at the minute shades of difference in -Hong Kong society. He fails to see why Mrs. A., whose spouse exports -tea, is to be considered quite of the <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">haut ton</span></em> of the colony; while -Mrs. B., whose husband imports cigars, and who is by birth and breeding -a better man than A., is not to be called on.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="line">“Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite ’em,</div> -<div class="line"> And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so, <em>ad infinitum</em>.”</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p class="noindent">And Hong Kong looks down on Kowloon with all the well‐bred contempt of -Belgravia for Brixton. And even in the despised suburb on the mainland -these social differences are not wanting. The wives of the superior -dock employees are the leaders of Kowloon society; and the better half -of a ship captain or marine engineer is only admitted on sufferance -to their exclusive circle. When the first Indian troops to strengthen -the garrison of Hong Kong in 1900 arrived, they were quartered in -Kowloon; where the presence of a number of strange young officers, who -dashed about their quiet suburb on fiery Arabs and completely eclipsed -the local dandies, caused a flutter in the hearts of anxious mothers -and indignant husbands. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span> fires of civilian prejudice against -the military burned fiercely; and I verily believe that many of the -inhabitants of Kowloon would have preferred an invasion of ferocious -Chinese.</p> - -<h3><span class="smaller">THE KOWLOON HINTERLAND.</span></h3> - -<p>The island of Hong Kong was ceded to England in 1841. Later on a strip -of the adjacent mainland, from two to three miles deep, running back to -a line of steep hills from 1,300 to 2,000 feet high, was added. Then -for many years the colony rested content under the frowning shadow of -these dangerous neighbours; until it dawned at last upon our statesmen -that the Power who possessed this range of hills had Hong Kong at its -mercy. For heavy guns planted on their summits could lay the city of -Victoria in ruins at the easy range of two or three miles; and no -answering fire from the island forts so far below them could save it. -So in 1898, by a master‐stroke of diplomacy, China was induced to lease -to England the Kowloon Peninsula, about 200 miles square; and our -frontier was removed farther back to the safer distance of about twenty -miles from Hong Kong.</p> - -<p>The peninsula is an irregularly shaped tongue of land with rugged and -indented coast‐line jutting out from the province of Kwang‐tung. It is -of little value except to safeguard the possession of Hong Kong. It -consists of range after range<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span> of rugged, barren hills, grass‐clad, -with here and there tangled vegetation but with scarcely a tree upon -them, separated by narrow valleys thinly occupied by Chinese. It could -only support a small population; for arable land is scarce, and the -few inhabitants are forced to add to their scanty crops by terracing -small fields on the steep sides of the hills. Villages are few and -far between. Those that exist are well and substantially built; for, -as in Hong Kong, granite is everywhere present on the mainland, the -soil being composed of disintegrated granite. Cattle‐breeding and even -sheep‐raising seem difficult; for the rank grass of the hills will -scarcely support animal life. Experiments made on the islands near Hong -Kong, which are of similar nature to the mainland, seem to bear this -out.</p> - -<p>Winding inlets and long, narrow bays run far into the land on both -sides and considerably diminish the space at the disposal of the -cultivator. Occasionally narrow creeks are dammed by the villagers, and -the ground is roughly reclaimed. The supply of fresh water is limited -to the rainfall and the small streams that run down the hillsides. The -presence of mineral wealth is unsuspected and unlikely. Altogether the -Hinterland is poor and unproductive. Efforts are being made to develop -its scanty resources; and if cattle, wheat, and vegetables could be -raised, a ready market would be found for them in Hong Kong.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span></p> - -<p>The present frontier line is exceedingly short—about ten miles if I -remember aright—as at the boundary the sea runs far into the land on -each side of the peninsula in two bays—Deep Bay on the west, Mirs Bay -on the east. The latter is being used as the winter training‐ground -of the ships of our China squadron. The former is very shallow, being -almost dry at low tide, and earns its name from the depth of its -penetration into the land.</p> - -<p>One strongly defined portion of the boundary is the shallow, tidal -Samchun River which runs into Deep Bay. Across it the Chinese territory -begins in a fertile and cultivated valley surrounding an important and -comparatively wealthy market‐town, Samchun. Beyond that again rises -another line of rugged hills. I have never penetrated into the interior -here farther than Samchun, so cannot speak with accuracy of what the -country is like at the other side of these hills; but I have been -told that it is flat and fertile nearly all the way on to Canton. The -English firm in Hong Kong who projected the railway to Canton employed -a Royal Engineer officer to survey the route for the proposed line. -He told me, as well as I can remember, that he had estimated the cost -from Kowloon to about ten miles north of Samchun at about £27,000 a -mile, and from there on to Canton at £7,000 a mile. That seems to show -that the country beyond these hills is flat and easy. The cutting, -tunneling, and embanking required for the passage of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span> a railway line -through the continuous hills of the Kowloon Hinterland would be a very -laborious undertaking. There is no long level stretch from Hong Kong -harbour to the frontier; and the hills are mainly granite.</p> - -<p>Since the Hinterland has come into their possession the colonial -authorities have made an excellent road from Kowloon into their new -territory. It is carried up the steep hills and down again to the -valleys in easy gradients. It is of more importance for military than -for commercial purposes; as the peninsula produces so little and -wheeled transport is unknown.</p> - -<p>The cession of the Hinterland in 1898 was very strongly resented by -its few inhabitants. Owing to their poverty and inaccessibility, they -were probably seldom plagued with visits from Chinese officials; -and they objected to their sudden transfer to the care of the more -energetic “foreign devils.” So when the Governor of Hong Kong arranged -a dramatic scene to take place at the hoisting of the British flag on -the frontier, and invitations were freely issued to the officials and -their wives and the society in general of the island to be present -on this historic occasion, the evil‐minded inhabitants prepared a -surprise for them. The police and the guard of honour went out on the -previous day to encamp on the ground on which the ceremony was to take -place. To their consternation they found that the new subjects of the -British Empire had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span> dug a trench on the side of a hill close by, not -800 yards from the spot on which the flagstaff was to be erected, -and had occupied it in force, armed with jingals, matchlocks, Brown -Besses, and old rifles—antique weapons certainly, but good enough to -kill all the ladies and officials to be present next day. Information -was immediately sent back to Hong Kong; and quite a little campaign -was inaugurated. Companies of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Hong Kong -Regiment, and the Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion Royal Artillery, -with detachments of bluejackets, chased their new fellow‐subjects over -the hills, exchanged shots with them, and captured enough ancient -weapons to stock an armoury. Lieutenant Barrett, Hong Kong Regiment, -while bathing in a pond in a Chinese village, discovered a number of -old smooth‐bore cannons, which had been hurriedly thrown in there. -Little resistance was made; but the picnic arrangements for the -dramatic hoisting of the flag did not come off.</p> - -<p>The inhabitants of the peninsula were speedily reconciled to British -rule and have since given no further trouble. A few European and Indian -police constables, armed with carbines and revolvers, are stationed -in it and patrol the country in pairs, frequently armed with no more -lethal weapon than an umbrella.</p> - -<p>The possession of the Hinterland has strengthened enormously the -defence of Hong Kong from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span> landward side. Three passes, about 1,500 -feet high, cross the last range of hills above Kowloon; and these can -be easily guarded. The situation of a hostile army which had landed -on the coast some distance away and endeavoured to march through the -difficult and mountainous country of the mainland, would be hopeless -in the presence of a strong defending force. Entangled in the narrow -valleys, forced to cross a series of roadless passes over which even -field‐guns must be carried bodily, fired at incessantly from the -never‐ending hilltops, it would be unable to proceed far. A couple of -regiments of Gurkhas or Pathans would be invaluable in such a country. -Moving rapidly from hill to hill they could decimate the invaders -almost with impunity to themselves.</p> - -<p>The garrison of Hong Kong previous to 1900 consisted of a few batteries -R.A. to man the forts, some companies of the Asiatic Artillery or Hong -Kong and Singapore Battalion Royal Artillery (a corps of Sikhs and -Punjaubis raised in India for the defence of these two coast ports), -one British infantry regiment, the Hong Kong Regiment (ten companies -strong), and the Hong Kong Volunteers, Europeans, and Portuguese -half‐castes. The Asiatic Artillery were armed with muzzle‐loading -mountain guns. Such a force was absurdly small for such a large and -important place. General Sir William Gascoigne, <span class="smcap">K.C.M.G.</span>, -was forced to still further denude it of troops in order to send -men hurriedly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span> to North China to defend Tientsin. He was left with -his garrison companies of Royal Artillery, half of the Royal Welch -Fusiliers and Asiatic Artillery, and four‐fifths of the Hong Kong -Regiment. The situation would have been one of extreme danger had a -rising occurred in Canton and the southern provinces; and two regiments -of General Gaselee’s original force were stopped on their way to -the North. The 3rd Madras Light Infantry, under Lieutenant‐Colonel -Teversham, was composed of men of that now unwarlike presidency. But -the 22nd Bombay Infantry, under the command of Lieutenant‐Colonel R. -Baillie, was formed from the fighting races of Rajputana and Central -India and won many encomiums for their smartness in manœuvres over -the steep hills and their satisfactory work altogether.</p> - -<p>A story is told of a War Office official who, ignorant of the -mountainous character of Hong Kong, wished to add a regiment of British -cavalry to its garrison. The general in command at the time, being -possessed of a keen sense of humour, gravely requested that the men -should be mounted on goats, pointing out that no other animal would -prove useful on the Hong Kong hills. But even in the mountainous -country of the mainland mounted infantry would be of great use to -enable commanding points to be speedily gained. When stationed in -Kowloon I organised mounted infantry on mules captured in North -China—splendid animals most of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span> them, one standing fifteen hands high. -Even in that broken and rugged country I found that the men could move -swiftly around the bases of the hills, across the narrow valleys, and -up the easier slopes at a speed that defied all pursuit from their -comrades on foot. In an advance overland to Canton, mounted infantry -would be invaluable when the flat and cultivated country past Samchun -was reached; for cavalry would be useless in such closely intersected -ground.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_IX"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER IX</span><br /> - -ON COLUMN IN SOUTHERN CHINA</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">A SHALLOW, muddy river running between steep banks. On the grassy -slopes of a conical hill the white tents of a camp. Before the -quarter‐guard stands a Bombay Infantry sentry in khaki uniform and -pugri, the butt of his Lee‐Metford rifle resting on the ground, his -eyes turned across the river to where the paddy‐fields of Southern -China stretch away to a blue range of distant hills. Figures in -khaki or white undress move about the encampment or gather round -the mud cooking‐places, where their frugal meal of <em>chupatties</em> and -curry is being prepared. A smart, well‐set‐up British officer passes -down through the lines of tents and lounging sepoys spring swiftly -to attention as he goes by. On the hilltop above a signaller waves -his flag rapidly; and down below in the camp a Madrassi havildar -spells out his message to a man beside him, who writes it down in a -note‐book. Coolies loaded with supplies trudge wearily up the steep -path. Before the tents four wicked‐looking little mountain guns turn -their ugly muzzles longingly towards a walled town two thousand -yards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span> away across the stream, where spots of red and blue resolve -themselves through a field‐glass into Chinese soldiers. All around -on this side of the river the country lies in never‐ending hills and -narrow valleys, with banked paddy‐fields in chess‐board pattern. And -on these hills small horseshoe‐shaped masonry tombs or glazed, brown -earthen‐ware pots containing the bones of deceased Chinamen fleck the -grassy slopes. Across the stream the cultivation is interspersed with -low, tree‐crowned eminences or dotted with villages. There on the -boundary line, between China and the English territory of the Kowloon -Hinterland, a small column guards our possessions against rebel and -Imperial soldier, both possible enemies and restrained from violating -British soil by the bayonets of the sepoys from our distant Eastern -Empire. Twenty miles away Hong Kong lies ringed in by sapphire sea. -From the land it has no danger to dread while a man of this small but -resolute force guarding its frontier remains alive.</p> - -<p>The outburst of fanaticism in North China, the attacks on the foreign -settlements in Tientsin and Pekin, the treachery of the Court, had -their echo in the far‐off southern provinces. Canton, turbulent and -hostile, has ever been a plague‐spot. Before now English and French -troops have had to chasten its pride and teach its people that the -outer barbarian claims a right to exist even on the sacred soil of -China. In the troublous summer of 1900<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span> 10,000 Black Flags, the unruly -banditti who long waged a harassing war against the French in Tonkin, -were encamped near this populous city. Fears were rife in Hong Kong -that, fired by exaggerated accounts of successes against the hated -foreigners in the North and swelled by the fanatical population of the -provinces of the two Kwangs, they might swarm down to the coast and -attack our possessions on the mainland, or even endeavour to assail -the island itself. Li Hung Chang, the Viceroy of Canton, had sounded a -note of warning. Purporting to seek the better arming of his soldiery -to enable him to cope with popular discontent, he induced the colonial -authorities to allow him to import 40,000 new magazine rifles through -Hong Kong; but there was no security that these weapons might not -be turned against ourselves. As it was well known that the Imperial -troops in the North had made common cause with the Boxers, the wisdom -of permitting this free passage of modern arms may be questioned. -Rumours of a rising among the Chinese in Victoria itself, of threatened -invasion from the mainland, were rife; and the inhabitants of our -colony in the Far East were badly scared. The first Indian brigade -under General Gaselee passed up to the more certain danger in the -North; but representations made to the home authorities caused the -stopping of his two line‐of‐communication regiments, the 3rd Madras -Light Infantry and 22nd Bombay Infantry, to strengthen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span> the denuded -garrison of Hong Kong. This and the subsequent detention of his 2nd -Brigade to safeguard Shanghai left his command in the Allied Armies on -the march to Pekin numerically weak and forced him into a subordinate -position in the councils of the Generals. Hong Kong was by no means -in such imminent peril; and the troops thus diverted would have made -his force second only to the Japanese in strength, and enabled him to -assert his authority more emphatically among the Allies.</p> - -<p>Pekin fell on August 14th, 1900. But long after that date this was -not credited in Canton; and the wildest rumours were rife as to the -splendid successes of the Chinese, who were represented as everywhere -victorious. This large southern city is situated well under a hundred -miles from Hong Kong, either by river or by land. It has constant -intercourse with our colony; and large, flat‐bottomed steamers with -passengers and cargo pass between the two places every day. Yet it -was confidently stated in the vernacular newspapers, and everywhere -believed, that two regiments from India arriving in Hong Kong Harbour -had heard such appalling tales of the prowess of the Chinese braves -that the terrified soldiers had jumped overboard from the transports -and drowned themselves to a man. They had preferred an easy death to -the awful tortures that they knew awaited them at the hands of the -invincible Chinese. Long after the Court had fled in haste from Pekin -and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span> capital had been in the hands of the Allies for months, their -columns pushing out everywhere into the interior, it was asserted that -all this apparent success was but a deep‐laid plan of the glorious -Empress‐Dowager. She had thus enticed them into the heart of the land -in order to cut them off from the sea. She now held them in the hollow -of her hand. The luckless foreigners had abjectly appealed for mercy. -Her tender heart had relented, and she had graciously promised to -spare them in return for the restoration of all the territory hitherto -wrested from China. Tientsin, Port Arthur, Kiao‐Chau, Shanghai, Tonkin, -even Hong Kong, were being hastily surrendered. And such preposterous -tales were readily believed.</p> - -<p>But another confusing element was introduced into the already -sufficiently complicated situation. Canton and the South contains, -besides the anti‐foreign party, a number of reformers who realise that -China must stand in line with modern civilisation. Only thus will -she become strong enough to resist the perpetual foreign aggression -which deprives her of her best ports and slices off her most valuable -seaboard territory. The energetic inhabitants of Canton freely emigrate -to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Australia, and America. There they -learn to take a wider view of things than is possible in their own -conservative country. When they return they spread their ideas, and -are the nucleus of the already fairly numerous party of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span> reform, who -justly blame the misfortunes of China on the effete and narrow‐minded -Government in Pekin and work to secure the downfall of the present -Manchu dynasty. In the southern provinces they have their following; -and rumours of a great uprising there against the corrupt officialdom, -and even the throne itself, were rife in the autumn of 1900. The -much‐talked‐of but little‐known Triad Society—who claimed to advocate -reform, but who were regarded with suspicion, their tenets forbidden, -and their followers imprisoned in Hong Kong—started a rebellion in -the Kwang‐tung province. They were supposed to be led, or at least -abetted, by Sun Yat Sen, an enlightened reformer. As the revolt began -close to the Kowloon frontier, fears were expressed lest, despite their -advertised views, the rebels should prove unfriendly to foreigners and -invade our territory. Little was known of the progress of the movement. -The Chinese Imperial Government, through the Viceroy of Canton, sent -Admiral Ho with 4,000 troops to Samchun to suppress the rising. The -rebels, hearing of his coming, moved farther inland. The soldiers, -having no great stomach for bloodshed, generously forebore to follow, -and settled themselves comfortably in and around the town. Lest either -party should be tempted to infringe the neutrality of our territory, -the Hong Kong newspapers urged the Governor to take immediate measures -to safeguard our frontier. After some delay a small, compact column<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span> -was despatched to the boundary under the command of Major E. A. -Kettlewell, an officer of marked ability and energy, who had seen much -service in Burma and in the Tirah, and who had had long and intimate -connection with the Imperial Service troops in India. The composition -of the force, known as the Frontier Field Force, was as under:—</p> - -<p class="p1 center noindent"><span class="small"><em>Commanding Officer.</em><br /> -Major E. A. Kettlewell, 22nd Bombay Infantry.</span></p> - -<p class="p1 center noindent"><span class="small"><em>Staff Officer.</em><br /> -Lieutenant Casserly, 22nd Bombay Infantry.</span></p> - -<p class="p1 center noindent"><span class="small"><em>Troops.</em></span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Three Companies, 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Captain Hatherell and -Lieutenants Melville and Burke.</span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Four mountain guns and 50 men, Hong Kong and Singapore Battalion Royal -Artillery, under Lieutenants Saunders and Ogilvie.</span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Detachment Royal Engineers (British and Chinese sappers), under -Lieutenant Rundle, <span class="smcap">R.E.</span></span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Maxim Gun Detachment, 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Jemadar Lalla Rawat.</span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Signallers, 3rd Madras Light Infantry, under Captain Sharpe.</span></p> - -<p class="hangingindent2"><span class="small">Section of Indian Field Hospital, under Captain Woolley, -<span class="smcap">I.M.S.</span></span></p> - -<p>With the mobility of Indian troops the column embarked within a few -hours after the receipt of orders on a flotilla of steam launches, -which were to convey us along the coast to Deep Bay, and thence up the -Samchun River to the threatened point on the frontier. Stores, tents, -and a few<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span> mules to carry the Maxim and ammunition, as well as to -supplement coolie transport, were towed in junks.</p> - -<p>Our tiny vessels loaded down with their living freight, the sepoys -excited at the prospect of a fight, we steam away from Kowloon and -out through the crowded harbour. We pass a number of torpedo‐boat -destroyers and a small fleet of obsolete gunboats rusting in -inglorious ease. To our right, with its huge cylindrical oil‐tanks -standing up like giant drums and its docks containing an American -man‐o’‐war, lies the crowded Chinese quarter of Yaumati. Above it -towers the long chain of hills, their dark sides marked with the white -streak of the new road that crosses their summit into the Hinterland. -On the left is Hong Kong, the Peak with the windows of its houses -flashing in the sun, the city at its feet in shadow. We pass the long, -straggling Stonecutter’s Island, with the solid granite walls of its -abandoned prison, the tree‐clad hills and the sharp outlines of forts. -In among an archipelago of islands, large and small, we steam; and -ahead of us lies the narrow channel of the Cap‐sui‐moon Pass between -Lantau and the lesser islet of Mah Wan. On the latter are the buildings -of the Customs station—the Imperial Maritime Customs of China. High -hills on islands and mainland tower above us on every side. The lofty -peak of Tai‐mo‐shan stands up in the brilliant sunlight. The coast is -grim with rugged cliffs or gay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span> with the grassy slopes of hills running -down to the white fringe of beach. Bluff headlands, black, glistening -rocks on which the foam‐flecked waves break incessantly, dark caverns, -and tiny bays line the shore. A lumbering junk, with high, square stern -and rounded bows—on which are painted large eyes, that the ship may -see her way—bears down upon us with huge mat sails and its lolling -crew gazing over the side in wonderment at the fierce, dark soldiers. A -small sampan dances over the waves, two muscular women pushing at the -long oars and the inevitable children seated on its narrow deck.</p> - -<p>Along the coast we steam, gazing at its interminable masses of green -hills, until it suddenly recedes into a wide bay surrounded on every -side by high land. This is Deep Bay, an expanse twenty‐five miles in -extent which, though now covered by the sea, becomes at low tide one -vast mud flat, with a small stream winding through the noisome ooze. -Towards the land on the right we head. Far out from shore lies a trim, -white gunboat. From the stern floats the yellow Imperial standard of -China with its sprawling dragon; for the vessel belongs to the Maritime -Customs Service. On the decks brass machine‐guns glitter. A European in -white clothing watches us through binoculars from the poop. The Chinese -crew in blue uniforms, with pigtails coiled up under their straw hats, -are spreading an awning.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span></p> - -<p>At length we reach the mouth of the Samchun River, a small tidal -stream, which, when the sea is low, is scarcely eighteen inches deep. -Up between its winding banks we steam. High hills rise up on each side. -We pray that neither rebel nor hostile Imperial soldier is waiting here -to stop our coming; for a machine‐gun or a few rifles would play havoc -with our men crowded together on the little launches. Up the river -we go in single file, playing “follow my leader” as the first launch -swings sharply round the frequent curves. By virtue of my position -“on the Staff,” I am aboard it and am consequently resentful when a -bump and a prolonged scraping under the keel tell us that we have gone -aground. The next launch avoids the shoal and passes us, its occupants -flinging sarcastic remarks and unkind jibes at us as they go by. But -“pride cometh before a fall,” and a little farther on their Chinese -steersman runs them high and dry. Then the others leave us behind until -by dint of poling we float again and follow in their wake. Round a bend -in the river we swing; and ahead of us we see a number of weird‐looking -Chinese war‐junks. From their masts stream huge pennants and gaudy -flags of many colours; on their decks stand old muzzle‐loading, -smooth‐bore cannon. Their high, square sterns tower above the banks. -The motley‐garbed crews are squatting about, engaged with chop‐sticks -and bowls of rice. The sudden appearance of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span> our flotilla crowded with -armed men startles them. They drop their food and spring up to stare -at us, uncertain whether to bolt ashore or continue their interrupted -meal. Seeing no signs of hostility on our part, they grin placatingly -and shout remarks to us, the tenor of which it is perhaps as well -that we do not understand. These are Government war‐junks and, like -the Customs steamer outside, are stationed here to prevent assistance -reaching the rebels from the sea; but anyone who had successfully -forced their way past the gunboat would have little to fear from these -ill‐armed Noah’s Arks. Close by stand a few substantial buildings—a -Customs station. From the verandah of a bungalow two white men in -charge of it watch us as we go by.</p> - -<p>As evening was closing in we reached the spot selected for our first -camping‐ground and disembarked. On our side of the river a few -hundred yards of level ground ran back to the steep, bare slopes of a -straggling hill which rose to a conical peak five hundred feet above -our heads. All around lay similar eminences, their grassy sides devoid -of trees. Behind us the Hinterland stretched away to the south in range -after range of barren mountains divided by narrow, cultivated valleys. -Beyond the river lay a plain patched with paddy‐fields or broken by -an occasional low hill. In it, little more than a mile away, stood -the walled town of Samchun. The British and Indian police in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span> the new -territory had been instructed to give us intelligence of any hostile -movements in the neighbourhood; and from them we learned that no -immediate danger was to be apprehended. Nevertheless all precautionary -measures to guard against a possible surprise were taken; for Admiral -Ho’s troops still lingered in Samchun, and considerable doubt existed -as to their attitude towards the British. Piquets having been posted -and a strong guard placed over the ammunition and supplies, the men -cooked their evening meal and bivouacked for the night. But sleep was -almost impossible. The heat was intense. We had evidently intruded upon -a favourite haunt of the mosquitoes who attacked us with malignant -persistence until dawn.</p> - -<p>The following day was employed in strengthening our position, -reconnoitring our surroundings and laying out our camp. Our arrival -had evidently taken the Chinese army across the river completely -by surprise. From the hill, on which our tents stood, Samchun was -plainly visible about 2,000 yards away; and our field‐glasses showed -a great commotion in the town. Soldiers poured out of the gates or -crowded on to the walls and gazed in consternation—apparent even at -that distance—at the British force that had so suddenly put in an -appearance on the scene. They were evidently extremely dubious as -to our intentions; and we watched the troops falling in hurriedly -and being marshalled under an imposing array of banners. When the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span> -Hinterland had been ceded to us, Samchun had at first been included, -and was for a short time occupied by us; but the boundary was -afterwards fixed at the river as being a natural frontier, and the town -was restored to the Chinese. They apparently feared that we had changed -our minds and contemplated appropriating it again. As our column made -no move—for our orders had been not to enter Chinese territory or -take any hostile action unless attacked—they soon disappeared into -the town again. Later on, on a hill that rose close to the river on -their side of the boundary‐line, a regiment appeared and observed us -narrowly all day, endeavouring to keep out of sight themselves as much -as possible. It was very tantalising to see the materials for a pretty -little fight ready to hand being wasted, and we longed for the smallest -hostile act on their part to give us an excuse for one. But none came; -and we sighed discontentedly at the loss of such a golden opportunity. -Although the Chinese force numbered 4,000, armed with guns, Mausers and -Winchesters, and our column counted barely 400 all told, we felt little -doubt as to the result of a fight between us.</p> - -<p>By the following morning Admiral Ho and his mandarins had evidently -come to the conclusion that we were more dangerous neighbours than -the rebels; so he proceeded to move off from our vicinity. All that -day and the next we watched bodies of troops, clad in long red or -blue coats, with enormous straw hats slung like shields on their -backs or covering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span> their heads like giant mushrooms, marching out of -the town and stringing out into single file along the narrow paths -between the paddy‐fields as they moved off into the mountains beyond -Samchun. Above their heads waved innumerable banners—green, red, blue, -parti‐coloured, or striped in many lines horizontally or vertically. By -the following evening all had disappeared, with the exception of about -400, as we afterwards ascertained, left behind to garrison the town. -This forlorn hope, I doubt not, were none too well pleased at remaining -in such unpleasant proximity to us.</p> - -<p>Our arrival at the frontier was undoubtedly responsible for the -retirement of Admiral Ho’s army. For he had been for some time -comfortably settled in Samchun without evincing the least anxiety -to follow up the rebels, who were reported to be laying waste the -country farther on, pillaging the villages, torturing the officials, -and levying taxes on the inhabitants. His departure removed a constant -source of danger; for his undisciplined troops might have been tempted -to cross the boundary into our territory and harass the villagers under -our protection.</p> - -<p>We now employed ourselves in patrolling the frontier, exercising -the troops and making sketches to supplement the very inadequate -information as to the surrounding country in our possession. Although -the Hinterland had been ceded to the British two years before, and -although it lies in such close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span> proximity to Hong Kong, no accurate -survey of it had ever been made. The only map which could be found -to provide the expedition with was one done by a Jesuit missionary -in 1840. It was fairly correct as regards outlines, but contained -absolutely no details except a number of names, which might refer to -villages or to features of the ground. For instance, at the spot on -the map where our camp stood, we read the word “Lo‐u.” This, before we -arrived there, we concluded referred to a village. But there was not a -house in the vicinity, and we found that it was the name of the hill on -which our tents were pitched. Our energetic commander employed himself -in surveying and filling in the details of the surrounding country, -marking the positions of the hamlets and paths—for roads there were -none—and ascertaining the ranges and heights of the various prominent -features around us.</p> - -<p>About a mile away down the river lay the Chinese Customs station that -we had passed on our way up. I strolled there one afternoon and made -the acquaintance of the officers in charge. They were both Britishers. -One of them, Mr. Percy Affleck‐Scott, told me that our arrival had -been a great relief to them. When the rebels had been in the vicinity -they had received several messages from the leaders who threatened to -march down upon their station, burn it, and cut their heads off. In -view of the repeated declarations of the Triads, that no hostility is -felt by them to foreigners, these threats are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span> significant. As they had -little reliance on the prowess of the Chinese soldiers if attacked by -the rebels, these two Britishers had been considerably relieved at the -arrival of our force, in whose neighbourhood they knew that they would -be safe.</p> - -<p>The position of the European Custom House officials in the Outdoor -Branch, stationed as they generally are in out‐of‐the‐way places in -Chinese territory with no society of their own kind, is scarcely -enviable. Their work, which consists in levying duty on imports into -the country, frequently brings them into unpleasant contact with -Chinese officials, who regard the existence of their service with -intense dislike, as it robs them of chances of extortion. Those -employed in the Indoor Branch are generally stationed in cities like -Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pekin, or other large centres where life is -enjoyable.</p> - -<p>When visiting the Samchun Custom House on another occasion, at a later -period, I saw a number of small, two‐pounder rifled breechloading -guns belonging to Admiral Ho’s force being embarked on a war‐junk. -I examined them with interest. They were mounted on small‐wheeled -carriages and bore the stamp of the Chinese arsenal where they had been -made. The breech ends were square, with a falling block worked by a -lever at the side. They were well finished; for the work turned out at -these arsenals by native workmen, often under European supervision, is -generally very good.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span></p> - -<p>Early one morning, a few days after Admiral Ho’s departure, the camp -was roused by a sudden alarm. About four a.m., when it was still pitch -dark, we were awakened by the sound of heavy firing in the Chinese -territory. The continuous rattle of small arms and the deeper booming -of field‐guns were distinctly audible. We rushed out of our tents and -the troops got ready to fall in. The firing seemed to come from the -immediate neighbourhood of Samchun; and it appeared that a desperate -fight was in full swing. Our impression was that the rebels, learning -of Ho’s departure, had eluded his force and doubled back to attack the -town, which, being wealthy, would have proved a tempting prize. We -gazed from the hillside in the direction from which the sound came; -but a thick mist lay over the fields beyond the river and prevented -the flashes from being visible. We waited impatiently for daylight. -The rattle of rifle‐firing now broke out suddenly from around the -Customs station; and we trembled for the safety of Affleck‐Scott -and his companion. As the sound came no nearer in our direction, it -became evident that no hostile movement against us was intended. We -cursed the tardy daylight. At last day broke; but still the low‐lying -mists obscured our view of the town and the plain beyond the river. -Then the sun rose. The fog slowly cleared away. We looked eagerly -towards Samchun, expecting, as the firing still continued, to see the -contending forces<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span> engaged in deadly battle. But to our surprise, -though every house in the town, every field and bank around it, stood -out distinct in the clear light, scarcely a human being was visible. -Before the gates a few soldiers lounged about unconcernedly. But the -firing still continued. We could see nothing to account for it and -began to wonder if it was a battle of phantoms. Gradually it died away -and left us still bewildered. Later on in the day came the explanation. -In view of our imaginary combat it was simple and ludicrous. The day -was one of the innumerable Chinese festivals; and the inhabitants of -Samchun and the neighbouring villages had been ushering it in in the -usual Celestial fashion with much burning of crackers and exploding -of bombs. To anyone who has heard the extraordinary noise of Chinese -fireworks, which accurately reproduces the rattle of musketry and -the booming of guns, our mistake is excusable. At the attack on the -Peiyang Arsenal outside Tientsin, on June 27th, 1900, by the British, -Americans, and Russians, the Chinese defenders, before evacuating it -when hard pressed, laid strings of crackers along the walls. As our -marines and bluejackets, with the Americans, advanced to the final -assault these were set fire to. The explosions sounded like a very -heavy fusillade and the assailants took cover. The Chinese meanwhile -bolted out of the arsenal and got safely away before the attackers -discovered the trick and stormed the place.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span></p> - -<p>A week or two after this false alarm, I obtained permission to cross -into Chinese territory and visit Samchun. The town looked very -interesting at a distance, with its high walls and two square stone -towers, which were in reality pawn‐shops. For these establishments in -China are looked upon as safe deposit offices. A rich man about to -leave home for any length of time removes his valuables to the nearest -pawn‐shop and there stores them. They are the first places attacked -when a band of robbers seizes some small town, as frequently happens. -So they are built in the form of strong towers with the entrance -generally several feet from the ground, in order that the proprietor -and his friends may retire within and defend them.</p> - -<p>Accompanied by Captain Woolley, <span class="smcap">I.M.S.</span>, I set out to visit the -town, having received many injunctions to be careful not to embroil -ourselves with the inhabitants or the soldiery, who were not likely -to prove over friendly. We were provided with interpreters in the -persons of a Chinese policeman in British employ and a Sikh constable -who had learned to converse very well in the language of the country. -As we intended to make a formal call on the mandarin in command of -Samchun and had heard that in China a man’s importance is gauged -by the size of his visiting‐card, we wrote our names on sheets of -foolscap—the largest pieces of paper we could find. Red, however, is -the proper colour. In mufti and taking no weapons, we left the camp<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span> -and crossed the river in a small, flat‐bottomed ferry‐boat. Landed on -the far side, we set off along the tops of the mud banks between the -paddy‐fields, the only roads available. Those which are used as general -paths are laid with flat stones, which, not being fastened in any -way, occasionally tilt up and slide about in a disconcerting manner. -As we neared the town we were observed with interest by a number of -Chinese soldiers lounging about in front of the principal gateway. We -felt a little nervous as to our reception but putting a bold face on -the matter directed our way towards them. We were stopped, however, -by our Chinese policeman, who told us that we should not approach -this entrance as it faced the mandarin’s Yamen and was reserved for -important individuals. We being <em>merely</em> foreigners—this although -he was in British employment!—must seek admittance through the back -gate into the town. Irritated at his insolent tone, the Sikh constable -shoved him aside, and we approached the guard. The soldiers, though not -openly hostile—for the white tents of our camp, plainly visible across -the river, had a sobering effect—treated us with scarcely‐veiled -contempt. On our Sikh interpreter informing them that we were English -officers who had come to visit their mandarin, they airily replied -that that dignitary was asleep and could not see us. Annoyed at -their impertinent manner, we ordered them to go and wake him. Rather -impressed by our audacity, they held a consultation.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span> Then one went -into the Yamen. He returned in a few minutes with a message to the -effect that the mandarin regretted that he could not see us as he was -not dressed. Seeing the effect of our previous curtness, we haughtily -bade the soldier tell the mandarin to put on his clothes at once; see -him we must. Visibly impressed this time, he hastened inside again and -promptly returned with an invitation to enter the Yamen. We passed -through the gate with as important an air as we could assume. It had -been a game of bluff on both sides and we had won; for on the verandah -of the house inside the entrance we were received by the mandarin, -correctly attired. With hands folded over each other, he bowed low -and led the way into the interior. The room was small and plainly -furnished. High‐backed, uncomfortable chairs stood round a square -blackwood table. On the walls hung crude pictures or tablets painted -with Chinese characters. Our host, who was really a most courteous old -gentleman, bowed again and, pointing to the chairs, begged us—as we -judged from his manner—to be seated. We politely refused until he had -taken a chair himself. He then addressed us in sing‐song Chinese words, -which our Sikh interpreter assured us were an expression of the honour -he felt at our condescending to visit such an unworthy individual. We -framed our reply in equally humble terms. He then inquired the reason -of the coming of our force to the frontier. We informed him that it -was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">223</a></span> merely to guard our territory from invasion and assured him that -we had no evil designs on Samchun. He pretended to feel satisfied at -this, but doubt evidently still lingered in his mind. The conversation -then dragged on spasmodically until we asked his permission to visit -the town. He seemed to hail our request with relief as a chance of -politely ridding himself of us and ordered four soldiers to get ready -to accompany us as an escort. One of the attendants, at a sign from -him, then left the room and returned with three little cups covered -with brass saucers.</p> - -<p>“Now we shall taste really high‐class Chinese tea,” said Woolley to me -in an undertone.</p> - -<p>We removed the saucers. The cups were filled with boiling water. At -the bottom lay a few black twigs and leaves. Imitating the mandarin’s -actions, we raised our cups in both hands and tried to drink the hot -and tasteless contents. The Chinese tea was a distinct failure.</p> - -<p>A few black, formidable‐looking cigars were now placed upon the table. -Mindful of the vile odours that inevitably possess the filthy streets -of the native towns in China, we took some. Then as our escort appeared -in the courtyard in front of the house, we rose. Expressing profuse -thanks to our courteous host through the interpreter, we folded our -hands and bowed ourselves out in the politest Chinese fashion.</p> - -<p>Following our military guides, we entered the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">224</a></span> town. They led us -first to the house of a lesser mandarin, whom we visited. He was -as surly as his superior was amiable. He very speedily ordered tea -for us as a sign of dismissal. However, as a mark of attention, he -sent two lantern‐bearers to accompany us. Quitting him with little -hesitation, we followed our escort and plunged again into the town. -The streets were narrow and indescribably filthy. Deep, open drains -bordered them, filled with refuse. Extending our arms, we could nearly -touch the houses on each side. On either hand were shops, some with -glass‐windowed fronts, others open to the street. Some were fairly -extensive, filled with garments or rolls of cloth. Others exhibited for -sale clocks, cheap embroidery, tinsel jewellery, or common pottery. -Every third one at least sold food, raw or cooked. Dried fish or ducks -split open, the heads and necks of the latter attached to the bodies; -pork, meat, and sucking‐pigs; rice, flour, or vegetables. Near one shop -stood a grinning Chinaman who spoke to us in pidgin‐English. Beside him -was an open barrel filled with what looked like dried prunes. I pointed -to them and asked what they were.</p> - -<p>“That?” he said, popping one into his mouth and munching it with -evident relish. “That belong cocky‐loachee. Velly good!”</p> - -<p>They were dried cockroaches!</p> - -<p>Farther on another pig‐tailed individual spoke to us in fluent English -with a Yankee twang.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">225</a></span></p> - -<p>“Do you live in Samchun?” I asked him, in surprise.</p> - -<p>“Not much, you bet!” he replied. “I don’t belong to this darned country -any more. I live in ’Frisco.”</p> - -<p>He explained that he had come to Hong Kong as a sailor on an American -vessel, and had wandered out to Samchun to see a relative. With a “So -long, boss!” from him we passed on.</p> - -<p>Every fifth or sixth house was a gambling‐den. Around the tables were -seated Chinamen of all ages engaged in playing <em>fan‐tan</em>, that slowest -and most exasperating of all methods of “plunging.” The interiors of -these establishments were gay with much elaborate gilt carving.</p> - -<p>It was now growing dark, and our lantern‐bearers lighted the paper -lamps swinging at the end of long sticks they carried. We directed -our escort to lead us out of the town. We wished to dismiss them at -the gate; but they assured the interpreter that their orders were -strict—not to quit us until they had seen us safely out of Chinese -territory. So we made our way to the river. Arrived there, my companion -and I discussed the question as to whether we should reward our escort -with a tip or whether they would be insulted, being soldiers, at the -offer. Finally we resolved to give them a dollar. If they did not look -satisfied, we would increase the amount. So a bright English dollar -was handed to the Sikh to be given to them. Satisfied! They seemed as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">226</a></span> -if they had never seen such wealth before. They crowded round us with -voluble thanks; and with quite an affecting farewell we went down to -the water’s edge. To our surprise we found our commanding officer with -a party of armed sepoys crossing over to us in the ferry‐boat. Alarmed -at our long absence, he had feared that something untoward had happened -to us and was coming in search of us. When we arrived at the camp we -found the others rather uneasy about us; though some cheerfully assured -us that they had been hoping that the Chinese had at least captured us -to give them an excuse for attacking and looting Samchun.</p> - -<p>Shortly afterwards, interested at our description of our adventures, -our commanding officer determined to visit Samchun. A letter in Chinese -was sent to the mandarin to acquaint him with our chief’s intention. -Next morning we were surprised by the sight of eight Chinese soldiers, -armed with carbines and accompanied by the Sikh interpreter, crossing -the river and ascending the path to the camp. As they approached the -tents our sepoys, anxious to see the redoubtable warriors at close -range, rushed out and flocked round them. Terrified at the sight of -these strange black men, the Chinese soldiers dropped on their knees, -flung their carbines on the ground, and held up their hands in abject -supplication, entreating the interpreter to beg the fierce‐looking -foreign devils not to beat them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">227</a></span> The sepoys roared with laughter, -patted them on the backs, and bore them off to their tents to soothe -them with tea and cigarettes. The Sikh constable was the bearer of a -message from the mandarin, expressing his pleasure at the intended -visit of our commandant and informing him that an escort had been sent -as a mark of honour. Accompanied by twenty of our tallest sepoys we -crossed the river and set out for Samchun.</p> - -<p>As we approached the town we found that the whole garrison of 400 men -had been turned out to welcome us and were formed up to line the road -near the gate of the Yamen. Fourteen huge banners of many colours -waved above the ranks. In front of the entrance stood the mandarin and -his suite in their gala dress, waiting to receive us. Our commanding -officer had ridden up on his Arab charger, which must have seemed -an immense horse to the Chinamen present, accustomed only to the -diminutive ponies of their own country. The mandarin came forward to -welcome our chief and apologised for not receiving him with a salute of -cannon, as, he said, he had been afraid of startling his steed!</p> - -<p>While compliments were being exchanged, I walked down the ranks of the -Chinese troops and inspected them closely. They were nearly all small -and miserable‐looking men, clad in long red or blue coats, with huge -straw hats. They were armed with single‐loading Mausers or Winchester -repeating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">228</a></span> carbines. I looked at a few of these. The outside of the -barrels were bright and had evidently been cleaned with emery paper; -but inside they were completely choked with rust and the weapons were -absolutely useless. The men were evidently merely coolies, hurriedly -impressed by the mandarins when called upon by the Viceroy of Canton -to produce the troops for whom they regularly drew pay. This is a -favourite device of the corrupt Chinese officials, who receive an -allowance to keep up a certain number of soldiers. They buy and store -a corresponding number of uniforms and rifles. When warned of an -approaching inspection by some higher authority, they gather in coolies -and clothe and arm them for the duration of his visit. The superior -official—his own palm having been well greased—forbears to inspect -them too closely, and departs to report to the Viceroy of the province -that the troops are of excellent quality. Then the uniforms and rifles -are returned to store, and the coolies dismissed with—or more probably -without—a few cents to recompense them for their trouble.</p> - -<p>Latterly in the North this does not always occur; and some of the -troops, trained by foreigners and armed with the latest quick‐firing -guns and magazine rifles, are very good. The Imperial forces which -opposed Admiral Seymour’s advance and attacked Tientsin were of very -different calibre to those employed in the suppression of the Triad -rebellion. The shooting of their gunners and riflemen was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">229</a></span> excellent. -The army of Yuan‐Shi‐Kai, who was Governor of the province of Shantung -during the troubles in the North, is a good example of what Chinese -soldiers can be when well trained.</p> - -<p>The interview between the mandarin of Samchun and our commanding -officer was an elaborate repetition of my own experience. The visit -over, we entered the town, inspected some of the temples, and bought -some curiosities in the shops. Then, escorted by our original party of -Chinese soldiers, we returned to the river.</p> - -<p>At the end of November we were roused one night by urgent messages -from the British police in the Hinterland to the effect that parties -of rebels were hovering on the frontier and it was feared that they -intended to raid across into our territory. In response to their -request, a strong party was sent out at once to reinforce them. About -four a.m. a European police sergeant arrived in breathless haste with -the information that the rebels had crossed the boundary and seized two -villages lying inside our border. They had fired on the police patrols. -Two companies of the 22nd Bombay Infantry, under Captain Hatherell and -Lieutenant Burke, fell in promptly and marched off under the guidance -of two Sikh policemen sent for the purpose. Preceded by scouts and a -strong advanced guard, under a Pathan native officer, Subhedar Khitab -Gul, they bore down at daybreak on the villages reported captured. But -the rebels had apparently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">230</a></span> received information of their coming and -had fled back across the border. The troops, bitterly disappointed at -being deprived of a fight, returned about nine a.m. to camp, where the -remainder of the force had been ready to support them if necessary.</p> - -<p>No further attempts were ever made against our territory, and shortly -afterwards the Frontier Field Force returned to headquarters.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">231</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_X"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER X</span><br /> - -IN THE PORTUGUESE COLONY OF MACAO</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">FORTY miles from Hong Kong, hidden away among the countless islands -that fringe the entrance to the estuary of the Chukiang or Pearl -River, lies the Portuguese settlement of Macao. Once flourishing and -prosperous, the centre of European trade with Southern China, it is now -decaying and almost unknown—killed by the competition of its young and -successful rival. Long before Elizabeth ascended the throne of England -the venturesome Portuguese sailors and merchants had reached the Far -East. There they carried their country’s flag over seas where now it -never flies. An occasional gunboat represents in Chinese waters their -once powerful and far‐roaming navy.</p> - -<p>In the island of Lampacao, off the south‐eastern coast, their traders -were settled, pushing their commerce with the mainland. In 1557 the -neighbouring peninsula of Macao was ceded to them in token of the -Chinese Emperor’s gratitude for their aid in destroying the power of a -pirate chief who had long held sway in the seas around. The Dutch, the -envious rivals of the Portuguese in the East, turned covetous eyes on -the little colony which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">232</a></span> speedily began to flourish. In 1622 the troops -in Macao were despatched to assist the Chinese against the Tartars. -Taking advantage of their absence, the Governor of the Dutch East -Indies fitted out a fleet to capture their city. In the June of that -year the hostile ships appeared off Macao and landed a force to storm -the fort. The valiant citizens fell upon and defeated the invaders; and -the Dutch sailed away baffled. Until the early part of the nineteenth -century the Portuguese paid an annual tribute of five hundred taels to -the Chinese Government in acknowledgment of their nominal suzerainty. -In 1848, the then Governor, Ferreira Amaral, refused to continue this -payment and expelled the Chinese officials from the colony. In 1887, -the independence of Macao was formally admitted by the Emperor in a -treaty to that effect.</p> - -<p>But the palmy days of its commerce died with the birth of Hong Kong. -The importance of the Portuguese settlement has dwindled away. Macao -is but a relic of the past. Its harbour is empty. The sea around has -silted up with the detritus from the Pearl River until now no large -vessels can approach. A small trade in tea, tobacco, opium, and silk is -all that is left. The chief revenue is derived from the taxes levied on -the numerous Chinese gambling‐houses in the city, which have gained for -it the title of the Monte Carlo of the East.</p> - -<p>Macao is situated on a small peninsula connected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">233</a></span> by a long, narrow -causeway with the island of Heung Shan. The town faces southward and, -sheltered by another island from the boisterous gales of the China -seas, is yet cooled by the refreshing breezes of the south, from which -quarter the wind blows most of the year in that latitude. Victoria in -our colony, on the other hand, is cut off from them by the high Peak -towering above it; and its climate in consequence is hot and steamy in -the long and unpleasant summer. So Macao is, then, a favourite resort -of the citizens of Hong Kong. The large, flat‐bottomed steamer that -runs between the two places is generally crowded on Saturdays with -inhabitants of the British colony, going to spend the week‐end on the -cooler rival island.</p> - -<p>The commercial competition of Macao is no longer to be dreaded. But -this decaying Portuguese possession has recently acquired a certain -importance in the eyes of the Hong Kong authorities and our statesmen -in England by the fears of French aggression aroused by apparent -endeavours to gain a footing in Macao. Attempts have been made to -purchase property in it in the name of the French Government which -are suspected to be the thin end of the wedge. Although the colony -is not dangerous in the hands of its present possessors, it might -become so in the power of more enterprising neighbours. Were it -occupied by the French a much larger garrison would be required in -Hong Kong. Of course, any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">234</a></span> attempt to invade our colony from Macao -would be difficult; as the transports could not be convoyed by any -large warships owing to the shallowness of the sea between the two -places until Hong Kong harbour is reached. One battleship or cruiser, -even without the assistance of the forts, should suffice to blow out -of the water any vessels of sufficiently light draught to come out of -the port of Macao. If any specially constructed, powerfully armed, -shallow‐draught men‐o’‐war—which alone would be serviceable—were -sent out from Europe, their arrival would be noted and their purpose -suspected. Still an opportunity might be seized when our China squadron -was elsewhere engaged and the garrison of Hong Kong denuded. On the -whole, the Portuguese are preferable neighbours to the aggressive -French colonial party, which is constantly seeking to extend its -influence in Southern China. In 1802 and again in 1808 Macao was -occupied by us as a precaution against its seizure by the French.</p> - -<p>When garrison duty in Hong Kong during the damp, hot days of the summer -palled, I once took ten days’ leave to the pleasanter climate of Macao. -I embarked in Victoria in one of the large, shallow‐draught steamers -of the Hong Kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Company, which keeps up -the communication between the English and Portuguese colonies and the -important Chinese city by a fleet of some half‐dozen vessels. With the -exception of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">235</a></span> one, they are all large and roomy craft from 2,000 to -3,000 tons burden. They run to, and return from, Canton twice daily -on week‐days. One starts from Hong Kong to Macao every afternoon and -returns the following morning, except on Sundays. Between Macao and -Canton they ply three times a week. The fares are not exorbitant—from -Hong Kong to Macao three dollars, to Canton five, each way; between -Macao and Canton three. The Hong Kong dollar in 1901 was worth about -1<em>s.</em> 10<em>d.</em></p> - -<p>The steamer on which I made the short passage to Macao was the -<em>Heungshan</em> (1,998 tons). She was a large shallow‐draught vessel, -painted white for the sake of coolness. She was mastless, with one -high funnel, painted black; the upper deck was roomy and almost -unobstructed. The sides between it and the middle deck were open; and a -wide promenade lay all round the outer bulkheads of the cabins on the -latter. Extending from amid‐ships to near the bows were the first‐class -state‐rooms and a spacious, white‐and‐gold‐panelled saloon. For’ard of -this the deck was open. Shaded by the upper deck overhead, this formed -a delightful spot to laze in long chairs and gaze over the placid -water of the land‐locked sea at the ever‐changing scenery. Aft on the -same deck was the second‐class accommodation. Between the outer row of -cabins round the sides a large open space was left. This was crowded -with fat and prosperous‐looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">236</a></span> Chinamen, lolling on chairs or mats, -smoking long‐stemmed pipes with tiny bowls and surrounded by piles of -luggage.</p> - -<p>Below, on the lower deck, were herded the third‐class passengers, -all Chinese coolies. The companion‐ways leading up to the main deck -were closed by padlocked iron gratings. At the head of each stood an -armed sentry, a half‐caste or Chinese quartermaster in bluejacket‐like -uniform and naval straw hat. He was equipped with carbine and revolver; -and close by him was a rack of rifles and cutlasses. All the steamers -plying between Hong Kong, Macao, and Canton are similarly guarded; for -the pirates who infest the Pearl River and the network of creeks near -its mouth have been known to embark on them as innocent coolies and -then suddenly rise, overpower the crew and seize the ship. For these -vessels, besides conveying specie and cargo, have generally a number of -wealthy Chinese passengers aboard, who frequently carry large sums of -money with them.</p> - -<p>The <em>Heungshan</em> cast off from the crowded, bustling wharf and threaded -her way out of Hong Kong harbour between the numerous merchant ships -lying at anchor. In between Lantau and the mainland we steamed over the -placid water of what seemed an inland lake. The shallow sea is here so -covered with islands that it is generally as smooth as a mill‐pond. -Past stately moving junks and fussy little steam launches we held our -way.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">237</a></span> Islands and mainland rising in green hills from the water’s edge -hemmed in the narrow channel. In about two and a half hours we sighted -Macao. We saw ahead of us a low eminence covered with the buildings of -a European‐looking town. Behind it rose a range of bleak mountains. -We passed along by a gently curving bay lined with houses and fringed -with trees, rounded a cape, and entered the natural harbour which -lies between low hills. It was crowded with junks and sampans. In the -middle lay a trim Portuguese gunboat, the <em>Zaire</em>, three‐masted, with -white superstructure and funnel and black hull. The small Canton‐Macao -steamer was moored to the wharf.</p> - -<p>The quay was lined with Chinese houses, two‐ or three‐storied, with -arched verandahs. The <em>Heungshan</em> ran alongside, the hawsers were -made fast, and gangways run ashore. The Chinese passengers, carrying -their baggage, trooped on to the wharf. One of them in his hurry -knocked roughly against a Portuguese Customs officer who caught him -by the pigtail and boxed his ears in reward for his awkwardness. It -was a refreshing sight after the pampered and petted way in which the -Chinaman is treated by the authorities in Hong Kong. There the lowest -coolie can be as impertinent as he likes to Europeans, for he knows -that the white man who ventures to chastise him for his insolence will -be promptly summoned to appear before a magistrate and fined. Our -treatment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">238</a></span> of the subject races throughout our Empire errs chiefly in -its lack of common justice to the European.</p> - -<p>Seated in a ricksha, pulled and pushed by two coolies up steep -streets, I was finally deposited at the door of the Boa Vista Hotel. -This excellent hostelry—which the French endeavoured to secure for a -naval hospital, and which has since been purchased by the Portuguese -Government—was picturesquely situated on a low hill overlooking the -town. The ground on one side fell sharply down to the sea which lapped -the rugged rocks and sandy beach two or three hundred feet below. On -the other, from the foot of the hill, a pretty bay with a tree‐shaded -esplanade—called the Praia Grande—stretched away to a high cape about -a mile distant. The bay was bordered by a line of houses, prominent -among which was the Governor’s Palace. Behind them the city, built on -rising ground, rose in terraces. The buildings were all of the Southern -European type, with tiled roofs, Venetian‐shuttered windows, and walls -painted pink, white, blue, or yellow. Away in the heart of the town the -gaunt, shattered <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">façade</span> of a ruined church stood on a slight eminence. -Here and there small hills crowned with the crumbling walls of ancient -forts rose up around the city.</p> - -<p>Eager for a closer acquaintance with Macao, I drove out that afternoon -in a ricksha. I was whirled first along the Praia Grande, which runs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">239</a></span> -around the curving bay below the hotel. On the right‐hand side lay a -strongly built sea‐wall. On the tree‐shaded promenade between it and -the roadway groups of the inhabitants of the city were enjoying the -cool evening breeze. Sturdy little Portuguese soldiers in dark‐blue -uniforms and <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">képis</span></em> strolled along in two and threes, ogling the -yellow or dark‐featured Macaese ladies, a few of whom wore mantillas. -Half‐caste youths, resplendent in loud check suits and immaculate -collars and cuffs, sat on the sea‐wall or, airily puffing their cheap -cigarettes, sauntered along the promenade with languid grace. Grave -citizens walked with their families, the prettier portion of whom -affected to be demurely unconscious of the admiring looks of the -aforesaid dandies. A couple of priests in shovel hats and long, black -cassocks moved along in the throng.</p> - -<p>The left side of the Praia was lined with houses, among which were -some fine buildings, including the Government, Post and Telegraph -Bureaus, commercial offices, private residences, and a large mansion, -with two projecting wings, the Governor’s Palace. At the entrance -stood a sentry, while the rest of the guard lounged near the doorway. -At the end of the Praia Grande were the pretty public gardens, shaded -by banyan trees, with flower‐beds, a bandstand, and a large building -beyond it—the Military Club. Past the gate of the Gardens the road -turned away from the sea and ran between<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">240</a></span> rows of Chinese houses until -it reached the long, tree‐bordered Estrada da Flora. On the left lay -cultivated land. On the right the ground sloped gently back to a bluff -hill, on which stood a lighthouse, the oldest in China. At the foot -of this eminence lay the pretty summer residence of the Governor, -picturesquely named Flora, surrounded by gardens and fenced in by a -granite wall. Continuing under the name of Estrada da Bella Vista, the -road ran on to the sea and turned to the left around a flower‐bordered, -terraced green mound, at the summit of which was a look‐out whence -a charming view was obtained. From this the mound derives the name -of Bella Vista. In front lay a shallow bay. To the left the shore -curved round to a long, low, sandy causeway, which connects Macao with -the island of Heung Shan. Midway on this stood a masonry gateway, -Porta Cerco, which marks the boundary between Portuguese and Chinese -territory. Hemmed in by a sea‐wall, the road continued from Bella Vista -along above the beach, past the isthmus, on which was a branch road -leading to the Porta, by a stretch of cultivated ground, and round the -peninsula, until it reached the city again.</p> - -<p>After dinner that evening, accompanied by a friend staying at the -same hotel, I strolled down to the Public Gardens, where the police -band was playing and the “beauty and fashion” of Macao assembled. -They were crowded with gay promenaders.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">241</a></span> Trim Portuguese naval or -military officers, brightly dressed ladies, soldiers, civilians, -priests and laity strolled up and down the walks or sat on the benches. -Sallow‐complexioned children chased each other round the flower‐beds. -Opposite the bandstand stood a line of chairs reserved for the Governor -and his party. We met some acquaintances among the few British -residents in the colony; and one of them, being an honorary member of -the Military Club situated at one end of the Gardens, invited us into -it. We sat at one of the little tables on the terrace, where the <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">élite</span> -of Macao drank their coffee and liqueurs, and watched the gay groups -promenading below. The scene was animated and interesting, thoroughly -typical of the way in which Continental nations enjoy outdoor life, -as the English never can. Hong Kong, with all its wealth and large -European population, has no similar social gathering‐place; and its -citizens wrap themselves in truly British unneighbourly isolation.</p> - -<p>The government of Macao is administered from Portugal. The Governor -is appointed from Europe; and the local Senate is vested solely with -the municipal administration of the colony. The garrison consists of -Portuguese artillerymen to man the forts and a regiment of Infantry of -the Line, relieved regularly from Europe. There is also a battalion -of police, supplemented by Indian and Chinese constables—the former -recruited among the natives<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">242</a></span> of the Portuguese territory of Goa on -the Bombay coast, though many of the sepoys hail from British India. -A gunboat is generally stationed in the harbour. The troubles all -over China in 1900 had a disturbing influence even in this isolated -Portuguese colony. An attack from Canton was feared in Macao as well as -in Hong Kong; and the utmost vigilance was observed by the garrison. -One night heavy firing was heard from the direction of the Porta -Cerco, the barrier on the isthmus. It was thought that the Chinese -were at last descending on the settlement. The alarm sounded and the -troops were called out. Sailors were landed from the <em>Zaire</em> with -machine‐guns. A British resident in Macao told me that so prompt were -the garrison in turning out that in twenty minutes all were at their -posts and every position for defence occupied. At each street‐corner -stood a strong guard; and machine‐guns were placed so as to prevent -any attempt on the part of the Chinese in the city to aid their -fellow‐countrymen outside. However, it was found that the alarm was -occasioned by the villagers who lived just outside the boundary, firing -on the guards at the barrier in revenge for the continual insults to -which their women, when passing in and out to market in Macao, were -subjected by the Portuguese soldiers at the gate. No attack followed -and the incident had no further consequences. At the close of 1901 or -the beginning of 1902, more serious alarm was caused by the conduct<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">243</a></span> -of the regiment recently arrived from Portugal in relief. Dissatisfied -with their pay or at service in the East, the men mutinied and -threatened to seize the town. The situation was difficult, as they -formed the major portion of the garrison. Eventually, however, the -artillerymen, the police battalion, and the sailors from the <em>Zaire</em> -succeeded in over‐awing and disarming them. The ringleaders were seized -and punished, and that incident closed.</p> - -<p>The European‐born Portuguese in the colony are few and consist chiefly -of the Government officials and their families and the troops. They -look down upon the Macaese—as the colonials are called—with the -supreme contempt of the pure‐blooded white man for the half‐caste. For, -judging from their complexions and features, few of the Macaese are of -unmixed descent. So the Portuguese from Europe keep rigidly aloof from -them and unbend only to the few British and Americans resident in the -colony. These are warmly welcomed in Macao society and freely admitted -into the exclusive official circles.</p> - -<p>On the day following my arrival, I went in uniform to call upon the -Governor in the palace on the Praia Grande. Accompanied by a friend, -I rickshaed from the hotel to the gate of the courtyard. The guard at -the entrance saluted as we approached; and I endeavoured to explain the -reason of our coming to the sergeant in command. English and French -were both beyond his understanding;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">244</a></span> but he called to his assistance -a functionary, clad in gorgeous livery, who succeeded in grasping the -fact that we wished to see the aide‐de‐camp to the Governor. He ushered -us into a waiting‐room opening off the spacious hall. In a few minutes -a smart, good‐looking officer in white duck uniform entered. He was the -aide‐de‐camp, Senhor Carvalhaes. Speaking in fluent French, he informed -us that the Governor was not in the palace but would probably soon -return, and invited us to wait. He chatted pleasantly with us, gave us -much interesting information about Macao, and proffered his services -to make our stay in Portuguese territory as enjoyable as he could. We -soon became on very friendly terms and he accepted an invitation to -dine with us at the hotel that night. The sound of the guard turning -out and presenting arms told us that the Governor had returned. Senhor -Carvalhaes, praying us to excuse him, went out to inform his Excellency -of our presence. In a few minutes the Governor entered and courteously -welcomed us to Macao. He spoke English extremely well; although he -had only begun to learn it since he came to the colony not very long -before. After a very pleasant and friendly interview with him we took -our departure, escorted to the door by the aide‐de‐camp.</p> - -<p>On the following day I paid some calls on the British and American -residents and then went down to the English tennis‐ground, which is -situated close<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">245</a></span> to Bella Vista. Here, in the afternoons, the little -colony of aliens in Macao generally assemble. The consuls and their -wives and families, with a few missionaries and an occasional merchant, -make up their number. Close by the tennis‐courts, in a high‐walled -enclosure shaded by giant banyans, lies the English cemetery.</p> - -<p>That night a civilian from Hong Kong, Mr. Ivan Grant‐Smith, and I had -an unpleasant adventure which illustrates the scant respect with which -the ægis of British power is regarded abroad. We are prone to flatter -ourselves that the world stands in awe of our Empire’s might, that the -magic words, “I am an English citizen!” will bear us scatheless through -any danger. The following instance—by no means an isolated one—of how -British subjects are often treated by the meanest officials of other -States may be instructive.</p> - -<p>We had dined that evening at the house of one of the English residents -in Macao. The dinner, which was to celebrate the birthday of his son, -was followed by a dance; so that it was after one o’clock in the -morning before we left to walk back to the hotel, about a mile away. -Leaving the main streets, we tried a short cut along a lonely road -hemmed in by high garden walls. The ground on one side sloped up, -so that the level of the enclosures was but little below the top of -the wall fronting the road. As we passed one garden some dogs inside -it, roused by our voices, climbed on the wall and began to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">246</a></span> bark -persistently at us. In the vain hope of silencing them, Grant‐Smith -threw a few stones at the noisy animals. They barked all the more -furiously. A small gate in the wall a little distance farther on -suddenly opened and a half‐dressed Portuguese appeared. I had happened -to stop to light a cigar, and my companion had gone on ahead. The -new‐comer on the scene rushed at him and poured forth a torrent of what -was evidently abuse. My friend very pacifically endeavoured to explain -by gestures what had happened; but the Portuguese, becoming still more -enraged, shouted for the police patrol and blew a whistle loudly. -An Indian constable ran up. The infuriated citizen spoke to him in -Portuguese and then returned inside his garden, closing the gate. The -sepoy seized Mr. Grant‐Smith by the shoulder. I asked him in Hindustani -what my friend had done. The constable replied that he did not know. I -said, “Then why do you arrest the sahib?”</p> - -<p>“Because that man”—pointing to the garden—“told me to do so.”</p> - -<p>“Who is he?” I demanded, naturally concluding that we must have -disturbed the slumbers of some official whom the sepoy recognised.</p> - -<p>To my astonishment he replied—</p> - -<p>“I do not know, sahib. I never saw him before.”</p> - -<p>As Grant‐Smith was ignorant of Hindustani and the Indian of English, I -was forced to act as interpreter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">247</a></span></p> - -<p>“Then,” said I, “as you don’t know of what the sahib is guilty or even -the name of his accuser, you must release him.”</p> - -<p>“I cannot, sahib. I must take him to the police‐station.”</p> - -<p>Another Indian constable now came on the scene. I explained matters -to him and insisted on his entering the garden and fetching out the -complainant. He went in, and in a few minutes returned with the -Portuguese hastily clad. He was in a very bad temper at being again -disturbed; for, thinking that he had comfortably disposed of us for the -night, he had calmly gone to bed.</p> - -<p>We all now proceeded to a small police‐station about a mile away, -passing the hotel on the road. Furious at the unjust arrest and -irritated at the coolness of the complainant and the stupidity of the -sepoy, my friend and I were anxious to see some superior authority. We -never doubted that a prompt release and apology, as well as a reprimand -to the over‐zealous constable, would immediately follow. British -subjects were not to be treated in this high‐handed fashion!</p> - -<p>Arrived at the station, we found only a Portuguese constable, with -a Chinese policeman lying asleep on a guard‐bed in the corner. The -accuser now came forward and charged my companion with “throwing -stones at a dwelling‐house,” as the Indians informed me. Using them -to interpret, I endeavoured to explain the affair to the Portuguese -constable. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">248</a></span> simply shrugged his shoulders, wrote down the charge, -and said that the prisoner must be taken to the Head Police Office for -the night. He added that, there being no charge against me, I was not -concerned in the matter, and could go home.</p> - -<p>However, as my unfortunate friend required me as interpreter, I had no -intention of abandoning him, and accompanied him when he was marched -off to durance vile. The Portuguese policeman at first wished to send -him under the charge of the Chinese constable, whom he woke up for the -purpose; but we explained that if such an indignity were offered us we -would certainly refuse to go quietly with the Chinaman and might damage -him on the way. He then allowed the Indian sepoys, who were very civil, -to escort us. My luckless companion was then solemnly marched through -the town until the Head Police Office was reached, over two miles away. -It was a rambling structure in the heart of the city, with ancient -buildings and tree‐shaded courts. Down long corridors and across a -grass‐grown yard we were led into a large office. A half‐open door in -a partition on the left bore the inscription, “Quarto del Sargento.” -On the right, behind a large screen, a number of Portuguese policemen -lay asleep on beds. The sepoys roused a sergeant, who sat up grumbling -and surveyed us with little friendliness. The scene was rather amusing. -My friend and I in correct evening dress, as haughtily indignant as -Britishers should be under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">249</a></span> such circumstances, the Indian sepoys -standing erect behind us, the surly complainant, whom the light of the -office lamps revealed to be a very shoddy and common individual, the -half‐awakened policemen gazing sleepily at us from their beds, would -have made a capital tableau in a comedy. The sergeant rose and put -on his uniform. Seating himself at a table in the office he read the -charge. Without further ado he ordered a bed to be brought down and -placed for the prisoner in the empty “Quarto del Sargento.” He then -rose from the table and prepared to retire. I stopped him and demanded -that our explanation should be listened to. I told him, through the -interpreters, that if the ridiculous charge against my friend was -to be proceeded with, he could be found at the hotel. There was no -necessity for confining him for the night, as he could not leave -Macao without the knowledge of the authorities. The sergeant curtly -replied that as there was no complaint against me I had better quit -the police‐station as soon as possible. If I wished to give evidence -for my friend, I could attend at the magistrate’s court in the morning -and do so. I informed him that I was an officer in the British Army, -and demanded to see a Portuguese officer. He replied that he was a -sergeant, and quite officer enough for me. His manner throughout was -excessively overbearing and offensive. I then threatened to appeal to -the British Consul. I am afraid that this only amused the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">250</a></span> Portuguese -policemen, who had left their beds to come into the office and listen -to the affair. They laughed amusedly; and the sergeant, smiling grimly, -bade the interpreting sepoy tell me that he did not care a snap of -his fingers for our Consul. I then played my trump card. I demanded -that a message should be immediately conveyed to the aide‐de‐camp -of the Governor, to the effect that one of his English friends with -whom he had dined the previous night had been arrested. The effect -was electrical. As soon as my speech had been translated to them, all -the Portuguese policemen became at once extremely civil. The sergeant -rushed to a telephone and rang up the police officer on duty. I caught -the words “ufficiales Inglesos” and “amigos del Senhor Carvalhaes.” -After a long conversation over the wire he returned smiling civilly, -saluted, and said that my companion could leave the station at once. -Would he have the supreme kindness to attend at the magistrate’s court -at ten o’clock in the morning? If he did not know where it was, a -constable would be sent to the hotel to guide him.</p> - -<p>We marched out with the honours of war. With profuse courtesy we were -escorted out of the police‐station, a sentry shouldering arms to us as -we passed; and the sergeant accompanied us to the outer gate, where he -parted from us with an elaborate salute.</p> - -<p>We reached the hotel about 3.30 a.m. Before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">251</a></span> nine o’clock I presented -myself at the palace, where I interviewed Senhor Carvalhaes and -recounted the whole affair to him. He was indignant at the conduct of -the police. He told me that we need not attend the court, as he would -settle the matter himself. Later on my friend and I saw the British -Consul, whom we knew personally, and told him all that had happened. -He said that he could not have helped us in the least had we appealed -to him. Some time previous an English colonel, in company with several -ladies, had been arrested by the police for not removing his hat when -a religious procession passed. As this officer happened to be a Roman -Catholic, his action was not meant to be disrespectful. He was not -released until the British Consul had interviewed the Governor. By a -curious coincidence I met this colonel some months later in Seöul, the -capital of Corea.</p> - -<p>That afternoon Grant‐Smith and I were invited to the Portuguese Naval -Tennis Club ground near Flora, the Governor’s summer residence. -Carvalhaes, who was present, came to me and told me that the affair -was settled. The trumpery charge had been dismissed; and the Indian -constable who had arrested Grant‐Smith had been punished with six -weeks’ imprisonment. As the unfortunate sepoy had only done what he -considered his duty and had been very civil throughout, as well as -helping me considerably by interpreting, I begged that the punishment -should be transferred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">252</a></span> from him to the discourteous Portuguese -sergeant. On my representations the Indian was released; but I doubt if -the man of the dominant caste received even a reprimand.</p> - -<p>Our adventure was now common property. We were freely chaffed about the -arrest by the Portuguese officers and the British residents present at -the Tennis Club. The wife of the Governor laughingly bade one of the -English ladies bring up the “prisoner” and present him to her.</p> - -<p>When one reflects that this quaint and old‐world little Portuguese -colony is only forty miles from Hong Kong with its large garrison, our -treatment by its insolent subordinate officials does not say much for -the respect for England’s might which we imagine is felt throughout the -world.</p> - -<p>I had another experience of an arrest in Japan. The spy mania is rife -in that country; and no photographing is permitted in the fortified -seaports or in large tracts of country “reserved for military -purposes.” In the important naval station of Yukosŭka, an hour’s -journey by train from Yokohama, an American gentleman and I were taken -into custody by a policeman for merely carrying a camera which, knowing -the regulations, we had been careful not to use. We found afterwards -that our ricksha coolies had given information. I was fortunately able -to speak Japanese sufficiently well to explain to our captor that we -had no intention of taking surreptitious photographs of the warships -in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">253</a></span> the harbour. I pointed out that as most of these vessels had been -built in England it was hardly necessary for a Britisher to come to -Japan to get information about them. Our little policeman—with the -ready capacity of his countrymen for seeing the feeblest joke—was -immensely tickled. He laughed heartily and released us. But shortly -afterwards an Italian officer, on his way to attend the Japanese -military manœuvres, innocently took some photographs of the scenery -near Shimoneseki. He was promptly arrested and subsequently fined forty -yen (£4) for the offence. A few days later an Englishman at Moji was -taken into custody for the same crime. Moral: do not carry a camera in -Japan; content yourself with the excellent and cheap photographs to be -obtained everywhere in that country of delightful scenery.</p> - -<p>To return to Macao. Its greatly advertised attraction is the famous -Chinese gambling‐houses, from the taxes on which is derived a large -portion of the revenues of the colony. Most visitors go to see them and -stake a dollar or two on the <em>fan‐tan</em> tables. I did likewise and was -disappointed to find the famed saloons merely small Chinese houses, -the interiors glittering with tawdry gilt wood carving and blazing -at night with evil‐smelling oil lamps. On the ground floor stands a -large table, at the head of which sits the <em>croupier</em>, generally a -very bored‐looking old Chinaman. Along the sides are the players, -who occasionally lose the phlegmatic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">254</a></span> calm of their race in their -excitement. On the “board” squares are described, numbered 1, 2, 3, -and 4. On them the money is staked. The <em>croupier</em> places a handful -of “cash,” which are small coins, on the table and covers them with -an inverted bowl. The number of them is not counted, as he takes them -at random from a pile beside him. As soon as all the stakes are laid -down, he lifts the bowl and with a chopstick counts the coins in -fours. The number left at the end, which must be one, two, three, or -four, represents the winning number. The bank pays three times the -stake deposited, less ten per cent., which is kept as its own share -of the winnings. In a gallery overhead sit European visitors and more -important Chinamen who do not wish to mix with the common herd around -the table. Their stakes are collected by an attendant who lowers them -in a bag at the end of a long string, and the <em>croupier</em> places them -where desired. <em>Fan‐tan</em> is not exciting. The counting of the coins -is tedious and the calculations of the amounts to be paid out to the -winners takes so long that the game becomes exceedingly wearisome.</p> - -<p>Other attractions of Macao are the ruins of the old cathedral of San -Paulo, built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835, of which the <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">façade</span> -still remains in good preservation; and the Gardens of Camoens, with -a bust of the famous Portuguese poet placed in a picturesque grotto -formed by a group of huge boulders. Camoens visited Macao,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">255</a></span> after -voyaging to Goa and the East by way of the Cape of Good Hope.</p> - -<p>In the basements of some of the older houses in Macao are the -Barracoons, relics of the coolie traffic suppressed in 1874. They -are large chambers where the coolies, to be shipped as labourers to -foreign parts, were lodged while awaiting exportation. Among other -points of interest near the city is the curious natural phenomenon -known as the Ringing Rocks. They are reached by boat to Lappa. They -consist of a number of huge granite boulders, supposed to be of some -metallic formation, picturesquely grouped together, which, when struck, -give out a clear bell‐like note, which dies away in gradually fainter -vibrations. Altogether Macao is well worthy of a visit. The contrast -between the sleepy old‐world city, which looks like a town in Southern -Europe, and bustling, thriving Hong Kong, all that is modern and -business‐like, is very striking. For the moneymaker the English colony; -for the dreamer Macao.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">256</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_XI"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER XI</span><br /> - -A GLIMPSE OF CANTON</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap2">CANTON is, to foreigners, probably the best‐known and most frequently -visited city of China. Its proximity to, and ready accessibility -from Hong Kong, whence it is easily reached by a line of large river -steamers, renders it a favourite place with travellers to the East to -spend a portion of the time the mailboats usually stop in the English -harbour. A small colony of Europeans, consuls and merchants of several -nationalities, reside in its foreign settlement. Its considerable trade -and its occupation by the Allies after the war of 1856‐7 directed much -attention to it. Owing to its easy access, no other city in the Chinese -Empire has been so frequently described by European writers. Rudyard -Kipling, in his fascinating “From Sea to Sea,” paints a marvellous -word‐picture of the life in its crowded streets. But it is so bound up -with the interests of Hong Kong, its constant menace to our colony, -and the suspected designs of French aggression, that still something -new may be said about it. Despite its constant trade intercourse with -Europeans, Canton remains anti‐foreign. Its inhabitants have not -forgotten or forgiven its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">257</a></span> capture and occupation by the English and -French in the past. After the Boxer movement in the North in 1900, -many fears were entertained in Hong Kong lest a still more formidable -outbreak against foreigners in the South might be inaugurated by the -turbulent population of the restless city. The Europeans in Canton -sent their families in haste to Hong Kong and Macao; wealthy Chinamen -transferred their money to the banks in the former place; gunboats -were hurried up; and the garrison of our island colony stood ready. -The history of Canton’s intercourse with foreigners dates as far back -as the eighth century. Two hundred years later it was visited by Arab -traders, who were instrumental in introducing Mohammedanism, which -still remains alive in the city. In 1517 Emmanuel, King of Portugal, -sent an ambassador with a fleet of eight ships to Pekin; and the -Chinese Emperor sanctioned the opening of trade relations with Canton. -The English were much later in the field. In 1596, during the reign of -Elizabeth, our first attempt to establish intercourse with China ended -disastrously, as the two ships despatched were lost on the outward -voyage. The first English vessel to reach Canton arrived there in -1634. In the light of the present state of affairs in the East, it is -curious to note that an English ship which visited China in 1673 was -subsequently refused admittance to Japan. In 1615 the city was captured -by the Tartars.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">258</a></span></p> - -<p>About half a century later the famous East India Company established -itself under the walls of Canton, and from there controlled the foreign -trade for nearly one hundred and fifty years. After much vexatious -interference by the native authorities, the influence of the Company -was abolished early in the nineteenth century. The conduct of the -Chinese Government as regards our commerce led to our declaring war in -1839. In 1841 a force under Sir Hugh (afterwards Lord) Gough surrounded -Canton and prepared to capture it. But negotiations were opened by -the Chinese, which ended in their being allowed to ransom the city -by the payment of the large sum of six million dollars. The war was -transferred farther north and ended with the Nanking Treaty of August, -1842, which threw open to foreign trade the ports of Shanghai, Ning‐po, -Foochow, and Amoy. It was further stipulated that foreigners were to -be permitted to enter the city of Canton. This provision, however, the -Chinese refused to carry out. More vexatious quarrels and an insult to -the British flag by the seizure of a Chinaman on the <em>Arrow</em>, a small -vessel sailing under our colours, led to a fresh war in 1856. The -outbreak of hostilities was followed by the pillaging and destruction -of the “factories” of the foreign merchants in Canton by an infuriated -mob in the December of that year. In 1857 the city was taken by storm -by a force under Sir Charles Straubenzee. For four years afterwards it -was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">259</a></span> occupied by an English and French garrison. The affairs of the -city were administered by three allied commissioners—two English and -one French officer—under the British General. They held their court in -the Tartar General’s Yamen, part of which is still used by the English -Consul for official receptions. Since the allied garrison was withdrawn -Canton has been freely open to foreigners.</p> - -<p>On the conclusion of peace it was necessary to find a settlement for -the European merchants whose factories had been destroyed. It was -determined to fill in and appropriate an extensive mud‐flat lying -near the north bank of the river and south‐west of the city. This -site having been leased, was converted into an artificial island by -building a massive embankment of granite and constructing a canal, 100 -feet wide, between the northern face and the adjacent Chinese suburb. -The ground thus reclaimed measures about 950 yards in length and 320 -yards broad in its widest part. It is in shape an irregular oval, and -is called Shameen, or, more proper, Sha‐mien, <em>i.e.</em> sand‐flats. The -island is divided into the English and the French Concessions. On it -the consulates and the residences of the foreign merchants are built. -The canal is crossed by two bridges, called respectively the English -and the French, which can be closed by gates. They are guarded by the -Settlement police. The cost of making the island amounted to 325,000 -dollars (Mex.); of which the English Government<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">260</a></span> paid four‐fifths and -the French one‐fifth. At first foreigners hesitated to occupy it; but -after the British Consulate was erected in 1865, our merchants began to -build upon it with more confidence.</p> - -<p>The journey from Hong Kong to Canton is very comfortably performed -on the commodious shallow‐draught steamers that ply between the two -cities. I left the island one afternoon with a party of friends. The -scenery along the rugged coast and among the hilly islands to the flat -delta at the mouth of the estuary with its countless creeks, still -haunted by pirates, is charming. As we steamed up the river we could -see, moving apparently among the fields, the huge sails of junks which -in reality were sailing on the canals that intersect the country. After -dinner I sat on deck with a very charming companion and watched the -shadowy banks gliding past in the moonlight. Turning in for the night -in a comfortable cabin, I slept until eight o’clock next morning, and -awoke to find the steamer alongside the river bank at Canton.</p> - -<p>The scene from the deck was animated and picturesque. On one side lay -the crowded houses and grim old walls of the city. The wharves were -thronged with bustling crowds. On the other, beyond the island suburb -of Honam, the country stretched away in cultivation to low hills in the -distance. The river was thronged with countless covered boats; for the -floating population of Canton amounts to about a quarter of a million -souls, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">261</a></span> the crowded sampans lying in a dense mass on the water form -a separate town from the city on the land. It is almost self‐containing -and its inhabitants ply every imaginable trade. Peddlers of food, -vegetables, fruit, pots, pans, and wares of all kinds paddled their -boats along and shouted their stock‐in‐trade. Here and there a sampan -was being extricated with difficulty from the closely packed mass, its -crew earning voluble curses from their neighbours as they disentangled -their craft and shot out into the stream.</p> - -<p>I gazed over the steamer’s side at the crowded wharf. Chinese or -half‐caste Portuguese Customs officers rapidly scanned the baggage of -the pig‐tailed passengers as they landed, now and then stopping one and -making him open the bundles he carried. Opium‐smuggling is the chief -thing they guard against, for Hong Kong is a free port.</p> - -<p>The city of Canton lies on the north bank of the Pearl River, about -seventy or eighty miles from the sea. It is surrounded by an irregular -masonry wall, twenty‐five feet high, twenty feet thick, and six or -seven miles in circumference. This fortification is by no means as -strong as the famous Wall of the Tartar city in Pekin and could be -easily breached by the fire of heavy guns. Good artillery positions are -to be found all round. A few miles north of the city lie hills rising -1,200 feet above the river. As the southern wall is only a few hundred -yards from the bank, it could be destroyed and the city<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">262</a></span> bombarded -without difficulty by gunboats, some of which—English, French, and -German—are nearly always lying off Shameen. The Chinese, however, are -reported to be quietly erecting modern, well‐armed forts around the -city; but were a powerful flotilla once anchored opposite it, it would -be doomed.</p> - -<p>Canton is divided into the old and the new city. The latter, the -southern enclosure, was added in 1568, extending the ramparts almost -to the river bank. The wall of the older portion still divides the two -as in Pekin. On the north this wall rises to include a hill. On the -other three sides Canton is surrounded by a ditch, which is filled by -the rising tide. There are twelve outer gates and four in the partition -wall. Two water‐gates admit boats along a canal which pierces the new -city east and west. The gates are closed at night; and in the daytime -soldiers are stationed near them to preserve order. As the policing of -the city is very bad, the inhabitants of streets and wards frequently -join in maintaining guards for the protection of their respective -quarters.</p> - -<p>The old city, which is very much the larger of the two, contains most -of the important buildings. In it are the yamens of the Viceroy, the -Major‐General, the Treasurer, the Chancellor, the Tartar General and -Major‐General, and of the British Consul, as well as the prisons, the -Examination Hall, the pagodas, and the numerous temples, of which -there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">263</a></span> are over 120 in or about Canton. The streets number over 600 in -both cities.</p> - -<p>In the new town facing the river is the French Missions Roman Catholic -Cathedral, a beautiful building of the perpendicular Gothic style of -architecture with lofty spires. It is embellished with magnificent -stained‐glass windows and polished teak‐wood carvings. It is built on -the site of the old residence of the Governor‐General, destroyed during -the bombardment by the Allies.</p> - -<p>On the south, west, and east sides of the city and across the river -on Honam Island, suburbs have sprung up, and including them it has a -circumference of nearly ten miles. The houses stretch for four miles -along the river; and the banks of boats extend for four or five miles. -Out in the stream may often be seen huge junks 600 to 1,000 tons -burden, which trade with the North and the Straits Settlements.</p> - -<p>In 1874 the population of Canton was 1,500,000, including the floating -town of 230,000, and the inhabitants of Honam 100,000. The number has -probably largely increased.</p> - -<p>Going ashore we installed ourselves in long‐poled open chairs, borne -by energetic coolies. As they went along rapidly at a shambling -half‐trot, they shouted loudly to the lounging crowds to clear the -way. Into the network of narrow streets in the city we plunged. The -houses are different to those in Pekin. They are generally of more -than one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">264</a></span> story, well built of brick, with thick walls and verandahs -along the fronts of the upper floors. The shops have little frontage, -but extend far back. The streets, paved with stone or brick, are -darkened by overhead reed matting, supported by wooden frames, which -stretch across them to shade them from the sun. So narrow are even the -principal thoroughfares that two chairs can hardly pass each other. -With much shouting and sing‐song abuse the coolies carrying one are -forced to back into the nearest shop and let the other go by. The -vistas along these narrow, shaded streets, with their long, hanging, -gilt‐lettered sign‐boards—red, white, or black—are full of quaint -charm. The busy crowds of Chinese foot passengers hurry silently along, -their felt‐soled shoes making no sound on the pavement. Contrary to -what I had always heard of them, the Canton populace struck me as not -being so insolent or hostile to Europeans as they are reputed. As our -chairs moved along, the bearers thrusting the crowds aside with scant -ceremony, very little notice was taken of us. A few remarks were made -by the bystanders, which one of our party, who spoke Cantonese, told me -were anything but complimentary. But all that day throughout the city I -found the demeanour of the people much less offensive than a Chinaman -in the lower quarters of London would.</p> - -<p>The shops were filled with articles of European manufacture. Clocks, -cloth, oleographs, lamps, kerosene<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">265</a></span> oil tins, even sewing‐machines were -for sale. Eating‐houses, tea shops, stalls covered with the usual weird -forms of food, raw or cooked, abounded. The Chinaman has a catholic -taste. Horseflesh, dogs, cats, hawks, owls, sharks’ fins, and birds’ -nests are freely sold in Canton for human consumption. Carpenters were -busy making the substantial furniture to be found in almost every -Chinese house. Blacksmiths and coppersmiths added the noises of their -trades to the din that resounded through the narrow streets. Peddlers -with their wares spread about them on the ground helped to choke the -congested thoroughfares. Beggars shouted loudly for alms and drew the -attention of the passers‐by to their disgusting sores and deformities.</p> - -<p>Canton is famous for its ivory carvers and the artists in the beautiful -feather work, the making of which seems to be confined to this city. -As I wished to purchase some specimens of this unique art, our party -stopped at an establishment famed for its production. The shop was -lofty but dark. The owner came forward to receive us, and spread on the -counter a large selection of ornaments for our inspection. Trinkets -of all kinds, lace‐pins, pendants, brooches were exhibited, all -evidently made for European purchasers. The designs were very pretty. -Large butterflies shone with the reflected lights and golden lustre of -the beautiful green and blue plumage of the kingfisher. Tiny fishes -delicately fashioned, birds of paradise, flowers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">266</a></span> were all reproduced -in flimsy gold or silver work. Learning that I was anxious to see the -process of the manufacture, the proprietor led me over to watch one -of the workmen who sat around busily employed. On a metal ground‐work -with raised edges and lines the feathers are fastened to reproduce -the colours of the designs. With nimble fingers and delicate pincers -the tiny strips of plumage are laid on and cemented. Keen sight is -required for the work; and the proprietor told me that the eyes of the -workmen engaged in it soon fail. It takes five years for an apprentice -to thoroughly learn the art; and after he has laboured at it for two -years more his vision becomes so obscured that he has to give it up -and seek some other occupation. It is little wonder; for the shops in -these narrow, shaded streets are always dark, and the artificial light -generally used is furnished only by the cheapest European lamps. The -prices of the various articles are very moderate, when one considers -the delicacy and beauty of the work. Butterflies an inch across can be -purchased for two or three dollars.</p> - -<p>Our next visit was paid to the workers in ivory. Here, in a -similarly dark shop, men were employed in carving most exquisitely -delicate flowers, scenes, and figures. Brushes, mirror‐frames, fans, -glove‐stretchers, penholders, card‐cases, and boxes of all sizes were -being fashioned and adorned. I was particularly interested in the -making of those curious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">267</a></span> Chinese puzzle‐balls, which contain one within -another a dozen or more spheres, all down to the innermost one covered -with beautiful carvings which can be seen through the round holes -pierced in the sides. The owner of the shop showed me an apprentice -learning how to make them and practising on an old billiard ball. -Holes are drilled down to the depth which will be the circumference -of the second outermost ball. A graving tool, hooked like a hoe, is -introduced into them and worked round until there is a complete solid -sphere detached inside. It is then carved in designs, every part being -reached by turning the ball round until each portion of the surface has -come opposite one of the holes through which the carving instrument can -reach it. Then a similar process is gone through at a greater depth -from the outside, which gives the third outermost sphere; and so on -until the innermost ball is reached, which is carved and left solid. -There are sometimes as many as twenty‐four of these graduated spheres. -To one who has never seen how they are made it seems impossible to -understand how these balls within balls are carved. Sections of -elephants’ tusks lay about in the shop to prove to the customers that -only real ivory is employed; but bone is often used in the making of -cheaper articles.</p> - -<p>In this trade, too, good sight is necessary; and the proprietor of -this establishment told me that the eyes of his workmen soon give out. -Here, again,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">268</a></span> the bad light was responsible. In Kioto, in Japan, I have -watched men engaged in damascene or inlay work in dingy attics lighted -only by small, smoky oil lamps, and was not surprised to learn that -their sight did not last long.</p> - -<p>We next inspected some embroidery shops, where specimens of wonderful -work, both new and old, were to be seen. The latter come chiefly from -the numerous pawnshops, the tall towers of which rise everywhere -throughout the city; for they receive annually large quantities of -old garments, sold by members of ancient but impoverished families -who are forced to part with the wardrobes that have come down to them -through many generations. Magnificent mandarins’ state costumes may be -obtained for from forty to eighty or a hundred dollars. Some of the -embroidery is undoubtedly antique and valuable; but a good deal of it -sold as old consists of new and inferior substitutions and even of -European‐manufactured imitations of the real article. This the white -man in his innocence buys and goes on his way rejoicing, until some -connoisseur among his female friends points out his error and leaves -him abashed at his own ignorance.</p> - -<p>Porcelain, jade, blackwood furniture, silk, bronze, and curio shops -abound in the city. The contrast between the energetic, business‐like -tradesmen of Canton, always ready to cater for the European market, and -the phlegmatic shopkeepers of Pekin is very marked.</p> - -<div class="figcenter chapter" id="illus16"> -<img src="images/illus16.jpg" width="600" height="429" alt="" /> -<p class="caption noindent">THE CANGUE</p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">269</a></span></p> - -<p>We now visited the Flowery Forest Monastery or Temple of the Five -Hundred Genii, which is said to have been founded in <span class="smcap">A.D.</span> -500, and which was rebuilt some forty years ago. It stands outside the -western wall of the city. It comprises many buildings and courts; but -the most interesting portion is the hall, which contains the images of -the five hundred disciples of Buddha. The statues are life‐size. Their -countenances are supposed to represent the supreme content of Nirvana; -but their weird and grotesque expressions and the air of jollity and -devil‐may‐careness on some of them is unintentionally ludicrous. Among -the images is one said to represent Marco Polo, one of the earliest -pioneers of discovery in the East. No one knows why the celebrated -Italian traveller is included among the immortals.</p> - -<p>A more interesting sight was the prison in the old city. On a stone -outside the open gate sat a criminal weighted down with the <em>cangue</em>, -a heavy board fastened round the neck. It prevents the luckless wearer -from using his hands to feed himself or brush away the tormenting -swarms of flies which settle on his face. He cannot reach his mouth, -and must starve unless a relative or some charitable person can be -found to give him food. As the <em>cangue</em> is never removed night or day -he cannot lie down, but is forced to sit on the ground and prop himself -against a wall and snatch what sleep he can in that uncomfortable and -constrained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">270</a></span> position. I must say that this particular gentleman seemed -very indifferent to his wooden collar. He was chatting pleasantly with -some passers‐by in the street and turned his head to survey us with -mild curiosity. The <em>cangue</em>, by the way, is only a minor penalty used -for thieves, petty larcenists, and such small fry. For the punishment -of graver crimes much more elaborate tortures have been reserved. As -we passed into the prison we saw a few offenders chained to iron bars -in the outer court. A Chinese warder unlocked a gate leading into a -small yard crowded with prisoners, who rushed towards us and insolently -demanded alms; for the Government waste no money in feeding their -criminals who are obliged to rely on the kindness of the charitable. -One particularly cheeky youth—a pickpocket, I was told—coolly -demanded the cigar I was smoking. When I gave it to him he put it in -his mouth and strutted up and down the yard to the amusement of his -companions in misfortune. His gratitude was not overpowering, for he -uttered some remarks, which my Cantonese‐speaking friend told me were -particularly insulting. As the prisoners became very troublesome in -their noisy demands, the warder pushed them back into the yard and shut -the gate, having to rap some of them over the knuckles with his keys -before he could do so. There were no especial horrors to be seen. The -prisoners seemed cheerful enough; and none of the awful misery I had -always associated with Chinese jails was apparent.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">271</a></span></p> - -<p>But when the Celestial authorities wish to punish an offender severely -they have a varied and ingenious collection of tortures on hand. The -<em>ling‐chi</em>, or death of a thousand cuts, is hardly to be surpassed -for fiendish cruelty. The unfortunate criminal is turned over to the -executioner, who stabs him everywhere with a sharp sword, carefully -avoiding a vital spot. Then he cuts off fingers, toes, hands, feet, -arms, and legs in succession, and finally severs the head, if the -unhappy wretch has not already expired. If the doomed man is possessed -of money he can bribe the executioner to kill him at the first blow; -and the subsequent mutilations are performed only on a lifeless corpse. -Another ingenious device is to place the criminal naked in a net and -trice it up tightly around him, until his flesh bulges out through the -meshes. Then, wherever it protrudes the executioner slices it off with -a sharp knife. The unhappy wretch is taken back to prison, released -from the net and thrown into a cell. No attempt is made to staunch the -blood or salve the wounds unless death is feared. This must be averted; -for a week or so later he has to be brought out again and the process -repeated. Along the river bank near Canton criminals were exposed in -cages, through the top of which their heads protruded in such a fashion -that the weight of the body was supported only by the chin and neck. -The feet did not touch the bottom of the cage, but a sharp spike was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">272</a></span> -placed to rest them on when the strain on the neck became unendurable. -Here the poor wretches were left to expire of exhaustion or die of -starvation. After such tortures beheading seems a merciful punishment.</p> - -<p>When I considered the Chinaman’s innate love of cruelty, I could -understand why the next spot we visited was a very popular place of -worship and a favourite resort for all the loafers of the city. It -was the Temple of Horrors. Along each side of the principal court ran -sheds, divided by partitions. In them behind wooden palings was a weird -collection of groups of figures modelled to represent the various -punishments of the Buddhist hell. The sheds were dark and it was -difficult to see the interiors plainly. But quite enough was visible. -In one compartment a couple of horrible devils were sawing a condemned -wretch in two. In another, demons were thrusting a man into a huge -boiler. Judging from the agonised expression on his face, the water -must have been uncomfortably warm. In a third, the condemned soul or -body was being ground in a press. Others were being roasted before huge -fires, stuck all over with knives, having their eyes gouged out, being -torn limb from limb. I fancy that the artist who designed these groups -could have commanded a large salary as Inventor of Tortures from the -Chinese authorities of his day.</p> - -<p>Another place of interest is the Examination<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">273</a></span> Hall, where every -three years candidates from all parts of China assemble to compete -for Government appointments. Young men and old, boys of eighteen and -dotards of eighty, attend, eager to grasp the lowest rung of the -official ladder which may lead them, though with soiled hands, to -rank and wealth. The coveted buttons which mark the various grades of -mandarin are here dangled before their eyes.</p> - -<p>When one reflects that success in these competitions will lead to -posts, not only as magistrates, but also as officers in the army, as -officials of modern‐equipped arsenals, of departments of customs and -telegraphs, or to positions which will bring them into contact with -foreigners, one naturally thinks that the previous course of studies -of the candidates will have fitted them for such appointments. Far -from it. At the examinations a single text from Confucius or some -other ancient author is set as a subject for a lengthy essay. For -twenty‐four hours or longer the candidates are shut up in their cells -to expand upon it. The examiners then read the result of their labours -and recommend them on their proficiency in composition and acquaintance -with the ancient classics of China. Even an English university -curriculum is better fitted to equip a student for success in the world.</p> - -<p>The Examination Hall consists of rows of closely‐packed lanes of small -brick cells (about 12,000 in number) running at right angles off a long -paved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">274</a></span> causeway, which is approached through an archway called the -Dragon Gate. At the far end of this causeway are apartments for the -examiners—twelve in number, two chiefs and ten juniors—who have been -sent from Pekin. Quarters are also provided for the Viceroy and the -Governor of the province, who are both obliged to be present during the -examinations. The cells in which the candidates are immured are 6 feet -high, 5½ feet long, and less than 4 feet broad, and open only on to -the narrow lanes between the rows of sheds. From a high tower strict -watch is kept to prevent any collusion between the competitors.</p> - -<p>Tired of sight‐seeing, our party now returned to the river and crossed -into Shameen by the small English Bridge spanning the canal between -island and shore. A good lunch at the pretty little hotel prepared us -for a stroll around the foreign settlement.</p> - -<p>Shameen is now a pretty island with fine avenues of banyan trees, -charming gardens, a row of excellent tennis‐courts, and handsome, -well‐built houses, the residences of the foreign consuls and merchants. -A tree‐shaded promenade lined the southern bank along the river. -Moored to the shore were several English, American, French, and German -gunboats. Their flags and the European‐looking houses made us almost -forget that we were still within a stone’s‐throw of a large Chinese -city. But the swarms of sampans, the curious country‐boats moved by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">275</a></span> -stern‐wheels worked by men on a treadmill‐like contrivance, the banging -of crackers and booming of gongs in a temple behind the island recalled -us to the remembrance. We walked along by the river bank, crossed the -canal by the French Bridge, and returned on board our steamer.</p> - -<p>Canton, with its acres of crowded houses, its old walls, and ancient -shrines, is a curious contrast to modern, up‐to‐date Hong Kong. Yet -each in its way is equally alive and humming with busy trade, for the -Chinese city exports and imports largely. It is the channel through -which the commerce of Europe flows in and the products of China -find their way out to the foreign markets. It manufactures largely -glassware, pottery, metal work, paper, blackwood furniture, preserved -ginger, medicine, etc. It is the granary and supply depôt of Hong Kong. -The Cantonese merchants are keen business men and cater largely for -the European customer. Nearly all the native silver work, embroidery, -silks, and curios in the large shops of our colony come from Canton.</p> - -<p>The focus of trade with Southern China, the proposed terminus of the -railway to Kowloon, the food‐supplier of Hong Kong, its development and -retention in Chinese hands is of vast importance to English commerce. -The French are freely credited with designs upon it. Their determined -efforts to firmly establish their own influence there and displace -the British favour the suspicion. In their Concession<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">276</a></span> on Shameen -they have established, without the consent of China, their own post -office, where they use their colonial stamps surcharged “Canton.” Their -gunboats anchor where they like in the river, the commanders calmly -ignoring the efforts of the Chinese officials to restrict them to the -part allotted to foreign warships. On the occurrence of any outrages -on their subjects or the converts of their missionaries, the French -consuls act with energy and determination. When any such happen in the -vicinity of Canton or up the West River, not content with complaints -or remonstrances to the Chinese authorities, which usually have little -effect, they insist on immediate redress. They generally accompany in -person the official deputed to proceed to the scene of the outrage -and investigate the affair. This energetic conduct is in marked -contrast to the supineness of some of our consuls. A late British -representative aroused much disgust among naval and military officers -and our merchants by his want of resolution and his tender regard for -Chinese susceptibilities. When one of our gunboats was fired on up -the river, its commander immediately reported the matter to him. Our -official feebly remonstrated with the authorities, and instructed the -commander to return with his ship to the village near the scene of the -outrage and fire off a Maxim into the river‐bank! This was to show the -misguided peasantry of what the gunboat was capable, if action were -necessary. As the Orientals<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">277</a></span> respect only those who can use as well -as show their power, the Chinese are not much impressed with us. The -contrast between our forbearance and the determined conduct of the -French is too marked. Their gunboats patrol the rivers and show the -flag of their country everywhere. Their efforts seem directed towards -spreading the region of their influence inland from the south to -meet the Russian sphere in the north. This is to cut us off from our -possessions in Burma and prevent any British railway being constructed -from that country to the eastern coast of China, thus tapping the -hitherto undeveloped resources of the interior.</p> - -<p>An attack on Canton from the sea would be a far more difficult task -now than formerly. The Bogue forts on the Pearl River, up which an -invading flotilla must force its way, have been modernised and re‐armed -with powerful guns. Hills are found within easy range of the river, -from which the gunboats and shallow‐draught vessels, which alone -could attempt the passage, could be shelled at a range precluding -any response from their feebler weapons. And the Chinese gunners are -not all to be despised, as Admiral Seymour’s column and the gallant -defenders of Tientsin found to their cost.</p> - -<p>The land approach would not be much easier. The country near the mouth -of the river is intersected by creeks and canals. Even farther up, no -roads are available for wheeled transport. An advance from the British -territory of the Kowloon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">278</a></span> Hinterland would probably be preferable to -a landing on the coast, though the route is longer. The hills beyond -Samchun might prove a formidable barrier; but those once passed -the difficulties would not be insuperable. The inhabitants of the -southern provinces are not warlike; and the troops there have not been -reorganised and disciplined like some in the north.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">279</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="CHAPTER_XII"><span class="smaller">CHAPTER XII</span><br /> - -CHINA—PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE</h2></div> - -<p class="drop-cap">LOOKING upon the map of China to‐day, England might well say with -Clive, “I stand amazed at my own moderation.” If thirty years ago she -had seized upon the whole of that vast empire, no other Power in the -world would have dared to say her nay. She was undisputed mistress of -the Eastern seas. Russia had not then reached the shores of the Pacific -and her hands were busily employed in the centre of Asia. Germany had -only just become a nation, and had not yet dreamt of contending with -England for the commerce of the world. France lay crushed beneath the -weight of an overwhelming defeat; and her voice was unheard in the -councils of the nations. The United States of America had no thought -of realms beyond the sea; their fleet was small, and the markets of -Asia held no temptation for their merchants. Japan was but a name. The -Meiji, the eventful revolution that freed her from the iron fetters of -hide‐bound ignorance, was scarcely ten years old; and even its authors -scarce dared to hope that their little islands would one day rank high -among the civilised Powers of the world.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">280</a></span></p> - -<p>And China itself, that unwieldy Colossus, lay a helpless prey to any -strong nation that placed aggrandisement before the claims of abstract -justice. The prize was tempting. An immense empire that stretched -from the snows of the North to the burning heats of the torrid zone; -a land of incredible fertility, of vast mineral wealth, the value of -which can even now be only vaguely guessed at; a teeming population of -industrious and easily‐contented millions; an enormous seaboard with -natural harbours that could shelter the navies of the world; navigable -rivers that pierced to the heart of the land and offered themselves as -veritable highways of commerce; all the riches that the earth could -bear on its surface or hide in its bosom—what a guerdon to the victor!</p> - -<p>The conquest of China might daunt the faint‐hearted from the apparent -immensity of the task; but few countries would have proved an easier -prize. Her army was composed of a heterogeneous collection of ill‐armed -militia, whose weapons were more frequently the spear and the bow than -the modern rifle. The Chinaman is, by nature, a lover of peace. War he -abhors; and the profession of a soldier, honoured among other races, is -held by him in utter contempt. Unpaid, uncared for, ill‐treated, and -despised, the troops had to be driven to battle and could not withstand -a determined attack. And behind them was no high‐spirited nation ready -to risk all in the defence of the motherland. Patriotism<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">281</a></span> is unknown. -The love of country, so strong in other peoples, is non‐existent in -the heart of the average Chinaman. With aught beyond the limits of -his village, he has no concern. No other race in the world can boast -so deep a love of family. To save his relatives from poverty, the -Celestial will go willingly to his death. According to their laws a -criminal cannot be slain unless he has confessed his crime. To wring -this confession from him, tortures inconceivable in their fiendish -malignity are heaped upon him. A speedy death would be a boon. But to -acknowledge his guilt and die by the hands of the public executioner -would entail the forfeiture of all his property to the State, and -his family would be beggared. So, grimly uncomplaining, he submits -for their sake to agonies that no white man could endure. A rich man -condemned to death can generally purchase a substitute, can find a -poverty‐stricken wretch willing to die in his stead for a sum of money -that will place his starving relatives in comparative affluence.</p> - -<p>All this the poor Chinaman will do for those he loves. How many white -men would do the same? But why should he die for his country? he asks. -Why sacrifice himself and those near and dear to him for the honour of -a shadowy Emperor? Why should he lay down his life that the officials -who oppress the poor and wrest his hard‐earned money from him may -flourish unmolested? He is told that the Japanese, yellow men like -himself, have invaded<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">282</a></span> the land and defeated the Imperial troops. Well, -the enemies are thousands of miles away from <em>him</em>, and the soldiers -are paid to fight. What is it to him that strangers have seized upon -some seaport, the name of which he has never heard before? Let those -whom it concerns go out and fight them. <em>His</em> duty is to stay at home -and till the ground that his family may not lack food.</p> - -<p>A few of the more enlightened Chinamen of the upper classes, those -who have lived abroad in Europe or America, in Australia, Hong Kong, -and the Straits Settlements, or who have been educated in European -colleges, may be inspired with the love of country as we understand -it. But have the leaders of the nation, the nobles and the mandarins, -ever been ready to sacrifice themselves for China? They batten on -its misfortunes. The higher in rank they are the readier they prove -themselves to intrigue with its enemies and sell their country for -foreign gold. They drive the common folk to battle and stay at home -themselves. The generals and the officers, with few exceptions, -are never found in front of their troops in action, unless when a -retirement is ordered. Occasionally isolated cases occur when a -defeated commander commits suicide. But it is generally because he -prefers an easy death by his own hand to the degradation and tortures -that await the vanquished general.</p> - -<p>To prate of the patriotism of the Chinese is as though one spoke of -the “patriotism of India.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">283</a></span>” Still, the latter is a favourite phrase -of some of our ignorant politicians who pose as the champions of -“the down‐trodden black brother.” They talk of India being made -self‐governing and wish to fill its Civil Service with “enlightened -natives.” They fail to see why a Calcutta Babu or a Bombay Parsee, who -boasts a university degree and has passed a brilliant examination, -should not be set to rule over a Punjaub district or to deal with the -unruly Pathans on the frontier. They do not realise that Englishmen -would sooner submit to be governed by the knout of a Russian official -than the haughty Sikh or fierce Pathan would endure the sway of men -they regard as lower than dogs. Our Indian Empire is composed of a -hundred warring nations, all different in speech, in blood, almost -in religions. We, the dominant race, hold them all in the <em>Pax -Britannica</em>, and keep them from each other’s throats.</p> - -<p>In like manner few realise that China is not a united and homogeneous -nation. It consists of many provinces, the inhabitants of which belong -practically to different races and speak in different tongues. They -have little intercourse or sympathy with each other. Inter‐village -wars are almost as frequent as among Pathans. Rebellions are common -occurrences. The Mohammedans hold themselves aloof and regard the other -Chinese with little love. The written language is the same throughout -China; but the man of Canton cannot speak with the inhabitant of Pekin -or the coolie from Amoy. Occasionally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">284</a></span> the curious sight may be seen of -two Chinamen from different provinces holding converse with each other -in pidgin‐English, the only medium of intercourse intelligible to both.</p> - -<p>In the outbreak of 1900 the Boxers and the Pekinese showed themselves -almost as hostile to the Cantonese trading or residing in the north -as they were to Europeans. They considered that the southern city’s -long intercourse with the white man must have rendered its inhabitants -favourable to foreigners; though, indeed, this is very far from the -truth.</p> - -<p>So the Chinaman can have no patriotism. To any but the most -enlightened—or the mandarins from more sordid motives—it is a matter -of comparative indifference who rules the Empire. Provided that he -is allowed to live in peace, that taxes do not weigh upon him too -heavily or his religion be not interfered with, the peasant cares not -who reigns in Pekin. Justice he does not ask for; he is too unused to -it. All that he demands is that he be not too utterly ground down by -oppression. Patient and long‐suffering, he revolts only against the -grossest injustice. Not until maddened by famine or unable to wring a -bare living from the ground does he rise to protest against the unjust -officials, whose exactions have kept him poor. If he once realised the -fairness of European rule, he would live content under any banner, -happy in being allowed to exist in undisturbed possession<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">285</a></span> of the fruit -of his toil. The Chinamen in our possessions in the East are satisfied -and happy under the mild law of England. Large numbers of them make -their home there, content to live and die under a foreign government, -and ask only that their corpses may be conveyed back to China to be -interred in its sacred soil.</p> - -<p>The average Celestial in his own land feels no pride or interest -in the glory of his country. In its government he has no voice. Of -its history, its achievements in the past, he is ignorant. He is -content with it because it is the only one he knows and so must be -the best. Of other lands beyond its confines he has dimly heard. -But their inhabitants are mere barbarians. Those of them who have -intruded themselves into his country are uncivilised according to his -standard. They worship false gods; their manners are laughable. All -they do is at variance with his customs, and so must be wrong. They -cannot read his books and know nothing of the maxims of Confucius. -So they must be illiterate as well as irreligious. Yet these strange -beings are content with themselves, and scorn his ways! This proves -their ignorance and their conceit. How can they boast, he asks, of -the superiority of their own countries when they cannot stay there -and, in face of contempt and hostility, seek to force their way into -his? And as their coming means interference with customs hallowed by -age and the uprooting of his dearest prejudices,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">286</a></span> he resents it. They -strive to introduce innovations which he can very well do without. What -sufficed for his father and his father’s father is good enough for him. -The barbarians come only to disturb. They wish to defile the graves -of his worshipped ancestors by constructing railways over the soil in -which their bones rest. The shrieks of the chained devils in their -engines disturb the <em>Feng Shui</em>, the tutelary deities of his fields, -and hence follow drought and famine. And that these accursed, unneeded -iron highways may be constructed, he is forced to sell the land which -has been in the possession of his family for generations. The price -for it passes through the hands of the mandarins and officials, and -so but little reaches him. Has he not heard that to secure the safety -of their bridges little children are kidnapped and buried under their -foundations? Out upon the accursed intruders! China has flourished -through countless ages without their aid, and wants them not.</p> - -<p>And so, in a measure, hatred of foreigners supplies the place of -patriotism. It binds all classes together. The ruling clique dread -them for the reforms they seek to introduce; for these would overthrow -the frail structure of oligarchical government in Pekin and hurl -the privileged class from power. The mandarins tremble at their -interference with the widespread corruption and unjust taxation -on which the officials now batten. The educated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">287</a></span> hate them for -their triumphs over China in the past, their continual territorial -aggression, and their constant menace to the integrity of China. The -fanatical hatred of the white man exhibited by the lower classes is -the result of the blindest ignorance. It is stirred into mad rage -by the exhortations of the priests, who naturally resent with true -clerical bigotry the introduction of other creeds. The zealous but too -often misdirected efforts of the missionaries, who tactlessly trample -on his dearest beliefs, rouse the Chinaman to excesses against the -strangers who seem to have intruded themselves upon him only to insult -all that he holds most sacred. Every misfortune, whether it be drought -and subsequent famine or devastating floods, storm or pestilence, is -ascribed to the anger of the gods, irritated at the presence of the -unbelievers. If the crops fail or small‐pox desolates a village, the -eyes of the frenzied peasants turn to the nearest mission house where -live the accursed strangers whose false teachings have aroused the -anger of the immortals. Urged on by the priests and mandarins, they -fall upon it and slay its inmates. But retribution comes swiftly. Their -own Government are forced by dread of foreign interference to punish -the misguided wretches who have, as they consider, wreaked only a just -revenge. The officials are degraded. Heads fall and houses are razed -to the ground. The Imperial troops quarter themselves on the luckless -villagers who pay dearly in blood and silver for the harm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">288</a></span> they have -wrought in their madness. And a sullen hatred of the white man spreads -through all classes and bears bitter fruit in subsequent graver -outbreaks.</p> - -<p>Can we justly blame them? Would we act differently in their place? What -if the cases were reversed? Suppose England to be a weak and backward -country and China wealthy and powerful, with a great navy and a large -army. Her merchants are enterprising and seek to push their trade into -other countries, even against the wish of the inhabitants. Chinese -vessels force their way up the Thames and sell the cargoes they carry -to our merchants in defiance of the laws we have passed against the -importation of foreign commodities. Refusing to leave, they are fired -upon. Chinese missionaries make their way into England and preach -ancestor‐worship and the tenets of Buddha in the East End of London. -The scum of Whitechapel mob them—as the Salvation Army has often been -mobbed. A missionary or two is killed. The Chinese Government seeks -revenge. A strong fleet is sent to bombard the towns along the South -Coast. Bristol is seized. A demand is made that the Isle of Wight -should be ceded in reparation for the insult to the Dragon flag. We -are forced to surrender it. A Chinese town grows up on it; and the -merchants in it insist that their goods should have the preference -over home‐made articles. The Chinese Government demands that tea from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">289</a></span> -the Celestial Kingdom should be admitted duty free and a tax put upon -Indian growths. A criminal or an anarchist, fleeing from justice, takes -refuge on a small Chinese ship, which is boarded and the fugitive -seized. We are only an ignorant people, and do not understand the Law -of Nations. We are soon instructed. Again China sends a fleet; a force -is landed and Liverpool captured. To redeem it we must pay a large -ransom. To obtain peace we are obliged to grant the Chinese settlements -in Liverpool, Bristol, and Southampton. This inspires other Asiatic -Powers—Corea, Kamschatka, and Siam, which we will imagine to be as -progressive and powerful as our supposititious China—to demand equal -privileges and an occasional slice of territory. Kent, Hampshire, and -Norfolk pass into their hands.</p> - -<p>Buddhist and Taoist missionaries now flood the land. The common people -regard them with fear and hatred. The clergy of the Church of England -preach against them. The ignorant peasantry and the lowest classes in -the towns at last rise and expel them. A few of them are killed in the -process. The flame spreads. The settlements of the hated intruders -are everywhere assailed. The Asiatic Embassies in London are attacked -by the mob. Our Government, secretly sympathising with the popular -feeling, are powerless to defend them. Even if they wished to do so, -the soldiers would refuse to fire on the rioters.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">290</a></span></p> - -<p>Then the Allied nations of Eastern Asia band together; a great army -invades our unhappy country. A dire revenge is taken for the outrages -on the missionaries and the attacks on the Embassies. Middlesex is -laid waste with fire and sword; neither age nor sex is spared. The -brutal Kamschatkans slay the children and violate the women. London is -captured and looted. The flags of China, Corea, Kamschatka, and Siam -fly from the roofs of Buckingham Palace; Marlborough House shelters -the invaders; Windsor Castle is occupied by a garrison of the Allied -troops. Flying columns march through the land, pillaging and burning -as they go; the South of England is occupied by the enemy. Before the -Allied nations evacuate the devastated land a crushing war indemnity is -laid upon us.</p> - -<p>Would we love the yellow strangers then? True, we are backward and -unprogressive. <em>They</em> are civilised and enlightened; and even against -our will our country must be advanced. Still, I fear that we should -be ungrateful enough to resent their kind efforts to improve us and -persist in regarding them as unwelcome intruders.</p> - -<p>All this that I have imagined as befalling England has happened to -China. For similar causes Canton was bombarded and captured. The -treaty ports were forced to welcome foreign trade. Hong Kong, Tonkin, -Kiau‐chau, Port Arthur, all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">291</a></span> have been torn from China. Fire and sword -have laid waste the province of Chi‐li. Death to the men and disgrace -to the women have been unsparingly dealt. Can we wonder that the -Chinese do not love the foreigner?</p> - -<p>Our missionaries go forth to earn the crown of martyrdom. But if they -gain it their societies demand vengeance in blood and coin from the -murderers. The Gospel of Love becomes the Doctrine of Revenge. “Forgive -your enemies!” O ye saintly missionaries who are so shocked at the -ungodly lives of your sinful fellow‐countrymen in foreign lands, will -you not practise what you preach? Think of the divine precept of the -Master you profess to serve and pardon the blind rage of the ignorant -heathen!</p> - -<p>So much for the China of the present. What of the future? She is now -fettered by the shackles of blind ignorance, by the prejudices and -retrogressive spirit of the tyrannical Manchu oligarchy who rule -the land. Her strength is sapped by the poison of corruption. The -officials, almost to a man, are mercenary and self‐seeking. Extortion -and dishonesty are found in every class. Suppose a tax is laid upon -a certain province. The Viceroy orders the mandarins to collect it -from their districts. They send forth their myrmidons to wring it -from the people, by threats and torture if need be. Enough must be -raised to satisfy the many vultures<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">292</a></span> through whose claws it will pass -before it reaches Pekin. Twice, three times the amount of the sum -asked for originally must be gathered from the unfortunate taxpayers, -in order that each official through whose hands it goes on its way to -the Imperial Treasury may have his share of the spoil. And how is all -the money raised in the vast Empire spent? Not on the needs of the -land, certainly. Few roads or bridges exist. They have mostly been -constructed by charity. The railways—and there are not many—were -built by foreign capital.</p> - -<p>Is there no hope for China? Must she remain for ever the spoil of the -strong? Or will she one day recognise the secret of her weakness, -reform and become a power too formidable to be lightly offended? She -has an example always before her eyes. Forty years ago Japan was as -ignorant and prejudiced. Foreigners were hated; the country was closed -to them. The Mikado was then as powerless as the Emperor of China is -now. The spear and the sword were the weapons which the soldiers of -Japan opposed to the cannons and rifles of the Europeans. Foreign -fleets bombarded the coast‐towns and wrung concessions from the -rulers of the helpless land. The country was divided between powerful -chieftains of warlike clans.</p> - -<p>Yet at one stroke of a magic wand all was changed. Japan now ranks -among the Great Powers of the world. Her army commands respect<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">293</a></span> -and fear; on war‐footing it numbers over half a million—and the -Japanese have always been gallant soldiers. Her navy is as modern -and well‐equipped as any afloat. The resources of the country have -been developed. A network of railways covers the land; telegraphs and -telephones link the important towns. Her manufacturers compete with -Europe in every market in Asia. Her merchant ships are all but built in -her own dockyards. The fleets of her steamship companies, such as the -Nippon Yusen Kaisha, would not discredit Liverpool or New York. Lines -of splendid passenger steamers, some of them over 6,000 tons, run to -Europe, America, and Australia. Smaller lines keep up communication -between Japan and the coasts of Siberia, Corea, and China. Education -is widespread; universities and schools abound. Manufactures are -encouraged by a liberal policy. The forest of factory chimneys in Osaka -gives that town the semblance of Birmingham as one approaches it in the -train. The water‐power universal throughout the islands is utilised -freely. Electric light is found in almost every city in the empire. -It is installed in even the smaller private houses. Automatic public -telephone kiosks dot the streets of the capital. In provincial towns -like Nagoya electric trams run.</p> - -<p>All that Japan has become, China may yet be. Nay, more. The former is -poor, her territory small,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">294</a></span> the greater part of the country encumbered -with unprofitable mountains. The undeveloped wealth of the latter is -enormous. Gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal are all found. Vast -stretches of forest cover the interior. The soil is incredibly fertile; -and her people are naturally intelligent. The Chinese in Hong Kong and -elsewhere, as merchants, as shipowners, as professional men, prove -it. The schools and colleges of our island colony are filled with the -clever, almond‐eyed students. In the Straits Settlements, as in Hong -Kong, they compete with the Europeans in commerce and vie with them -in wealth. All that he is in other countries the Chinaman can become -in his own under the liberal rule of an enlightened Government. The -foreigners who trade with the Chinese say that the latter are far more -trustworthy in business than many a white man. The Chinese merchant’s -word is his bond. The Japanese are not so reliable; and their artisans -are by no means as industrious as their Celestial neighbours. The -latter, under no compulsion, will toil day and night to complete some -work by the time they have agreed to finish it.</p> - -<p>The Chinese soldier is regarded with universal contempt. His -achievements in the past, when pitted against European troops, have not -exalted his name. But in 1900 he first showed what splendid material -he is. With the passive courage of fatalism, incomprehensible to more -highly strung<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">295</a></span> races, the Chinaman will face death without a struggle. -When roused by fanaticism he will fight blindly to the end; but in cold -blood he has no ambition for military glory. When led to battle for -a cause of which he knows or cares nothing, he is ready to save his -life by a timely flight with no feelings of shame or self‐reproach. He -has never been taught otherwise. In China moral suasion or deceit are -looked upon as more glorious weapons than sword or gun.</p> - -<p>But if he were well disciplined and led to understand the meaning -of <em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">esprit de corps</span></em>, well treated and well led, he would prove no -contemptible soldier. The Boxers who with knives and spears charged -up to within fifty yards of Seymour’s well‐armed men and faced the -withering fire of magazine rifles with frenzied courage; the Imperial -troops who harassed his brave column day and night; the students who -fought their guns to the last when the Tientsin Military College was -taken by the Allies—were these cowards?</p> - -<p>What the Chinaman can be made to do with proper leading may be seen -in the behaviour of our Chinese Regiment, little more than a year -raised, all through the campaign of 1900. When the British, American, -and Russian stormers had captured the Peiyang Arsenal, on June 27th, -an attempt to cut them off from Tientsin was made by a large body of -Imperial troops and Boxers who tried to get between them and the river, -across which they had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">296</a></span> to pass on their return. Lieutenant‐Colonel -Bower, intrepid explorer and gallant soldier, led out his Chinese -Regiment and drove off the enemy. The conduct of the men under fire was -excellent.</p> - -<p>It is absurd to suppose that the Chinaman cannot learn the art of -modern warfare. The example of the Imperial troops who attacked Seymour -and besieged Tientsin amply proves this statement. They took advantage -of cover with cleverness and knowledge. They used their magazine rifles -with accuracy and effect. Their gunners were excellently trained. -Their shooting was so good that at first it was falsely supposed that -the guns were served by renegade Europeans. The arms with which they -were equipped were excellent. The troops were well supplied with -quick‐firing Krupps and magazine rifles. That they could use these -weapons was proved by the heavy losses among the Allied sailors and -soldiers in the early part of the campaign.</p> - -<p>The Chinese offered so little resistance to the Allies on the march to -Pekin, the war collapsed so suddenly on the fall of the capital, that -scant justice has been done to the courage displayed on both sides -during the heavy fighting with Seymour’s column and around Tientsin. -The losses among the Europeans show how desperate it was. Admiral -Seymour’s column, out of less than 2,000 men, lost 295 killed and -wounded in sixteen days. The casualties among the British contingent of -900 bluejackets<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">297</a></span> and marines, amounted to 27 killed and 97 wounded. The -Americans out of 120 men lost 4 killed and 25 wounded. The stormers of -the Taku forts also lost heavily.</p> - -<p>In the beginning of the attack on the Peiyang Arsenal by the Russians, -they lost over 200 men and had to send for help to the Americans and -the British.</p> - -<p>In the Boxer night attack on Tientsin railway station in July, the -British, French, and Japanese defending it had 150 casualties.</p> - -<p>Out of a total of 5,000 men engaged in the taking of Tientsin native -city on July 13th and 14th, the Allies lost nearly 800 men.</p> - -<p>The Egyptian <em>fellah</em> was once considered to be utterly hopeless as a -fighting‐man. But British officers nursed him, strengthened his moral -fibre, and then led him into battle. Witness his behaviour at the -Atbara and at Omdurman. The army that the genius of Lord Kitchener had -moulded so skilfully proved invincible; and the <em>fellah</em> did his fair -share of the fighting.</p> - -<p>The Chinaman in natural courage, in physique, and in stamina is far -superior to the Egyptian. Why should he not become a more formidable -fighting‐man? Think what the Celestial Empire could do if its soldiers -were properly armed, trained, and led; if the spirit of self‐respect -were instilled into them and their natural passive courage fanned into -active bravery! Think of a warlike army<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">298</a></span> recruited from a population of -400,000,000; and at its back a reformed China, its resources developed, -its immense wealth properly utilised, its people free and filled with -patriotic pride!</p> - -<p>What Japan has accomplished, China, once her leader and her conqueror, -may yet achieve. And signs of the Great Awakening are at hand!</p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2>FOOTNOTES:</h2></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">1</span></a> Pronounced “Way high way.”</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">2</span></a> <em>i.e.</em> Government.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">3</span></a> Lord Curzon, in his interesting book, <cite>Problems of the Far -East</cite>, refers to this building as “The Temple of Heaven” and calls what -I have described as “The Centre of the Universe” “The Altar of Heaven.” -He is more likely to be correct than the officers of the armies of -occupation, but I give the names which they used.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">4</span></a> These dimensions were given me by Lieutenant Pearson, -<span class="smcap">R.E.</span>, who had to tunnel the wall to allow the passage of a -railway line.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">5</span></a> They had only forty rifles all told.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">6</span></a> Japan.</p></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">299</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"><h2 id="INDEX">INDEX</h2></div> - -<ul class="index"> -<li class="ifrst"> -Aberdeen, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Admiral Ho, <a href="#Page_201">201</a>, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>, <a href="#Page_215">215</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Admiral Seymour at the siege of Tientsin, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">his advance on Pekin, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Affleck‐Scott, Mr., <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ah Ting, Naval Dairy Farm, <a href="#Page_4">4</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Alarm in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Alarm in Macao, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Allied Armies, men and methods of, <a href="#Page_34">34</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Allied Commissioners in Canton, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Allied Fleet at Taku, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -American Army, Continental criticism, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">excellence of the men, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">elastic discipline, <a href="#Page_51">51</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">courage of, <a href="#Page_52">52</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">gallantry at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">comradeship with British troops, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">contempt for Continentals, <a href="#Page_53">53</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">discomfiture of British subaltern, <a href="#Page_54">54</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Army, American, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Chinese in the past, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of the future, <a href="#Page_298">298</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Dutch, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">French, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">German, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Indian, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Japanese, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Russian, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Italian, <a href="#Page_54">54</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Arrest, in Japan, <a href="#Page_252">252</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Macao, <a href="#Page_246">246</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of an English colonel in Macao, <a href="#Page_251">251</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<em>Arrow</em>, incident of the, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Astor House Hotel, Tientsin, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Barracoons in Macao, <a href="#Page_255">255</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Barrett, Lieut., Hong Kong Regiment, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -Bathing parties in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_191">191</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bayly, Captain, <span class="smcap">R.N.</span>, gallantry at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Belcher’s Fort, <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Belgian Legation in Pekin, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>, <a href="#Page_80">80</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bella Vista, Macao, <a href="#Page_240">240</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bengal Lancers, 1st, <a href="#Page_59">59</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bersagliere, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>, <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bikanir, H.H. the Maharajah of, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Black Flags, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Boa Vista Hotel, <a href="#Page_238">238</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Boer Campaign, lessons of, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">foreign ignorance respecting, <a href="#Page_41">41</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bogue Forts, <a href="#Page_277">277</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bombay Light Cavalry, 3rd, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">a sowar’s opinion of the Russians, <a href="#Page_164">164</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bombay Infantry, 22nd, <a href="#Page_200">200</a>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bombay Pioneers, 28th, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bower, Lieut.‐Col., Chinese Regiment, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Boxers, night attack on Tientsin station, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">courage of, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">losses, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">hostility to Cantonese traders, <a href="#Page_284">284</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Brigands, <a href="#Page_136">136</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bridge of boats at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bridge, marble, at Summer Palace, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bronze Pagoda, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Bronzes in Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Browning, Major, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>, <a href="#Page_168">168</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Buddha, images of, <a href="#Page_109">109</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">300</a></span> -Buddhist monks, <a href="#Page_108">108</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Buddhist temple, <a href="#Page_107">107</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Burke, Lieut., 22nd Bombay Infantry, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Cable tramway to the Peak, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Camoens, Gardens of, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<em>Cangue</em>, punishment of the, <a href="#Page_269">269</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Canton, history of intercourse with foreigners, <a href="#Page_257">257</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">food supplier to Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">projected railway to, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">turbulence, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">reformers in, <a href="#Page_206">206</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">land and river approach, <a href="#Page_278">278</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">description, <a href="#Page_261">261</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">population, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its streets, <a href="#Page_264">264</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its shops, <a href="#Page_265">265</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">prison, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its trade, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its importance to English commerce, <a href="#Page_275">275</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">an attack on, <a href="#Page_277">277</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">energy of French consuls in, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cap‐sui‐Moon Pass, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Carvalhaes, Senhor, A.D.C. to Governor of Macao, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>, <a href="#Page_250">250</a>, <a href="#Page_251">251</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Casserly, Lieut., <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cathedral, Roman Catholic, in Pekin, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its siege, <a href="#Page_97">97</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Canton, <a href="#Page_263">263</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">San Paulo at Macao, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cavalry, French, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Japanese, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Indian, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_200">200</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cemetery at Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Macao, <a href="#Page_245">245</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Centre of the Universe, <a href="#Page_70">70</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cession of the Kowloon Hinterland, <a href="#Page_197">197</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chasseurs d’Afrique, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>, <a href="#Page_66">66</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chifu, <a href="#Page_6">6</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -China an easy prize, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">her sufferings in the past from foreigners, <a href="#Page_290">290</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of the present, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of the future, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chinese Army of the past, <a href="#Page_280">280</a>;</li> - -<li class="isubi"> -want of patriotism, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">family love, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Mohammedans, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">difference in languages, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">dislike to foreigners, <a href="#Page_286">286</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">extortion of mandarins, <a href="#Page_291">291</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">as merchants abroad, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">trade honesty of, <a href="#Page_294">294</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">splendid material for soldiers, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in modern warfare, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">soldiers in the South, <a href="#Page_227">227</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in the North, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">examinations, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chinese Arsenal at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">guns made at, <a href="#Page_217">217</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chinese Regiment, guard at Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_7">7</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">barracks, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">behaviour in action, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chinese workmen, <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Chong Wong Foo, <a href="#Page_83">83</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -City Hall, Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Clocks in Emperor’s palace, <a href="#Page_91">91</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Club, Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_176">176</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Tientsin, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">German at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">English Tennis at Macao, <a href="#Page_244">244</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Portuguese Naval Tennis Club, Macao, <a href="#Page_251">251</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Military Club, Macao, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<em><span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Cloisonné</span></em> in Pekin, its manufacture, <a href="#Page_111">111</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Coal Hill, Pekin, <a href="#Page_74">74</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cockroaches as an article of diet, <a href="#Page_224">224</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Concessions, European, in Tientsin, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Canton, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Confucius, Temple of, <a href="#Page_111">111</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Consulate, British, at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">foreign, at Canton, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Coolie Corps, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Cossacks at play, <a href="#Page_163">163</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Customs, Imperial Chinese, station on Mah Wan, <a href="#Page_209">209</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Samchun, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers of, <a href="#Page_217">217</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Curzon, Lord, <cite>Problems of the Far East</cite>, <a href="#Page_69">69</a></li> - -<li class="ifrst"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">301</a></span> -Dagoes, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Daibutsu at Kamakura and Hiogo, <a href="#Page_109">109</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Death of a thousand cuts, <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -De Boulay, Major, <span class="smcap">R.A.</span>, <a href="#Page_121">121</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Deep Bay, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>, <a href="#Page_210">210</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Development of Japan, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dobell, Major, <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span>, Royal Welch Fusiliers, <a href="#Page_85">85</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Docks, Kowloon, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dockyard, Royal Naval, at Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dorward, General, his eulogy of American troops, <a href="#Page_52">52</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dowager‐Empress, her pavilion in the Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_92">92</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">palace in Pekin, <a href="#Page_74">74</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Summer Palace, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">seizure of the Emperor, <a href="#Page_115">115</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">supposed plan to entrap the Allies, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dragon Gate in Canton, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Drummond, Mr. Ivor, <span class="smcap">C.I.C.</span>, <a href="#Page_31">31</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Dutch Expeditionary Force, <a href="#Page_54">54</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">their envy of the Portuguese colonies in the past—attempt on Macao, <a href="#Page_232">232</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -East India Company in Canton, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Efficiency of British officers of the Indian Army, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of the Japanese Intelligence Department, <a href="#Page_49">49</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Egyptian <em>fellah</em> compared to the Chinaman, <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Elderton, Commander, <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span>, good work at Taku, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Embroidery in Canton, <a href="#Page_268">268</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Emperor, his powerlessness, <a href="#Page_64">64</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">his palace, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">throne room, <a href="#Page_89">89</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">harem, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">private apartments, <a href="#Page_91">91</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -English Concession at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_17">17</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -English Legation at Pekin, <a href="#Page_78">78</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -English officers, friendship with the Americans, <a href="#Page_21">21</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">linguists in China, <a href="#Page_19">19</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">supposed ungraciousness of manners, <a href="#Page_81">81</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">plain campaigning dress, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Examinations, Chinese system of, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Examination Hall in Canton, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Examiners, Chinese, at Canton, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Executions at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_28">28</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Canton, <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Extortion of mandarins, <a href="#Page_291">291</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Fair, Lieut., <span class="smcap">R.N.</span>, Flag‐Lieutenant to Admiral Seymour, <a href="#Page_24">24</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Family love of the Chinese, <a href="#Page_281">281</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fans, <a href="#Page_106">106</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fan‐tan in Samchun, <a href="#Page_225">225</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Macao, <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fares from Hong Kong to Canton and Macao, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Favrier, Archbishop, defends the Peitan gallantly, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">captures a Chinese gun, <a href="#Page_96">96</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">introduction to him, <a href="#Page_99">99</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ferreira Amaral, Governor of Macao, refuses to pay tribute to the Chinese, <a href="#Page_232">232</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fighting races of India, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fireworks, Chinese, <a href="#Page_219">219</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Flags of Chinese troops in Samchun, <a href="#Page_215">215</a>, <a href="#Page_227">227</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Floating population of Canton, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Flora, Governor’s summer residence, <a href="#Page_240">240</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Flowery Forest Monastery, <a href="#Page_269">269</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_73">73</a>, <a href="#Page_86">86</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -French Army, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">intimacy between French and German soldiers in Tientsin, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Infanterie Coloniale, <a href="#Page_42">42</a>;</li> - -<li class="isubi"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">302</a></span> -infantry, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">method of maintaining discipline, <a href="#Page_43">43</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">training and organisation, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Zouaves and Chasseurs d’Afrique, <a href="#Page_43">43</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -French colonial party, suspected designs on Macao, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">on Canton, <a href="#Page_275">275</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -French post‐office in Canton, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Frontier Field Force, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Frontier of the Kowloon Hinterland, <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Fusiliers, Royal Welch, attack on a patrol, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in the Hinterland, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Hong Kong garrison, <a href="#Page_200">200</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Garrison of Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_199">199</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of Macao, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gascoigne, Major‐General Sir W., <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gaselee, General Sir A., <span class="smcap">K.C.B.</span>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -German Army, <a href="#Page_34">34</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">adherence to close formations and antiquated tactics, <a href="#Page_35">35</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">campaigning dress in China, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">failure of transport, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">soldiers, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">their friendship with the French, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers of, <a href="#Page_37">37</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -German Club at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -German Imperial Navy, <a href="#Page_40">40</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">mercantile marine, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gordon Hall, Tientsin, <a href="#Page_22">22</a>, <a href="#Page_28">28</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gough, Sir Hugh, attacks Canton, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Government of Macao, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Governor of Macao, <a href="#Page_244">244</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Grant‐Smith, Mr. Ivan, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gray, Captain, 4th P.I., <a href="#Page_167">167</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Green Island, <a href="#Page_173">173</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Gunboats, allied, at Taku, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Canton, <a href="#Page_274">274</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">British fired at, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -Gurkhas, friendship with Japanese, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">ingratitude of foreign troops sheltered by them, <a href="#Page_166">166</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers at Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_138">138</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Hall, Examination at, Canton, <a href="#Page_273">273</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hall of Five Hundred Genii, <a href="#Page_269">269</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hall of Ten Thousand Ages, <a href="#Page_123">123</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Happy Valley, <a href="#Page_179">179</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hardy, Rev. Mr., <a href="#Page_1">1</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Harem, Emperor’s, in Pekin, <a href="#Page_90">90</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ha‐ta‐man Street, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Gate, <a href="#Page_77">77</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hatherell, Captain, 22nd Bombay Infantry, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Heaven, Temple of, <a href="#Page_67">67</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<em>Heungshan</em>, <span class="smcap">S.S.</span>, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Heung Shan, Island of, <a href="#Page_233">233</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<a name="Hinterland" id="Hinterland">Hinterland</a>, Kowloon, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">character and description of, <a href="#Page_195">195</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">projected railway through, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">cession, <a href="#Page_196">196</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">advantages to Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">column guarding it, <a href="#Page_202">202</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">want of maps of, <a href="#Page_216">216</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">British police in, <a href="#Page_198">198</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Honam, Cantonese suburb of, <a href="#Page_260">260</a>, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hong Kong, importance as a naval and military base, <a href="#Page_167">167</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">harbour, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">menace of famine, <a href="#Page_170">170</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">commercial importance, <a href="#Page_171">171</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">geography, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">description, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>–184;</li> -<li class="isubi">Club, <a href="#Page_177">177</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">climate, <a href="#Page_184">184</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">society in, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">value of dollar, <a href="#Page_235">235</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hong Kong Regiment, bravery at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">barracks, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">disbanded, <a href="#Page_187">187</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hong Kong, Canton to Macao Steamboat Co., <a href="#Page_234">234</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hong Kong and Singapore Artillery, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, ruins in Pekin, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">building in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_176">176</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">303</a></span> -Hong Kong Volunteers, <a href="#Page_188">188</a>, <a href="#Page_199">199</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Horrors, Temple of, <a href="#Page_272">272</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hôtel du Nord, Pekin, <a href="#Page_71">71</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hsi‐ku Arsenal, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hsin‐ho, British landing‐place at, <a href="#Page_10">10</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Hutchinson, Lieut., <span class="smcap">R.N.R.</span>, <a href="#Page_25">25</a>, <a href="#Page_135">135</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Imperial apartments, <a href="#Page_91">91</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Imperial Maritime Customs, Chinese, gunboat, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers, <a href="#Page_217">217</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">station at Samchun, <a href="#Page_212">212</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Imperial troops, Chinese, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>, <a href="#Page_296">296</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Indian Army, <a href="#Page_55">55</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">fighting races of, <a href="#Page_56">56</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Lord Roberts chiefly responsible for its efficiency, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its British officers, <a href="#Page_57">57</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">organisation of a regiment, <a href="#Page_58">58</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">foreign criticisms, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Russian opinion of, <a href="#Page_156">156</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">cavalry, <a href="#Page_59">59</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">infantry, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">impossibility of another Mutiny, <a href="#Page_62">62</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">loyalty of the sepoy, <a href="#Page_63">63</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -India as a training‐ground for troops, <a href="#Page_61">61</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Indian Expeditionary Force, <a href="#Page_33">33</a>, <a href="#Page_55">55</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Indian Commissariat at Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_5">5</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Indian Marine, Royal, officers of, <a href="#Page_12">12</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Infanterie Coloniale, <a href="#Page_42">42</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Infantry, excellence of Japanese, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Indian, foreign criticisms of, <a href="#Page_60">60</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">composition of a native regiment of, <a href="#Page_58">58</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Intelligence Department, Japanese, <a href="#Page_49">49</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Italian Expeditionary Force, <a href="#Page_54">54</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ivory carving in Canton, <a href="#Page_266">266</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Japan in the past, <a href="#Page_292">292</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its modern development, <a href="#Page_293">293</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">arrests in, <a href="#Page_252">252</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Japanese Army captures Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</li> - -<li class="isubi"> -transport, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">campaigning dress, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">cavalry, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">infantry, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">infantry in action, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">organisation, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Intelligence Department, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">officers as intelligence agents in Pekin, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">excellent discipline, <a href="#Page_49">49</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">courage and moderation, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">friendship for Indian troops, <a href="#Page_50">50</a>, <a href="#Page_165">165</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Japanese Fleet, arrival at Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_149">149</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Johnstone, Major, <span class="smcap">R.M.L.I.</span>, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Junks, marble junk, <a href="#Page_127">127</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">junks in Hong Kong harbour, <a href="#Page_210">210</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">war junks, <a href="#Page_211">211</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Kell, Lieut., S. Stafford Regt., <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kettler, murder of Baron, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">monument, <a href="#Page_83">83</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kettlewell, Major, commands Frontier Field Force, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kipling, Rudyard, his description of Canton, <a href="#Page_256">256</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kowloon, <a href="#Page_174">174</a>, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">docks, <a href="#Page_187">187</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">society, <a href="#Page_193">193</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kowloon, Chinese city of, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kowloon Peninsula, <a href="#Page_172">172</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a>, <a href="#Page_194">194</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Kowloon Hinterland, <a href="#Hinterland"><em>see</em></a> Hinterland.</li> -<li class="indx"> -Kwang‐tung, <a href="#Page_194">194</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">rebellion in, <a href="#Page_207">207</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Labertouche, Captain, 22nd Bombay Infantry, <a href="#Page_146">146</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ladies’ Recreation Ground, Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_184">184</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Lama Temple, Great, Pekin, <a href="#Page_107">107</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Lampacao, Portuguese settlement on, <a href="#Page_231">231</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Language, difference in Chinese languages in various provinces, <a href="#Page_283">283</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">polyglot, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">British officers as interpreters, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">304</a></span> -Lantau, Island of, <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Legation Street, Pekin, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_80">80</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Legations, Pekin, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">defence of, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">visit to English Legation, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">guard, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">new defensive wall, <a href="#Page_107">107</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Li Hung Chang, <a href="#Page_128">128</a>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ling‐chi, torture of, <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Liscum, Colonel, U.S. Army, his death, <a href="#Page_53">53</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Liu‐kung‐tao, Island of, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Losses of Allies at Tientsin, <a href="#Page_296">296</a>, <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Lo‐u, <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Macao, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its past history, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">its present decay, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">danger to Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_233">233</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">passage to, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">description, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>–40;</li> -<li class="isubi">public gardens, <a href="#Page_240">240</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">government, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">society, <a href="#Page_243">243</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">affair with police, <a href="#Page_245">245</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">gambling houses, <a href="#Page_253">253</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">sights, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Madrassis, decay of, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Madras Sappers and Miners, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Madras Light Infantry, 3rd, <a href="#Page_200">200</a>, <a href="#Page_204">204</a>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mandarins at Samchun, <a href="#Page_222">222</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">corruption of Chinese, <a href="#Page_228">228</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">extortion, <a href="#Page_291">291</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Manchuria, Russian soldiers in, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Map of Kowloon Hinterland, <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Marble junk, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Marble bridge at Summer Palace, <a href="#Page_127">127</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Marco Polo, <a href="#Page_269">269</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Melville, Lieut., 22nd Bombay Infantry, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mikado, <a href="#Page_292">292</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Military Club, Macao, <a href="#Page_241">241</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Military College, Tientsin, <a href="#Page_295">295</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Moji, <a href="#Page_253">253</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -Monte Carlo of the East, <a href="#Page_232">232</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Moon, Temple of, <a href="#Page_70">70</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mosquitoes, <a href="#Page_141">141</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mount Austen Hotel, <a href="#Page_182">182</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mounted Infantry in Tientsin, <a href="#Page_26">26</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">usefulness in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_200">200</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mud of Pekin, <a href="#Page_82">82</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mutiny in Macao, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Mutiny, impossibility of another Indian, <a href="#Page_62">62</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Nagoya, electric cars in, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Naval Dockyard at Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">at Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Navy, German, <a href="#Page_40">40</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Newchwang, Russian church parade in, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">railway to, <a href="#Page_133">133</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Nippon Yusen Kaisha, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Ogilvie, Lieut., <span class="smcap">R.A.</span>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Old Kowloon City, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_188">188</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Osaka, <a href="#Page_293">293</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Outrages on foreigners in China, <a href="#Page_287">287</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Pagoda, bronze, <a href="#Page_130">130</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Patriotism, want of, <a href="#Page_281">281</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of India, <a href="#Page_282">282</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Peak in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_175">175</a>, <a href="#Page_181">181</a>, <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Pearl River, <a href="#Page_236">236</a>, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Peddlers in Pekin, <a href="#Page_102">102</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Canton, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Peiho River, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>, <a href="#Page_19">19</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Peitan, Roman Catholic Cathedral, <a href="#Page_95">95</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">siege, <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Peiyang Arsenal, taking of, <a href="#Page_219">219</a>, <a href="#Page_295">295</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Russian losses at, <a href="#Page_297">297</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Pekin, journey to, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">station, <a href="#Page_66">66</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">description, <a href="#Page_71">71</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">walls of, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Tartar and Chinese cities, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Tartar city, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Legations, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">mud, <a href="#Page_82">82</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Allied occupation of, <a href="#Page_83">83</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_87">87</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">305</a></span> -<em>Pigmy</em>, H.M.S., takes Shanhaikwan forts, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Pioneers, 28th Bombay, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Police of Macao, <a href="#Page_241">241</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">affair with, <a href="#Page_246">246</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Police of new territory, British, <a href="#Page_213">213</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Polo ground in Victoria, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Polo in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_180">180</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ponies, troublesome Chinese, <a href="#Page_116">116</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Population of Canton, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Port Arthur, reinforcements from, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">retention of, <a href="#Page_156">156</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Portuguese colony of Macao, <a href="#Page_231">231</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">tribute to China, <a href="#Page_232">232</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">police, <a href="#Page_246">246</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Naval Tennis Club, <a href="#Page_251">251</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Powell, Sir Francis, <span class="smcap">R.N.</span>, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Pottery, <a href="#Page_106">106</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Praia Grande, <a href="#Page_238">238</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Punjaub Infantry, 4th, in action with Japanese troops, <a href="#Page_48">48</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">guarding the railway, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">under Lieut. Stirling, <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span>, <a href="#Page_168">168</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Purple or Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_73">73</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Puzzle‐balls, Chinese, <a href="#Page_267">267</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Quarto del Sargento, <a href="#Page_248">248</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Queen’s House, Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_5">5</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Queen’s Road, Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_248">248</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Railways in North China, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">from Tong‐ku to Pekin, <a href="#Page_13">13</a>, <a href="#Page_65">65</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">to Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_135">135</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Railway, projected, to Canton, <a href="#Page_196">196</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Railway Siding incident, <a href="#Page_32">32</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Railway Staff Officers, British, <a href="#Page_14">14</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Reformers in Southern China, <a href="#Page_206">206</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Ringing Rocks at Macao, <a href="#Page_255">255</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Roberts, Lord, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Royal Indian Marine Officers, <a href="#Page_12">12</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Royal Welch Fusiliers, attack on patrol, <a href="#Page_23">23</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in the Hinterland, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Hong Kong garrison, <a href="#Page_200">200</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -Rudkin, Lieut, 20th Bombay Infantry, his tact and firmness, <a href="#Page_33">33</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Rue du General Voyron, Pekin, <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Rundell, Lieut., <span class="smcap">R.E.</span>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Russian Army, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">troops, <a href="#Page_44">44</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">endurance of soldiers, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">piety, <a href="#Page_45">45</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">courage, <a href="#Page_46">46</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">comradeship between officers and men, <a href="#Page_47">47</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Russian Railway Staff Officer at Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_144">144</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Russians seize railways in North China, <a href="#Page_133">133</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">seize rolling stock at Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">dinner party at Shanhaikwan on the cliffs, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">a dinner with Russian officers, <a href="#Page_154">154</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">causes of dislike to England, <a href="#Page_155">155</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Samchun, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, <a href="#Page_212">212</a>, <a href="#Page_214">214</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">visit to, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">river, <a href="#Page_217">217</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Sampans in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_185">185</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -San Paulo, ruined cathedral of, <a href="#Page_254">254</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Satow, Sir Ernest, <a href="#Page_128">128</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Saunders, Lieut., <span class="smcap">R.A.</span>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Sepoys, opinion of foreign contingents, <a href="#Page_61">61</a>, <a href="#Page_164">164</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">loyalty of, <a href="#Page_62">62</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Seymour, Admiral Sir Edward, courage in Tientsin, <a href="#Page_24">24</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">his advance on Pekin, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Shameen, <a href="#Page_259">259</a>, <a href="#Page_274">274</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Sharpe, Captain, 3rd Madras Light Infantry, <a href="#Page_208">208</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Siberian Army, <a href="#Page_45">45</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Siege of Tientsin, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Siege of the Peitan, <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Siege train, disappointment of British, <a href="#Page_26">26</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Sikhs, <a href="#Page_61">61</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Silks in Pekin, <a href="#Page_105">105</a></li> - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">306</a></span> -Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_138">138</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">strategic importance of, <a href="#Page_134">134</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">railway journey to, <a href="#Page_135">135</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">town of, <a href="#Page_146">146</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Great Wall of China at, <a href="#Page_148">148</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">arrival of Japanese Fleet at, <a href="#Page_149">149</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">forts at, <a href="#Page_151">151</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Japanese and Indians at, <a href="#Page_167">167</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Society in Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_190">190</a>, <a href="#Page_192">192</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Kowloon, <a href="#Page_193">193</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Macao, <a href="#Page_243">243</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Spirit Path, <a href="#Page_88">88</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Stanley, abandoned town of, <a href="#Page_181">181</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Stirling, Lieut., <span class="smcap">D.S.O.</span>, 4th Punjaub Infantry, <a href="#Page_168">168</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Straubenzee, General Sir Charles, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Streets of Canton, <a href="#Page_263">263</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Streets of Pekin, <a href="#Page_75">75</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Summer Palace, <a href="#Page_115">115</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Sun Yat Sen, <a href="#Page_207">207</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Tai‐mo‐shan, <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tai‐u‐shan, <a href="#Page_183">183</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Taku, <a href="#Page_8">8</a>, <a href="#Page_9">9</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">forts, <a href="#Page_9">9</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Taku Road, <a href="#Page_23">23</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tartar City, <a href="#Page_72">72</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Temple of Heaven, <a href="#Page_67">67</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Sun, <a href="#Page_69">69</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Moon, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">in Forbidden City, <a href="#Page_90">90</a>, <a href="#Page_93">93</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Lama, <a href="#Page_107">107</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Confucius, <a href="#Page_111">111</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Five Hundred Genii, <a href="#Page_269">269</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of Horrors, <a href="#Page_272">272</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -<em>Terrible</em>, H.M.S., at Shanhaikwan, <a href="#Page_155">155</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">gunners, <a href="#Page_25">25</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tientsin station, <a href="#Page_15">15</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">concessions, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Chinese City, <a href="#Page_17">17</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Club, <a href="#Page_20">20</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">siege of, <a href="#Page_30">30</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tommy Atkins in Tientsin, <a href="#Page_27">27</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tong‐ku, <a href="#Page_10">10</a>, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Allies at, <a href="#Page_11">11</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">station, <a href="#Page_134">134</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tong‐shan, <a href="#Page_137">137</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tortures, Chinese, <a href="#Page_271">271</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Traders, Chinese as, <a href="#Page_294">294</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Transport officers, <a href="#Page_8">8</a></li> - -<li class="indx"> -Transport of Germans defective, <a href="#Page_39">39</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of Japanese, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Indian, <a href="#Page_55">55</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Treaty Ports, <a href="#Page_258">258</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Triad Society, <a href="#Page_207">207</a>, <a href="#Page_216">216</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Tung Chow, <a href="#Page_117">117</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Valley, Happy, <a href="#Page_179">179</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Vasilievski, General, wounded at Pekin, <a href="#Page_118">118</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Victoria, Hong Kong, <a href="#Page_173">173</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Victoria Road, Tientsin, <a href="#Page_22">22</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Vladivostock, <a href="#Page_156">156</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Vodki, <a href="#Page_154">154</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Von Waldersee, Count, and our Royal Horse Artillery, <a href="#Page_68">68</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Wall, Great, of China, <a href="#Page_147">147</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Walls of Canton, <a href="#Page_261">261</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Walls of Pekin, <a href="#Page_72">72</a>, <a href="#Page_76">76</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Walls of Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_5">5</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Want of patriotism among the Chinese, <a href="#Page_281">281</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Water‐gate of Tartar City, <a href="#Page_78">78</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">of Canton, <a href="#Page_262">262</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Wei‐hai‐wei by night, <a href="#Page_2">2</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">by day, <a href="#Page_3">3</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Chinese village of, <a href="#Page_6">6</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">taken by Japanese, <a href="#Page_3">3</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Welch Fusiliers, Royal, <a href="#Page_79">79</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a>, <a href="#Page_198">198</a>, <a href="#Page_200">200</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -West River, <a href="#Page_276">276</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Whittall, Major, Hyderabad Contingent, <a href="#Page_18">18</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Williams, Major, Base Commissariat Officer, <a href="#Page_178">178</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Woolley, Captain, <span class="smcap">I.M.S.</span>, <a href="#Page_208">208</a>, <a href="#Page_220">220</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Workmen, Chinese, <a href="#Page_97">97</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -Yamen, Wei‐hai‐wei, <a href="#Page_4">4</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Canton, <a href="#Page_262">262</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">Samchun, <a href="#Page_221">221</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">British Consuls in Canton, <a href="#Page_259">259</a></li> - - -<li class="indx"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">307</a></span> -Yangtsun, <a href="#Page_66">66</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Yaumati, <a href="#Page_186">186</a>, <a href="#Page_209">209</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Yuan Shi Kai, army of, <a href="#Page_229">229</a></li> -<li class="ifrst"> -<em>Zaire</em>, Portuguese gunboat, <a href="#Page_237">237</a>;</li> -<li class="isubi">lands sailors, <a href="#Page_242">242</a></li> -<li class="indx"> -Zouaves, <a href="#Page_43">43</a></li> -</ul> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter chapter"> -<img src="images/colophon.jpg" width="100" height="115" alt="" /></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="transnote chapter"><p>Transcriber’s Notes:</p> -<p>The original accentuation, spelling and hyphenation has been retained. -An exception is the change of “shell-fire” to “shell fire” in Contents, Chapter II.</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Land of the Boxers, by Gordon Casserly - 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