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CHARLES WILLIAM WASON
COLLECTION

CHINA AND THE CHINESE

THE GIFT OF

CHARLES WILLIAM WASON

CLASS OF 1876

1918

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http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023151065

THE KEV. FREDERICK BROWN.

FROM
TIENTSIN TO PEKING

WITH

THE ALLIED FORCES

REV. FREDERICK BROWN, F.R.G.S.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL MISSION, TIENTSIN

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CHARLES H. KELLY

2, CASTLE ST., CITY RD., E.C., AND 26, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

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PREFACE

rpHE object of this volume is to enable the reader
in some degree to appreciate the difficulties,
dangers, and triumphs of one of the most important
marches ever made, and the only one of its kind
recorded in history.

The sole excuse for undertaking the march with
twenty thousand men fewer than military experts
deemed necessary for the capture of Peking in the
middle of the "rainy season" is to be found in the
urgency of the situation. It was daring in the extreme,
and had it ended in failure would have been charac-
terised as a foolhardy undertaking. But we still believe
that "one man with God is a majority"; and there
were so many clear exhibitions of divine interposition
during the march, that I give the glory to God for
the saving of the eight hundred precious lives.

This volume, which makes no pretension to literary

6

6 PREFACE

merit, would never have been published but for the
fact that many friends have tried to persuade me
that I have a tale to tell that should be told.

I owe my indebtedness to several published state-
ments, and herewith gratefully acknowledge it.

FEEDEEICK BEOWK

CONTENTS

CHAP. TAOB

I. INTRODUCTORY ... . 9

II. AN EXCITING RIDE TO TIENTSIN . 19

III. THE SIEGE OF TIENTSIN . . 29

IV. SIR ROBERT HART'S MESSAGE . . . .46
V. BATTLES OP PEI-TSANG AND YANG-TSUN . . 63

VI. ON THE MARCH .... 75

VII. THE ASSAULT OP PEKING . . . .96

VIII. THE RELIEF OF THE LEGATIONS . .112

GENERAL ORDER

Tientsin, 20th July., 1900.

No. 102.— The Rev. E. Brown is taken on the
strength of the Eorce from the 20th, and is attached
to the Intelligence Department.

. Certified,

(Signed) E. W. N. Noeie, Captain,

D.A.Q.M.G. for Intelligence,

China Expeditionary Force.

FKOM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

CHAPTEE I

INTRODUCTORY

F WILL resist the temptation to describe, by way of
-*- introduction, that supremely dramatic moment
when the Anglo-Saxon troops, in bespattered and sweat-
sodden khaki, led by Generals Gaselee and Chaffee,
forced their way through the sluice-gate under the wall
of the city of Peking and stood face to face with the
rescued eight hundred, and will begin my recital with
the causes of that march, whose like we shall not see
again, unless, haply, in the future, the soldiers of five
nations shall combine to force their way through a
hostile country, to save men, women, and children
from becoming the victims of an infuriated mob.

9

io FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

It was in March, 1900, that the civilised world was
startled by the news that the Boxers had sprung
into prominence and were killing in the Provinces
of Shantung and Chi-li. The term "Boxer" is as
unfortunate as it is erroneous. I-ho-ch'uan is the
Chinese name, and, literally translated, this means
" The Harmony of Fists Society " ; or, as in the Pro-
vince of Shantung, "Ta-tao-hui" ("The Big Knife
Society"). Both these names are comparatively new,
though the society is an old one. It was originally one
of the many revolutionary sects with which China is
undermined and whose very existence is forbidden
by imperial edict.

The Boxer sect was anti-dynastic, anti-progressive,
anti-modern, anti-Christian, and anti-foreign ; but
/when Prince Tuan, the father of the heir-apparent,
became the leader of the movement, in the spring of
1900, the anti-dynastic tenet was withdrawn from
their propaganda, and full force was allowed to the
anti-foreign one, inculcated with all the fervour of
half-civilised fanatics. Proclamations were sent to
all parts of the empire, and they had the desired effect ;
for in three months the northern and central pro-
vinces were swept clean of engineers, missionaries,
railways, telegraphs, chapels, schools, and colleges.
But, more terrible than all, these demon-possessed
ruffians in their frenzy perpetrated upon some of the
noblest womanhood of the century atrocities that it
would be hard to parallel in history. Their murder-

THE EMPERORS REFORMS n

ous passions claimed no fewer than 186 slaughtered
foreigners, as follows :

70 adults

28 children

English

40

16

Swedish

24

8

American

134 52

It is also estimated that forty thousand native Chris-
tians were sent to martyrs' graves.

Three years ago it was rumoured that China was
awaking after centuries of slumber, and that the
Emperor Kuang-hsu had turned reformer. The ruler
of one-fifth of the human race, whose will was supposed
to be law, had not then reckoned with the wily Empress
Dowager, backed by trusted officials of State whose
interest it was to maintain the old, corrupt methods.

The Emperor moved very fast. He abolished the
classical essay as a necessary part of the examinations ;
he ordered the establishment of a university in Peking,
and that school boards should be formed in the pro-
vinces. Railways and telegraphs were to be hurried
along till the eighteen provinces should be united and
bound by a network of rails and wires. He even ordered
the Buddhist temples to be turned into schoolrooms.
Li-hung-chang and Chin-hsu were dismissed from the
Tsung-li-Yamen. The governorships of three provinces
were abolished as useless expense, and the two presi-
dents and four vice-presidents of the Board of Rites

\/

12 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

■were dismissed. Doubtless many of these reforms would
have been helpful to the nation and people ; and if the
Emperor had been able to put into operation most of
them, as he did some, China would to-day have been
not far behind Japan in the matter of progress.

At this juncture, and before the Emperor's projects
could be realised, the Empress Dowager, with the clique
of fossilised advisers who surrounded her, decided that
the Emperor was in feeble health and that the anxieties
of State would surely kill him. Accordingly, on the
advice of the dismissed officials and in conformity with
her own lust for power, she resolved, despite her age,
to reassume the rulership of the Chinese Empire. So
the Emperor was arrested and thrown into prison-
rather a strange place in which to put an invalid !
The sound of his protesting voice could never reach the
outside of the Forbidden City, and should he so resist as
to cause trouble— well, a' cup of strong tea, with a pinch
of poison added, such as former emperors had been
compelled to drink, would soon put him to rest. No
opposition was made by the Foreign Governments, and
this glaring act of injustice was perpetrated without
even a remonstrance.

After this brilliant move, so successfully carried out,
it was decided to deal with the Emperor's friends, the
reformers. These men were struggling to throw off
the bonds of national servitude, the tyranny of illegal
taxation, the abuses of officialdom, the demands for
bribery, and the corrupt injustice of the criminal court.

EXTERMINA TION OF REFORMERS 1 3

Eeform in China is the deadly enemy of the present
Manchu dynasty, which rests upon the corruption and
official abuses the unhappy Emperor was seeking to
abate.

Extermination of the reformers was the only hope of
the present Government, under the Empress Dowager.
Chief among them was K'ang-yu-wei. He, however,
saw what was coming, and fled. Forthwith an order
was issued to slice him in pieces at the moment of
capture ; his family were to be killed, with all his re-
latives ; even the very graves of his ancestors were to be
demolished. Such was the penalty of being a reformer.
Many were not so smart as K'ang-yu-wei, and a large
number of fine young men, the flower of the Chinese
capital, were caught and beheaded without a trial. One
man, Chang-yin-huan, who had thus been condemned,
was saved by the intervention of the British Minister
to China, Sir Claude Macdonald. He had been the
bearer of congratulations from the Emperor of China
on the late Queen's Jubilee. Travelling round the
world, he had acquired something of the spirit of reform,
and for this was to be executed, when Sir Claude stepped
in and saved him ; but he was subsequently exiled and
secretly executed, in June, 1900, by the orders of the
Empress Dowager.

Who is this woman, that has been the means of so
much suffering in China and the acknowledged leader
in the Boxer crusade ? Her full name is Tsz-hi, Tao-
nu, Kang-i, Chon-yu, Chang-ghing, Sha-kung, Chui-

i 4 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

hsien, Chung-shi. A Manchu by birth, carefully
educated — an advantage which falls to very few
of her sex, even in the noblest families— she became
concubine to the Emperor Hsien Feng, and had the
joy of presenting him with a son and heir to the throne.
To signalise his delight, he raised her to the rank of
Empress, and from the year 1861 to 1875, when the
present Emperor came to the throne, her will was
absolute.

During the year 1900 the Christian Church in China
faced great persecution ; and what James, Paul,
Polycarp, Irenaeus, and the noble army of martyrs
did for early Christianity, the Chinese Christians did
for China in the last year of the nineteenth century.
The native Christian— so feeble, so apparently unfitted
to endure severe strain— has been tried in the furnace
of affliction. The howling mob in the Colosseum at
Eome, thirsting for the blood of the Christians,
has found its counterpart in the Boxer and his
allies.

In Jamiary, 1900, the Eev. J. Brooks was brutally
murdered in Shantung Province, while two German
priests were killed within a short distance of the scene
of his murder. A decree was promulgated, an indemnity
was paid, and a few men, probably innocent, were
beheaded. The Governor, named Yii-hsien, was dis-
missed and degraded, but was almost immediately
appointed Governor of the Province of Shan-si, where,
according to latest statistics, he put to death no fewer

IMPERIAL EDICTS USELESS 15

than one hundred and ten European and American
subjects. A strong protest from the Foreign Powers
at the time would have prevented his appointment
and probably saved much life and suffering.

Imperial edicts for the protection of life and property
enacted at the beginning of the year 1900 proved
useless, for with them secret instructions to the contrary
were being issued to the officials. A friendly disposed
official called on me to say, " Protection given in the past
will be impossible in the future." Being asked why,
he replied, " Puh hsing " ("It cannot be done"). In
February the Viceroy sent out word that I should
not be allowed to travel without an escort of Chinese
soldiers. Refusing the escort, I secured one of our
trusted native ministers and sent him to an out-station
with my mules and cart. On his arrival at the chapel
a crowd gathered, but, raising the curtain, they saw
that he was only a Chinaman, who for mobbing
purposes was not so desirable as a foreigner. At this
time a letter from me was published in the New York
Christian Advocate, an extract from which I give
here to show that the missionaries saw the trouble
coming :
" Every circuit in the district is over-run by the
Boxers, and all our preachers are in great
danger. I am trying to show by example that
' the post of danger is the post of honour.' All
our foreign and native workers are in great
danger, and at present we cannot see the ' silver

1 6 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

lining ' to the cloud. If we can fill out the
-Conference year 1 without riot and bloodshed, I
shall be glad."

An editorial note on the above :

" It is evident the missionaries saw .what was coming
at this early date."

By the middle of May the Boxer movement had
obtained a firmer footing in North China than the
Foreign Ministers suspected. On 17th May sixty
Catholic converts were -killed, and more than two
thousand were forced to flee for their lives, without
food, clothes, or shelter. Lord Salisbury cabled to
Sir Claude Macdonald, " 11 you think it necessary
for protection of Europeans, you may send for Marine
Guard." The guard was sent for immediately, but
the Chinese placed obstacles in the way of its advance
towards the Legation. At this time the Belgian
engineers were attacked while trying to escape from
Pao-ting-fu to the coast. Four were killed, and the
remainder endured terrible suffering, being eventually
brought into Tientsin by a relief party organised by
the residents of that city aided by military men.

On 2nd June I was resting, after a hard morning's
work at the North China Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the city of Peking, when I heard
in the yard the sound of a Chinaman's .voice relating
an exciting story. Going outside, I saw that the
man was Mr. Wang-pao-tang, a local preacher ; he was
1 Conference year ended 30th May, 1900..

THE MARINE GUARD 17

describing the murder of the Eev. W. Kobinson, of the
Church Missionary Society, that had occurred on the
previous day. He also reported that the Eev. J.
Norman, of the same Society, had been led away for
ransom. Word was sent immediately to the head-
quarters of the mission in Peking, and from there to
the ministers at the Legations. From that moment
all became alive to the seriousness of the situation.

By this time the Marine Guard had been allowed to
come into Peking. It consisted of 350 officers and
men— English, American, German, Eussian, Japanese,
and Erench. Only a few of this force lived to return
to the coast after the relief of the Legations. Prince
Tuan, a notorious foreigner-hater, had by revolution-
ary methods become President of the Tsung-li-Yamen,
or Foreign Office.

By this time it had become impossible any longer to
disguise the fact that all the bloodshed was instigated
by the Empress Dowager and her advisers, who could
no longer conceal their guilt. It was part of a well-laid
scheme for the extermination of the foreigner, and that
could be accomplished best where he was least protected
—away in the interior. They rightly judged that the
spirit of the West is the spirit of reform, and nothing
short of extermination would suffice those opposed to

it.

It may be well to state here briefly the causes of the
bitter hatred by the Chinese of the foreigner ; they
have been principally as follows :

18 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

1. The hereditary hatred felt by the Manchus (or the

reigning dynasty) for all foreigners.

2. The circulation for many years of the vilest

slanders against foreigners, charging them with
kidnapping and murder.

3. The despoilment of China by Foreign Govern-

ments, and the public discussion in newspapers
of the dismemberment of the Chinese Empire.

4. The demand made for and the securing of official

rank by Roman Catholic missionaries in 1899.

5. The secret resentment felt by the Chinese against

the opium trade, which has degraded the people

to a large extent.
To these was mainly due the sudden outburst, which
astonished the world and made some nervous people
believe that the " Yellow Peril " had arrived. The
Manchu Government has long felt its hold upon
China's millions menaced by the spread of Western
civilisation. Hence their hatred and extermination
of foreigners are but the exercise of the instinct of
self-preservation.

CHAPTER II

AN EXCITING RIDE TO TIENTSIN

mHE North China Conference of 1900 was to be held
-*- at Peking on 30th May. Entering the city, we
saw something of the ravages of the Boxers, who had
already attacked the main line south. Passing the
Feng-tai Junction, we saw the engineers' houses,
workshops, engines, and carriages in ruins, they having
been destroyed a few days previously.

Our Conference lasted till the evening of 3rd June,
but before that date some of the native preachers had
asked to be permitted to withdraw. In each case
leave was given, and they went to their homes to stand
by their families if needs were. We are sorry now that
more did not go, for some who remained were shot in
the Legations. On 4th June, about nine o'clock, a
party of four gentlemen and three ladies left the
mission compound for the station three miles away.
On passing the Legations, we noticed crowds of soldiers
lounging around the gates, as if protecting the people
inside. One man snapped his fingers at Dr. Hopkins,
one of my companions, and said, " Ni-men-chu-puh-

ao FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

liao " (" You cannot get away now "). We did not know
the full significance of his words, but went on and out
of the Yung-ting Gate. When just outside, we were
told that it was useless to attempt to get away, as
the Boxers were in possession farther south, the bridge
was burnt, and the train could not proceed. One of my
colleagues insisted on our going to the terminus to
ascertain the truth. On arriving at the station, we
entered the foreign waiting-room, which was a beautiful
double-storey building. The stationmaster, a China-
man, informed us that there would be no trains. By
this time we were joined by two gentlemen who had
been seeing the sights of Peking. We waited here for
some time, and then I asked permission to wire to the
Foreign Inspector at Feng-tai, which was granted. I
then wrote the following telegram :

" Baebee, Feng-tai.

There are three ladies and some gentle-
men waiting here. Is there any possible
chance of our getting to Tientsin to-
day ? Brown."

This telegram went forward, but no answer came ;
the inspector was not there. Then looking down the
line, we saw an engine coming towards us. On the
engine was a native guard of some standing, who was
anxious to get to the Tientsin end. He said, " I cannot
promise to get you to Tientsin, but will do my best.

AN EXCITING RIDE 21

We may land you over the burning bridges among
the Boxers, or have to bring you back."

We decided to run the risks, each man, taking his
place at a carriage window, being armed with either
a rifle or a revolver, and some of the ladies having the
latter- weapon. We started, and, after going about
nine miles, came to the bridge ; it was burnt, but
not so seriously as to prevent our crossing it. Along-
side was the shell of the Huang-tsun station, which had
been attacked that morning, while the signal-post and
water-tank were badly damaged. There were sword-
cuts on all that remained of the woodwork. Passing on,
before long we found the line on both sides thronged
with Boxers and our supposed friends the soldiers;
but neither attempted to attack us, and we dashed on
at full speed; When we stopped to take in water, one
of our number questioned some of the soldiers belong-
ing to General Nieh's army, who had been sent to
protect the station which had been attacked that
morning. Asked as to the Boxer attack, they said,
" An old man came from the village at 2 a.m. It was
very dark. Then thousands of ' heavenly soldiers '
[imperial troops] came down, and we fired at them,
but the bullets would not enter. Some did knock men
over, but they would jump up, spit the bullets out, and
fight again. And how could we fight against such
men?"

These soldiers were making their way as fast as
possible towards the coast, telling this tale as they

22 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

went— stowing only too plainly that the Boxers and
the soldiers were at this date (4th June) in league
together to exterminate the foreigner, and that it is
untrue, as some would have us believe, that it
was not till 17th June, after the bombardment of
the forts at Taku, that the army joined the Boxers.

Arrived at Tientsin, -we found that our driver had
absconded. Many friends were anxiously awaiting
us, hardly expecting again to see us alive. The tele-
graph wires were cut, and every station and bridge on
the line was burnt, while the rails were torn up. We
were indeed grateful for our escape from what seemed
like certain death.

On 11th June, just seven days after we had been
the last foreigners to escape from Peking, Admiral
Seymour, determined to reopen communication with
Peking within twenty -four hours, set out from
Tientsin with 2,000 men, amongst whom were 915
British, 350 Germans, 158 French, and 104 Americans,
Austrians, and Italians. This force pushed on slowly,
and succeeded in reaching Lang-fang, the farthest
north, fighting all the way and repairing the line as
they went. Progress became difficult, chiefly because
the line of communication was being constantly cut
in the rear. After some days they ran short of food
and water, and, as they had many sick and wounded,
it was decided to return to Tientsin. This was done ;
but throughout their march they had to fight their
way, and for nearly a week there was no word of

A STRANGE PERFORMANCE 23

Seymour or his troops. Having fought their way to
Yang-tsun, they resolved to abandon the railway line
and take to the river, eventually reaching Hsi-ku,
where they found and captured the arsenal, and en-
trenched till the relieving force from Tientsin found
them and brought them in.

Three weeks before I went to Peking, to attend the
Conference, my family had been ordered to Pei-tai-ho,
on the northern shore of the Gulf of Pechili, for health
reasons. This place is 150 miles from Tientsin, in a
north-easterly direction. It has been possible to send
invalids there only since the railway was opened, ten
years ago. It has proved a great boon to those in
need of a change of air, and has braced up many an
invalid who otherwise would have been obliged to go
to Japan or the homeland. To this place I was advised
to go by H.B.M. Consul at Tientsin. The day follow-
ing our arrival from Peking, 5th June, we went to take
a train, and found the platform in possession of General
Nieh's troops. Here I saw the strangest performance
I ever witnessed during my eighteen years' residence
in the Chinese Empire. A soldier took a black dog
by the ears, and another held him by the tail, while a
third cut him across the neck. Catching the blood in
a dish, they dipped the points of their bayonets into
it, and then sprinkled it from the dish about the plat-
form. A satisfactory explanation of this strange pro-
ceeding I have not yet received. The only one sug-
gested is, that it is the Chinese method of exciting an

24 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKNIG

appetite for blood and fighting ; but I doubt its being
the correct one.

In the train that morning we were accompanied
by the gallant captain of the German ship the litis,
who, at the taking of the Taku forts a few days later,
had both legs blown off. For his gallantry he has
received a special decoration from His Majesty the
Emperor of Germany. There were also two mission-
aries, Dr. N. S. Hopkins and the Eev. J. F. Hayne,
whose families were living seven miles from the Great
Wall, at a place called Tsun-hua ; .there were four
ladies and seven children at this station. A few days
later a telegram was sent to General Sung-ching, ask-
ing him to help these people. In reply, he sent twenty
cavalrymen, who, acting on his instructions, brought
them out safely. Within a few days this same general
came under the magic wand of the Chinese " Jezebel,"
and the lamb became a lion ; the friendly Sung-ching
was transformed into a bitter enemy, and fought us
desperately at Tientsin and on the march to Peking.
It was this brave general who showed to the world
that the Chinese soldier, well led, is not to be con-
demned.

On my arrival at Pei-tai-ho, I found intense excite-
ment. The ladies and children were brought into the
Eocky Point settlement, which is situated on the side
of a high hill, from which anything approaching from
the surrounding country could be readily seen. There
were 75 people all told, nearly all women and children.

ACTING AS INTERPRETER 25

Anxiously we waited for what the future had in store
for us. Our line of retreat landwards was soon out off,
and at last all communication with our quarter ceased.
Then one morning, on looking out southward to the
open sea, we saw a vessel approaching. She proved to
be H.M.S. Humber, sent by the Vice-Admiral to rescue
us. This sight gave heart to the nervous ones in our
company.

Major Parsons of the Burma Army, who was study-
ing the Chinese language here, had taken command
of our small garrison. A flag-staff had been set up
ashore and a code of signals arranged. The President
of the Eocky Point Association had deputed me to act
for him, and so my responsibilities were great; for
during the whole time I had to act as interpreter to the
Major, and as medium between him and the Chinese
people round about. After consultation, it was decided
that all should board the ship, leaving houses, goods,
and chattels to the Boxers. The gunboat was two miles
out at sea, and the ship's boats would have been almost
useless for getting the people on board; so the Major
asked me to hire junks, or Chinese boats. But all my
efforts to obtain them failed ; in spite of offers of large
sums of money, the fishermen would not lend a single
vessel. The reason transpired later: the locaK official
had threatened that any man hiring to us should be
executed on arrest. A note to this effect, given to the
Major, brought down twenty -five British marines
with fixed bayonets, and they took all the junks they

26 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

needed, the fishermen bolting like a flock of sheep. Our
circumstances were serious enough, but I could not
help being amused at our British tars' attempts to sail
the junks. Not much progress was made until the
ship's steam-launch was brought into requisition.

On boarding the ship I ventured to remark to the
doctor that the Chinese could handle their ugly boats
much better than could our men. Drawing himself
together and standing his full height, he replied, " My
dear sir, allow me to inform you that there is nothing
in this world that a British blue-jacket cannot do." I
fully agreed with him, of course. Nothing could have
surpassed the tenderness with which the blue-jackets
helped the delicate women and children into the boats,
and from the boats on to the ship, in assisting them to
escape the Boxer mobs. Many of the men doubtless
had children of their own, and thought of them while
they gently handed the babies and their parents on
to the stout deck of H.M.S. Humher. There were
ladies with us whose husbands were in Peking and their
children in Tientsin, both places at that time being
besieged and bombarded ; and some of our number left
Pei-tai-ho believing that they would never again see
their loved ones. But to stay meant

Cold, hunger, prisons, ills without a cure ;
All these they must, and guiltless, oft endure.

The ship sailed for Taku, where the American subjects
were taken charge of by the American Admiral, while
the British were sent on board the S.S..Yik-sarig for

AN ULTIMATUM 27

conveyance to Chef 00. The Humber returned at once
to Pei-tai-ho, to bring back those she had been unable
to ship on the first trip ; and when she left the shore
the looters could be plainly seen at work, and before
the ship left the harbour, what had been a beautiful
town was a mass of flames.

On 16th June the Admirals at Taku noticed the
Chinese laying torpedoes in the river and training
their guns on the men-of-war. They thus foresaw the
Boxer and his army,

who pitched upon the plain
His mighty camp, and when the day returned
The country wasted, the hamlets burned ;
And left the pillagers, to rapine bred,
Without control to strip and spoil the dead.

On the Saturday evening an ultimatum was sent to
General Yang, demanding the surrender of the forts
before 2 a.m. on the 17th. The only answer was the
booming of the Chinese guns, that had been trained
on the men-of-war. Little damage was done', however ;
for the ships had changed position after dark, so that
nearly all the shells plunged harmlessly into the sea.
Long and terrible was the fight, for on both sides the
most modern weapons were in use. Before daylight
the torpedo-catchers, which had entered the river a few
days before, came down, landed men, and made the
assault. The Chinese general and hundreds of officers
and men were killed, while those who escaped fell
back on Tang-shan, in the direction whence we had

28 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

come on being rescued by H.M.S. Hwnber. Had our
departure been delayed till the arrival of the retreating
soldiers, we should all without doubt have fallen victims
to their wrath.

An English engine-driver had made his escape from
Taku during the bombardment, and, dashing along
on his engine, brought the news to us at Pei-tai-ho.
Having the land telegraphic line open to the north, I
dispatched a cable to America, vid St. Petersburg and
London, announcing the fall of Taku. It proved to be
the first intimation of the event to reach the outside
world. A few days previously I had been appointed, by
cable, war correspondent for the New York Journal.

CHAPTER III

THE SIEGE OF TIENTSIN

"I17HILE at Chef oo, where we had been taken by the
* ' Tik-sang, I dispatched many war cables to New
York, and some were copied into English papers. I also
received cables from all parts from people who had
friends in Tientsin and Peking. Some I was able to
answer, but to many it was beyond my power to give
the information asked for. Since I have acted as
a war correspondent I appreciate the demand for
sensational news. Several cables reached me asking
for abnormally thrilling incidents ; but these I could
not give without inventing them. Correspondents send
sensation because it is demanded at headquarters.

While waiting for an opportunity to return from
Chef oo to Taku— which was no easy matter, for no
civilians were allowed to go, Tientsin being in a state of
siege— I was pleased to notice how energetically and
amicably the Anglo-Saxon race joined in rescuing
Europeans. Consul Fowler, the representative of the
United States, chartered a steamer on his own responsi-
bility, and sent her along the coast of the gulf to pick
up any European, regardless of his nationality, who

29

30 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

might be in distress. In this way about two hundred
English, French, and American persons were rescued.

In Chefoo there were two frowning forts, and we were
in continual fear lest they should fire upon us. Under
these circumstances, an American subject asked per-
mission to go to Wei-hai-wei on H.M.S. Terrible.
Captain Percy Scott, of Ladysmith fame, answered :
" Sir, on board H.M.S. Terrible there is no difference
between American and British. Come, as many as
want to go to Wei-hai-wei. Blood is thicker than water."
This recalls an incident during the attack on the forts
at Taku in 1860 : when some of the British vessels were
in difficulties, the American Admiral sent a tug-boat to
pull a disabled ship out of range ; being asked his reason,
he replied, " Blood is thicker than water."

Chefoo was nearly free of women and children. My
own wife went away on board a troop-ship bound for
Hong-kong, whence I had arranged that she should be
sent forward to England. On arriving there she wired,
" Steamers full, and no lodgings. What shall I do ? "
In answer, I replied by telegraph, " Go to Japan." She,
with the children, then sailed for Nagasaki, where they
remained till September, when they sailed in the German
steamer for England.

^At last, after a weary time of waiting in Chefoo, I
was given the opportunity of returning to Tientsin.
This came about through the kindness of the captain
of a vessel carrying cattle for the German Navy at Taku.
The voyage up was uneventful. It takes eighteen hours,

JJP THE RIVER 31

as a rule, and we reached the anchorage in good time.
Going ashore, I saw Captain Wild of the TJ.S.S. Mona-
cacij, who allowed me to ascend the twenty-seven miles
of river on an armed tug-boat. On entering the mouth
of the river, I saw the Japanese and British flags float-
ing over the first forts, from which so recently the
Chinese had defied the allied fleets. There were many
signs oi the terrible struggle which had taken place.
Two big condensers were in use condensing water. Some
of the Allies had given no quarter to a single Chinaman,
and one had disgraced civilisation by firing on the un-
armed coolies of the Tug and Lighter Company.

In ordinary times a large hulk is anchored on the bar
outside the mouth of the river, and about three hundred
coolies live on board. When steamers come and need
lighterage, the coolies are put aboard them by the
Company. After the fall of the Taku forts, there being
no steamers to employ them, they decided to go ashore.
Unfortunately for them, they landed opposite the
Russian fort. They were fired upon, and the whole
three hundred were either shot or drowned. The ribs
of the hulk now lie above high-water mark as a memento
of the terrible deed. This is only one of the many crimes
perpetrated in the name of civilisation, and China has
good right to. choose her civilising powers.

The trip up the river was a terrible experience. We
had to steer clear of corpses, the river being crowded
with them. Scores of grain-junks were anchored on
both sides of the river, -and foreign soldiers were search-

32 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

ing them for eggs, chickens, and anything else eatable.
Non-compliance with their demands meant death to the
recalcitrants, and, as a result, we saw soldiers with hens
and other plunder slung round their waist-belts. Most
of the villages had been destroyed, and over such as
remained was waving the British, Japanese, French,
or German flag, to testify that the inhabitants were
friendly. The match factory and farm, though owned
by Chinese, were counted semi-foreign, and had been
destroyed by the Boxers.

It took us eight weary hours to make this short trip,
along which, on both sides, the high grain gave good
shelter for Chinese snipers ; yet, excepting by an out-
post in the distance, we were not disturbed. Junks
followed in succession, bearing wounded to the coast.
The upper decks were crowded with bandaged men
being taken seaward, where a quicker recovery might
be expected than in this foul atmosphere.

On arriving at the foreign settlement, I found my
house shattered with shells. In the rooms • I collected
handfuls of shrapnel bullets and exploded shells. The
French settlement had been destroyed, and what had
been a pretty (Chinese) suburb was now nothing but
a mass of roofless houses, charred and blackened.

On 19th June the Chinese began to bombard the
foreign settlement of Tientsin. There was but a small
force of the Allies, while the Chinese crowded round in
thousands; still all the settlements of Tientsin were
blockaded. The Boxers were in front, while the regulars

A PERILOUS JOURNEY 33

stood behind, bombarding with all their might, hoping
to overpower the small garrison, when the Boxers could
rush in and massacre.

Tientsin must have fallen, and the Admirals at Taku
would not have known of its great peril, but for a^young
Englishman named Watts, who offered to ride through
the Chinese lines, with two Cossacks, to Taku. At
nightfall Watts and the Cossacks slipped quietly through
the besiegers. After many narrow escapes, swimming
the river twice and being shot at several times, they
reached Taku. Mr. Watts in performing this feat
displayed most conspicuous bravery, and the King has
been pleased to recognise his courage and the value of
his services. His Majesty has conferred upon him a
Companionship of St. Michael and St. George. Troops
were at once dispatched ; and though repulsed twice on
the way, they arrived in time to save the situation.
Every civilian had been in the firing line ; many had
been hit, some killed. The native Christians had built
the barriers. There had been many fires, and but for
the Eussians who fought so bravely at the railway
station the place would have been captured. While
Tientsin was besieged it was impossible to hear from
Peking, or even from Admiral Seymour ; but 21st June
saw the siege of Tientsin settlement raised, though
Chinese guns placed in the native city pounded away for
twenty days longer. On 25th June a relieving column
marched out in search of Seymour. It came up with him
in one day, joining forces at the arsenal at Hsi-ku.

3

34 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

He had had sixty-two killed, and had three hundred
and sixty-two sick and wounded with him. The whole
force, with the relievers, returned to Tientsin. The
Admiral, Captain McCalla, and Mr. Campbell, who acted
as Intelligence Officer, had been sniped and wounded—
happily not seriously. In spite of hundreds of burst-
ing shells and showers of stray bullets, the greatest
danger was from the hidden riflemen, who seemed to
be firing from every building in the settlement, espe-
cially from the warehouses. To show oneself in the
streets was to be shot at, and only the fact that these
Boxer sympathisers were untrained in the use of arms
prevented an immense loss of life. Again and again
suspected places would be surrounded and searched.
One coolie employed by a foreign firm fired a revolver
point-blank at a passing civilian, but fortunately
missed his mark. He was seized and executed. It may
seem remarkable that, although the settlements were
bombarded for twenty-five days, only five civilians were
killed ; but the large cellars of Tientsin gave great
protection, and the ladies and children spent most of
their time in them. The heaviest shells exploded in
passing through the first wall they struck, their frag-
ments being blown all over the room they entered,
but not passing through a second wall. Thus, by
remaining on a floor below the surface, people were
reasonably safe. In the street everyone was exposed.
When no firing was proceeding, the ladies slept on
chairs, on the stairs, and on the floors; but during

36 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

shelling they spent hours of misery in those dark,
dismal cellars.

With scanty clothing, with little bedding, with none
of the conveniences of home, with an. unbroken diet
of cold and corned meats and biscuits, and with such
crowded accommodation, it is easy to imagine what the
ladies and children suffered during the many days of
the bombardment. The damage to property was great.
Chimneys and sections of roofs were blown away, rooms
dismantled. Shells had pierced the walls, and, exploding,
had fallen upon beds or on the floors. The ground had
been torn up, and was Uttered with fragments of common
shell and shrapnel, as well as rifle bullets, which had
struck the houses and fallen. The force of an exploding
shell in one house was so great that chair legs were
found sticking in the ceiling, while all the furniture
was reduced to fragments. With so many fires and
heavy bombardments, everybody said " good-bye " to
his household treasures.

It is my pleasant duty to record the bravery of the
Russian troops. The railway station had been attacked,
and in the battle that ensued the Russians lost no fewer
than one hundred men ; but the Chinese must have
lost three hundred. With all their courage, the
Cossacks were'forced to send for aid. They were re-
inforced by the British, with whose help they finall y
repulsed the Chinese. It had been a critical time.
Women's faces were white, and men's were grave.
There had seemed little hope.

SEVERE FIGHTING 37

The imperial troops numbered five thousand, withy
Boxers innumerable ; and if they had attacked in a
body at any particular point, no effectual resistance
could have been offered. For three days fighting was
continuous ; but God was on the side of the women and
children. The natural advantages seemed to be all with
the Chinese. Matters had become so serious that men
had been appointed to shoot the women and children
when it should come to the final stand. The men were
fighting night and day, and were fast becoming ex-
hausted, while the ammunition threatened to give out.
There were horrible sights everywhere. The river was
fairly choked with bodies, the air was vile, the water
foul.

On 13th July it was decided to put a stop to the shot
and shell which had been pouring into the settlements
for twenty-three days. A council of war was held by
the Generals, and at 5 a.m. it was resolved to make
an attack on the native city— British, Americans, and
Japanese on the west of the river, while the Russians
and French were to take the east. Said an officer, " I
have seen fighting in many parts of the world, but
never saw harder than we had with these untutored
Chinese. We just got over the wall or barrier, when
the Chinese opened fire. Our men dropped like flies,
and were obliged to take shelter." They lay and fought
for nearly ten hours. The Chinese shot so well that
it was with difficulty the hospital corps could get out
to do its work.

38 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

It was here that the American colonel (Liscomb) was
hit, while talking with a wounded man. The soldiers
went almost wild when they knew their commanding
officer had been killed, but they were taken over by the
second in command, and made a charge by the side of the
Japanese. The way these Japanese fought was a revela-
tion. A regiment acted like one man. The Chinese
might shoot them down by the dozen, but those left
did not even waver. They were resolved on victory
all through.

It was a picturesque sight to see the Allies attacking
a trench together. They seemed to understand each
other's methods of fighting, and they were superbly
brave. They were invincible from the start. As
fighters, the trained Chinese showed remarkable ability.
They are utterly fearless of death, are good shots,
and their artillery was well served. Still, the men will
run in the face of disaster. Let one or more become
panic-stricken and start a stampede, and the others
will follow.

Brave deeds could be recounted of all the nations. I
will relate one. General Dorward, the British com-
mander, mentioned it in his despatches referring to the
American 9th Infantry. "They were fighting about
■twelve hours, almost alone, and never giving back a
foot of ground, until directed to retire under cover of
night and the fire of the naval guns. The incident I
refer to was the bringing back to me by Adjutant-
Lieutenant Lawton of the account of the position of the

JAPANESE BRA VER Y 39

regiment, across a wide and fire-swept space, and return-
ing with reinforcements to guide them to his regiment,
when he was severely wounded."

Now for an example of Japanese bravery. The forc-
ing of the south gate of Tientsin having been allotted
to the Japanese, their commander directed that the
outer gate should be blown up. Two tins of gun-cotton
were placed in position, and a fuse was attached and
ignited ; but the heavy fire of the Chinese either cut the
fuse or blew out the light. Three times it was lighted,
and as often went out. At last a Japanese engineer
took a box of matches, ran forward, and touched the
powder. Immediately there was an explosion, which
blew man and gate to atoms. Others pressed forward,
the inner gate was opened, and the main body ran in,
driving back the Chinese and punishing them severely.
The officer called his buglers, sent them on the wall,
and there they played the Japanese National Anthem.

There were 8,000 allied troops engaged that day, and
the total loss was 775, a larger proportion than at Spion
Kop. The Chinese losses were enormous— probably
not less than 3,000. When the battle was over, the
British secured guns and boats, the Japanese took guns
and sycee, the Eussians guns, and the Americans
captured the Mint, from which they took silver sufficient
to cover all the expenses of the expedition. There was
one fort which the Eussians had decided to take on the
morrow, but before they could get to it the Japanese
had captured it.

40 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

The heaps of the Chinese dead told how dearly they
had sold their lives, and that, farther north, there
would be more fighting. But now over this city the
guns were no longer heard, and it was again possible
to sleep at nights without having to crawl into a bomb-
proof cellar. Once more you might walk the street
without fear of being hit by snipers. These are a few of
the blessings one can appreciate after a successful battle,
and those who had the responsibility of hundreds of
Chinese refugees sang with heartfelt thankfulness:

Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.

After the battle, you see the grim, cruel side of
warfare. On the right were the trenches occupied by
the Chinese on the eventful night on which they tried
to rush the settlement in obedience to the imperial
decree. The assault was a failure. These trenches
were cleared by our British tars ; but the Chinese,
with their wonderful strategy, had already flooded
them, so that our men stood up to their knees in water.

During the siege of Tientsin there was so much treach-
ery about that some of the foreigners demanded that all
Chinese should be put out of the settlement. If this had
been done, of course the Christians would not have
been exempt. It was well that the plan was not put
into practice, for the work of the native Christians was
of the greatest possible service in saving the settlement
from falling into the hands of the enemy. Under the
directions of the troops, they in one night raised a

BRA VER Y OF NA TIVE CHRISTIANS 4 1

barricade of bales of camel-wool two miles long and two
bales high all along the river front. This side of the
settlement had to be held by our men, and, until the
erection of this barricade, was open to a deadly fire
from the Chinese troops on the opposite bank, from
which they kept up an incessant shower of bullets, which
fell for days into the compounds all along the river-
bank. After that, every street was barricaded, so that
every approach to the settlement was blocked against
any sudden rush or attack. Upwards of £15,000
worth of camels' hair was put upon the streets for this
purpose, and, in addition, vast quantities of hides, bags
of rice and beans, and boxes of condensed milk and soap.
These were either carted or carried on the shoulders
from the storehouses by the native preachers, teachers,
and scholars who had fled from the horrors of the
surrounding country to Tientsin, only to find them-
selves in no safer place. Most of them were not accus-
tomed to this kind of labour, and did their work under
heavy fire. They worked day and night until their
arduous task was accomplished, returning from it
with blistered hands and aching bodies. They carried
water, provisions, and ammunition, dug graves, and
performed every kind of labour usually executed by
the large coolie class in peaceful times.

At one time, when the settlement was in desperate
straits, and shells were coming from a gun which could
not be located because of the smokeless powder used,
two men— one an old preacher and the other his son—

42

FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

offered to go up into the native city and report the
position of the gun. Two others went through the
Boxer lines to the Admirals at Taku, to tell them of
our dire need. One was captured and thrown into the
river ; the other never returned. Fifty of the Christian
converts carried loads of ammunition for the British

f v aft "

k&

-

1 '■■lywBM memm

A FUNERAL PROCESSION.

twelve-pounder naval gun, which they dragged from one
position to another whence it might be used to greater
advantage. Twice they dragged it into the open
under a heavy fire from the enemy, and, while shells
whizzed close to their heads and bullets sang all around
them, they continued their work bravely, following
directions calmly, like men who. were not afraid to die.

BRA VER Y OF NATIVE CHRISTIANS 43

They well earned their protection and the unstinted
commendation they received.

Men and women who had no regard or sympathy
for Christian work admitted that they had been an
untold blessing to the settlement. The lives of many
soldiers were saved through the work of these native
Christians, and the health and comfort of the sick and
wounded were augmented greatly by the work of others
who did the immense washings for the hospitals, compris-
ing about four hundred articles per day.

The women and girls were as useful as the men. They
made shirts for the sick and wounded, pillows and
pillow-slips for the hospitals, and grey caps to cover the
British blue-jackets' straw hats which made such
excellent marks for the enemy. Our Christian women
and girls sat doing this work in the broiling sun in
the courtyard while shells screeched over their heads
and bullets dropped at their feet. One morning the
shells came more than usually near, and were very
numerous ; and between the demoralising whizzing and
swishing from the native city would come the answering
roar of the Allies' big gun from Ladysmith, not a
hundred yards away. The natives being asked whether
they were not afraid, replied, " Oh, these pillows are
wanted in a great hurry at the hospital for those good
men who were injured for us."

Such as these are the men and women who make up
the remnant of Christ's Church in China ; and such as
these have died for Christ, by the thousand, rather than

44 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

live and prove false to Him. Churches and chapels,
hospitals and schools, which stood as symbols in a dark
land for all that was good and true and helpful, are
destroyed, but temples of the living God still stand—
the hearts of believers. What they had to undergo is
well described in Hebrews xi. 36, 37.

Away over the plain and in the city were hundreds
of dead and dying. Our hearts mourned over many
a mother's son who had shed his blood to bear witness
to the world that, where helpless women and children
are being butchered, shelled; and shot, Christianity
is not a dead letter, but an impelling force, urging men
to face even death, if thereby the helpless can be saved.
All honour to the allied armies and their brave dead
left on the battlefield !

In and around the city heaps of dead Chinese lay
awaiting "arrangements for cremation. Prisoners were
told off to gather them in heaps, to cover them with
doors and windows taken from houses, and then to
burn them. We turned away from these sickening
sights and smells ; but the horrible visions remained
still pictured before our eyes, and even now in
dreams disturb us. Back to our home we went.
What a change had taken place in this mission
house ! "Upstairs and downstairs wounded men were
being treated by the doctors— legs and arms were
being amputated, bullets being extracted. Sighs
went up for dear ones far away— a wife, a mother,
a child ; yet even here we could lighten the cares of

BURYING THE DEAD

45

the poor fellows by telling them of the great Burden-
bearer who has made provision for every need.

To remain longer in this atmosphere was too painful,
so we sought out a quiet spot across the road, with
the two hundred Christian refugees saved from the
fury of their own people. To these we turned for a
quiet hour, and with them, on bended knee, joined in

REMAINS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TIENTSIN.

prayer, as we had rarely prayed before, thanking God,
in the Chinese language— with heartfelt assents from
a large congregation— that He, the King of Icings and
Lord of lords, had given victory to our arms, and
had spared so many to go forth and bear witness in
the future to His transcendent power to preserve His
people.

CHAPTER IV

SIR ROBERT HARTS MESSAGE

MAKE haste ! make haste ! Ah ! list the frenzied cry
We fling across the world. Will none reply ?
While powers pause, while armies vacillate,
We vainly pray for help. Come not too late !

Make haste ! make haste ! Once more that broken cry ;
Once more we shriek it forth before we die.
Women and children fail, children and wives ;
Save .them, great God ! We yield instead our lives.

Make haste ! make haste ! Feeble, yet frantic cry !
Will no one hear ? Say, is not rescue nigh ?
We slowly perish. Powers, nations, hear
Thy countrymen's appeal ! thy people's prayer !

Make haste ! make haste ! The plunderers at our gate
Announce with raging roar our speedy fate ;
How long can we withstand bullet and ball,
Starvation, parching heat, before we fall ?

Make haste ! make haste ! Cold is our colleague's brow ;
He whom we loved lies bleeding, butchered, low ;
While round our walls his murderers scream and yell,
Drunk with the blood they shed when Ketteler fell.

Make haste ! make haste ! Oh, what is that we hear ?
The tramp of allied armies drawing near.
Delusive dream ! 'Tis Chinese pillage — waste 5
Our strength is well-nigh spent. Brothers, make haste !

E. M. d'A.

CHINESE OFFICIALS IMPLICATED 47

Sentiments such as these were ringing in the ears
of soldier and civilian alike after the fall of the native
city at Tientsin, where no fewer than seven hundred and
seventy-five of our men had been killed or wounded,
and the gallant Colonel Liscomb had lost his life. And
at last there came the message from Sir Eobert Hart in
Peking : " The situation is desperate. Make haste ! "
It was stitched between the soles of a sham beggar's
shoe. He had been let down in a basket outside the
sixty-feet-high wall which runs round the city, had
begged his way through the Boxer lines, and at last
had reached us in Tientsin.

Then all became excitement. Through the ruins of
the foreign settlement an eager cosmopolitan crowd
was jostling shoulders— Indians, Cossacks, Americans,
English, Germans, and French. After having been so
long confined to cellars, resident civilians welcomed
with delight the luxury of walking about and the im-
munity from bullets. The capture of the native city by
the allied troops on 15th July had been so unexpected by
the Chinese, that the' officials of the various treasuries,
yamens, and mints had not had time to hide their
treasure or destroy incriminating documents before
beating a retreat. I, with a cavalry captain, had orders
to visit the Viceroy's yamen, under the " pass " of the
Eussian general, who was in possession of the .place, to
bring away valuable papers left there by the Viceroy.
These showed beyond a doubt that he was the recog-
nised head of the Boxer movement in the district. We

48 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

found the Viceroy's day-book, in which many entries
were made of money paid to the Boxers for help received;
and also several Boxer proclamations, all demanding
the extermination of foreigners. Black and compromis-
ing as these were in face of the imperial memorandum
drawn up for the Chinese Ministers in London and
Washington, they are almost mild when compared with
some of earlier date found in the same book. Petty
foreign loot was frequently referred to in this record.
Its possession seemed to have been regarded as proof
of foreign defeat, and as such was rewarded. No
monetary expenditure was to be spared if it could
hasten the fulfilment of the object sought.

The first news of the massacre of missionaries was
found in a letter written from Pao-ting-fu on 6th July
by the Provincial Treasurer to the Viceroy. The four
officials implicated were condemned— partly on their
own letters, found at this time— and executed by the
allied troops. One of the officials executed had written
to the Viceroy that the Catholic village of Tung-liu had
defied the Boxers for nearly three months. The people
had thrown up a rampart and bought a few Mauser
rifles ; the Catholic priests had taken command, and so
far they had withstood the Boxer attacks. He added
that three thousand taels 1 had been offered as a
reward to any man who would devise a scheme to
capture or annihilate the people, and destroy the
village; but so far without avail.

1 Tael, worth about three shillings or seventy-five gold cents.

DISCO VER Y OF A RMS 49

The commanders of forts along the coast and on the
river were responsible to the Viceroy, and many of their
reports and despatches were not only useful but amusing.
The fort of Hsin-cheng was taken early in July by the
allied forces ; but, to the surprise of the officer command-
ing the attacking force, few guns were to be found,
and they were obsolete. A despatch from the Chinese
commander to the Viceroy informs him of the disaster ;
but he adds, " The ' foreign devils ' will never find my
guns ; they are under the floor of the powder magazine " !

A despatch from the Chinese officer commanding the
fort at Pei-tsang told of his anxiety when he saw the
" foreigners coming in and out of the mouth of the Taku
Eiver like bees." " My torpedoes are few, ammunition
scarce, soldiers are deserting, and, in fact, I live a year
in. one day." The allied troops delayed visiting this fort
till October, when they found it deserted; but the
Chinese had laid powder-mines all round, and no fewer
than eighty allied soldiers were killed while walking
over these hidden instruments of destruction. Thus the
time given to the Chinese was a mistake for which we
dearly paid.

Inside the yamen we found a cage, about fifteen
feet square, made of timbers four inches thick. We also
found a proclamation, clearly showing that the cage was
meant for the captured foreigners, and the people were
exhorted to turn all such over to the tender mercies of
the Viceroy till they could be otherwise disposed of.
In the yamen yard were two bomb-proof cellars, besides

.4

5°

FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

one under the floor of the yamen, about twelve feet
square, the tops being level with the ground. A large
quantity of shields, rifles, swords, and ammunition were
lying- about the yard in great profusion.

It was on 4th June, the day I left it, that Peking could
first be called a besieged city. On that day the last

BOXEKS SHIELDS FOUND IN THE VICEROY S YAMEN.

passengers came out. Travelling over burning bridges
and through the Boxer lines, we reached Tientsin in
safety. Immediately afterwards the line was destroyed,
bridges and stations were burned, and none of our
friends who said they " would come down by the next
train " escaped, but remained immured in Peking
throughout the siege.

On 8th June the American Congregational station

THE GERMAN MINISTER KILLED gi

at Tung-chow, thirteen miles east of Peking, was
attacked, and men, women, and children were obliged
to seek shelter in the Methodist Episcopal mission
house at Peking. When all had reached the com-
pound, there were about seventy-five missionaries,
twenty-five American marines, and six hundred native
Christians — with small-pox and scarlet fever rife.
After Baron Von Ketteler had been killed, it was to this
compound that his secretary made his escape ; he fell,
bleeding and unconscious, at the gate. Taken into the
beautiful Asbury Church, he received every attention it
was possible to give under the circumstances. Asbury
Church was built three years ago by the Eev. Frank
Gamewell, and by common consent was recognised as
the largest and most beautiful Protestant church for
Chinese in China. This building was loopholed, doors
were built up, and a barbed wire fence was put round it,
in preparation for the coming siege. Stocks of rice
and bitter water were laid in.

This was the condition of affairs on 20th June, the
day Baron Von Ketteler was killed. At this time the
regular soldiers were camping on the top of the city wall,
which is forty feet wide, and in close proximity to Asbury
Church. The place was as strong as it could be made ;
but it was declared untenable, owing to its nearness to
the wall. While there was time, it was thought wise to
vacate the place, form a procession, and march for con-
centration and mutual protection to the British Lega-
tion, about one mile away. There were old men, delicate

52 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

ladies, and little children, carrying all they could closely
packed in a small bag or box. Many high-souled,
devoted men took part in this procession— Chauncey
Goodrich, George Davis, the senior men of the largest
missions in North China ; also Hobart, Verity, Walker,
the noble band of lady missionaries, and all the little
children. Some had laboured for the Chinese for
thirty years. Their literary work at this time was
perishing in the flames. Not so the fruit of their labour
in the hearts of men, for at that very moment there
were those of their spiritual children who were losing
their heads rather than deny their Lord and Master.
On this memorable occasion they were all driven by
circumstances, like a flock of sheep, from American-
owned property, leaving all their earthly possessions—
their home, and all that means in an alien land like
China— not because they were Christians especially,
but because they were foreigners. Strange in the nine-
teenth century, and in spite of a treaty with a sup-
posed civilised country, that in the capital of that
country the subjects of the other parties to the treaty
not only received no protection, but that more than
one hundred of them should lose their lives at the hands
of those who were bound to afford it.

On their arrival at the Legation, there was some
hesitation about finding accommodation for the native
Christian refugees, and Professor James, of the Imperial
University, lost his life that day while seeking for
quarters for the poor helpless converts who had accepted

SUFFERINGS OF THE BESIEGED 53

Christianity as their faith and were now in danger of
finding " no room in the inn." Yet this is what hap-
pened to their Lord and Master. To Dr. Morrison,
the Times correspondent, belongs not a little of the
credit of saving the native Christians from being turned
loose into the Boxer lines to be murdered. A place was
found for them at last ; and it is well that this was so,
for all the barricades here, as in Tientsin, were built by
the native Christians, under the supervision of the
missionaries.

Out of fifty-six days not one was free from shot and
shell, and for thirty days there was a perfect storm of
lead, while fires raged all around ; the enemy mean-
while pouring shell over the wall like demons. This
siege was more desperate than that of either Lady-
smith or Kimberley. If these places had succumbed
to the Boers, some mercy would have been shown
towards women and children ; but not so by the
Boxers. No quarter, no mercy ; the same fate which
overtook the poor people at Pao-ting-fu and Tai-yeun-
fu awaited them. This was the dread of all the
foreigners in Peking, and, while hoping for the best,
they determined that neither women nor children
should fall alive into the hands of the enemy, but that
each man should perform for those dependent on him
that pittance of a merciful deed like that of the soldier
who shoots his lame war-horse to put him out of his
misery.

At this juncture, and when hope was almost gone,

54 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

there appeared a ray of light. One of the faithful
messengers from Tientsin had succeeded in evading
the vigilance of Chinese watchfulness, and had squeezed
himself between the bars of the sluice-gate of the Tartar
city, and, with a despatch stitched between the double
lining of his hat, had brought word that " Tientsin native
city had fallen, that Seymour had returned, and that
efforts would be made as early as possible to relieve
Peking." It may be imagined how that news flew
through the Legation, and from that moment the faith
of the despondent began to rise. The Christian men and
women were those who did not despair ; and those who
made no profession of Christianity, but who knew of
the prayers offered on their behalf, were^ encouraged
to believe that those petitions and prayers would be
heard and answered. Only by one— and he an atheist
—did I hear it said that " there was hot a ray of
hope."

The sufferings of the besieged were increased by the
fact that the siege began in the summer, many of the
children dying from the intense heat and the inability
of their parents to secure proper food for them. As
for meat, horse and mule had to be the staple diet. There
was a little mutton, but that was reserved for invalids.
There was one cow, but what was she to eight hundred
claimants for her milk ? No milk, little butter, sugar
scarce, rice musty. Many of the people starved them-
selves rather than eat what many a dog would refuse.
This is no imaginary picture, but a statement of facts

GENERAL SIR ALFRED GASELEE.

56 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

learned from the lips of those best able to speak. The
Chinese bugles, with their hoarse cry, which sounds
like " Mur-Der," could be heard incessantly. The
nerves of the poor people in the Legation were shattered
by the revelation of ravening hate manifested in the
wild-beast yells of the foul yellow wretches outside the
walls ; and, humanly speaking, they were powerless.
The Boxers had no rifles, but the regulars had. The
former had the most dreadful weapon in the world—
Fire !— and what human power can combat it ?

From 15th July, when the native city of Tientsin
fell, till 4th August, when the march to Peking began,
not a day was wasted. All was hurry and bustle, in
preparation for the coming ninety-miles march through
an enemy's country. The generals who were in com-
mand before Chaffee, Gaselee, and Barrow arrived, had
decided that 14th August was the earliest possible
moment at which the march could be commenced.
But we owe it to General Gaselee, the British commander,
that we started exactly ten days earlier than that date.
The difficulties of the situation were enormous. It
was the " rainy season," when no one dreams of taking
a wheeled vehicle along the road to Peking ; there
was a determined enemy to oppose us, with millions
of men to draw upon ; and, while Admiral Seymour
had said that it would be utterly impossible with
fewer than fifty thousand men to reach Peking,
the Allies could muster no more than twenty-five
thousand.

PREPARING TO MARCH 57

General Gaselee came to us on 25th July fresh from
shipboard, with his 1 mind and heart full of the deeds of
Havelock and the famous march of Eoberts. Of his
ability to relieve Peking he was convinced, and we must
" make haste." All must bend to the urgency of the
situation. He had not seen Admiral Seymour and
Captain McCalla setting out with two thousand men and
without a single gun, determined to relieve Peking by
rail within twenty-four hours, and then returning, some
limping, some carried back to Tientsin— after a loss of
62 killed and 362 sick and wounded— under the escort
of the force which had gone to rescue them. He had
not seen the battle of Tientsin or the accurate firing
which cost us so dearly. It was well that he had not,
or he might have hesitated to march so soon. General
Chaffee had just arrived, and gladly fell in with the
British general's suggestions ; while the Japanese
general, Yamagutchi, with more soldiers than any
other commander, was also pleased to join in an early
march on the besieged city.

The American, English, and Japanese generals,
having decided to march at once, went to consult the
Eussian and French commanders. Many and varied
were the objections urged against an early move ; but
these were over-ruled by the combined three, and the
Russian and French generals were informed that " they
would be given the alternative of going with us now,
or alone at their own pleasure." After further discussion
the Russian general consented to join forces with us on

58 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

one condition, namely, "That the British do not lead
the column and carry off all honours." The honour of
getting there first was more to him than was the saving
of the lives of the eight hundred besieged. The assur-
ance was given by Gaselee ; but, notwithstanding, this
did not prevent the Anglo-Saxons from being the first
to enter the Legation, and that, too, about seven hours
before the Eussians. " God's in heaven, and all's well."
At a conference of Generals, held on 3rd August, it
was decided to commence the advance on the following
day, with approximately 20,000 men, namely :
10,000 Japanese, with 24 guns.
4,000 Eussians, with 16 guns.
3,000 British, with 12 guns.
2,000 Americans, with 6 guns.
800 French, with 12 guns.
300 Germans and Italians.
This decision was no surprise to us who knew that
preparations were nearing completion, though these
preparations had assumed importance to myself only
since 20th July, when I was requested to join the staff
of the Intelligence Department. Probably the reasons
for my appointment were— first, my long residence in
and intimate knowledge of this part of China ; second,
my having found valuable papers in the Viceroy's
yamen; third, Mr. Kinder, K.C.M.G., and others
having strongly recommended me for the post.

It had been suggested that a consular or government
official should be appointed, and my selection was a

THE ADVANCE

59

great surprise to me, and for family reasons I preferred
not to go. To overcome my scruples, I was offered
liberal pay ; but, after thought and prayer, I informed
General Gaselee that " If I go to Peking, it will be for

Alii. LOH-CHI-MIKG.

humanity's sake, and not for the money." In the end 1
agreed to take the post. A .pension in case of accident,
and provision for my family in case of need, were
arranged satisfactorily ; so that, at the appointed time,
I was ready to march with the column. Mr. Loh-chi-

60 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

ming, graduate of the Peking University, was engaged
as Chinese assistant, and several Christian students
were to accompany us as scouts.

The following copy of "General Orders" will be
interesting to the reader, as showing the form in
which such orders are issued to an army about to
move :

\/ China Expeditionary Force Orders, Tientsin.
UK August, 1900.

140. Movements.

(1) The enemy is in position in the direction of Pei-

tsang on both banks of the Pei-ho. The posi-
tion is believed to be entrenched with outposts
thrown forward.

(2) The Eussian, French, and German forces will

operate on the left bank of the river Pei-ho;
the British, Americans, and Japanese on the
right bank.

(3) The British forces will march to Hsi-ku to-day,
where they will bivouac for the night.

(4) The British forces will march in the order given

below-
Royal Welsh Fusiliers with advance guard of

one company.
Detachment Royal Engineers.
One 'field troop 1st Bengal Lancers.

GENERAL ORDERS Ci

Headquarters Staff of Division.

One-half company 1st Sikhs (general officer
commanding's escort).

12th Battery Eoyal Field Artillery.

It. 7 Ammunition Column Unit.

Hong-kong Eoyal Artillery.

1st Brigade Staff. i

7th Bajputs, less one company.

1st Sikhs.

Chinese Begiment.

1st Bengal Lancers.

Divisional and Brigade Headquarters Trans-
port.

Commissariat and Transport.

Field Hospitals.

Bear-guard, one company 7th Bajputs.

(5) The route will be by the Temperance Hall on
the Taku road, through the Chinese city, enter-
ing by the soutih gate and over the iron bridge
to Hsi-ku. The road to be followed will be
shown by the Deputy-AssistamvQuartermaster-
General for Intelligence, who will head the
column.

(6) The troops will keep closed up as much as pos-

sible ; water - bottles will .be filled with boiled
water or tea, and all mussacks filled with good
water.

(7) The head of the column will leave the Temper-

ance Hall at 2.30 p.m. Officers commanding

62 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

units will hold their units in readiness to join
the line of march in the order detailed above.
No interval between units.

(8) Camp colour men of all units and one officer or
non-commissioned officer per unit will accom-
pany the advance guard.

(9) No fires or cooking will be allowed in bivouac
to-night.

(Note. — All units not mentioned in paragraph
4 had marched to Hsi-ku the previous
evening.)

By Order,

E. G. Baerow, Major-General,

Chief of the Staff,

China Expeditionary Force.

CHAPTEE V

BATTLES OF PEI-TSANG AND YANG-TSUN

rjIHE Intelligence Department was responsible for
-*- the preparation of a map of each day's march,
and that on the scale of one inch to a mile. This gave
every village and road, with as much further informa-
tion as the scouts had been able to secure, the number
of guns and their positions, the trenches of the enemy ;
in fact, the map became as important to the officer as a
chart is to a captain at sea. Besides the map, a written
description of the morrow's march, the probable number
of the enemy and their positions, with roads and their
condition, was prepared. Each staff officer being pro-
vided with both map and description, the column is
ready to march.

Two Christian students had acted as scouts five days
before we marched. They had gone a round-about way
towards Tang-shan, and had met twenty Chinese coolies,
who had been working on the Russian railway in Man-
churia, but had decided to return to their homes, south
of Tientsin, owing to the unsettled state of the country.
Our young men were glad to tack themselves on to this

64 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

party, the more so since they had decided to pass through
the Chinese camp at Pei-tsang, which was the first
place at which we expected to meet the Chinese in battle
on our march to Peking. On entering the place, they
noticed that the east bank of the river had been cut,
and a low-lying section of the country, about twenty
miles in extent, had been flooded. The bed of the river
at this point is higher than the surrounding country,
so that flooding was easily accomplished, and proved
an effectual barrier against the Eussian and French
troops' advance on the east of the river. The scouts
looked round, and took note of the size and number of
the guns. They noticed a ditch by the side of the rail-
way embankment, six feet deep and about thirty wide.
The coolies tried to hire a boat, but were refused, being
informed that " many torpedoes were laid in the river."
Then they proposed to take the main road and walk ;
but from that also they were debarred : " there were
many powder -mines along the road." Finally, they
were informed that they could go round by the
powder magazine on the west, which would bring them
to a branch of the Grand Canal, and in this way they
might reach their homes. This route they took, and
a wide detour brought them to the south of Tientsin,
when our scouts made for us as speedily as they could.
When they had reported themselves to me, I took them
to the headquarters office, where the Indian surveyors,
with Captain Eyder at their head, entered all their
information on the maps.

NATIVE CHRISTIAN SCOUTS 65

The next morning at daylight two officers rode out
as far as possible, mounted the top of a Chinese house,
and, with the aid of their field-glasses, verified, so far
as they could, the rough draft made. Before they had
finished, a Chinese outpost discovered them, and they
had to beat a hasty retreat with bullets flying all round.
On their returning to camp, the maps were printed
and distributed to the staff officers. This routine was
followed daily, and the information thus received could
not have been obtained but by the help of these native
Christian scouts, who went about facing great danger,
even death, to make the rescue of the Legations possible.

Very few of the men sent out ever returned. Many
were shot ; one saved his life by swallowing his message.
In Peking soldiers were told off specially to shoot any-
one attempting to communicate with the Legations.
One of our men went to Peking, but was obliged to
return to us, being unable to communicate with the
besieged. The last message sent in was sewn between
the double lining of a man's hat.

Immense sums of money were offered to men who
would carry messages. Before the relief of Peking
had been effected, so much as £1,000 was offered and
refused, so many men having been killed in the attempt.
In this instance the money was offered by the Italian
Government, who wished to communicate with its
Minister.

On 4th August general orders read : " Take one
day's rations ; no fires or cooking will be allowed in

5

66 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

bivouac to-night." As the hour for departure ap-
proached, all was bustle, but there was little noise and
no music. Five armies about to take the field,
resolute, despite all opposition, to raise ,the siege of
Peking ! How many men will live to return ? When
shall we reach Peking ? Shall we find them alive in
the Legation ? These and a score of similar questions
coursed through one's mind at such a time. Alas !
many a fine healthy fellow went out, light-hearted,
and gay, that Saturday afternoon, whose bones now
lie whitening under China's sun, while many more
returned crippled and maimed for life.

To the minute, the Generals with their staffs took
their places each at the head of his army. First, General
Gaselee with his force, mostly composed of Indians.
Then followed General Chaffee, with the brave 14th
Infantry and Reilly's battery ; and next the Japanese
general, Yamagutchi, with his brave little men. Leav-
ing the settlement, we marched out west, on to the
plain, taking a wide sweep to the south gate of the
native city, which had been so well defended by the
Chinese a few days before. Entering the city through
the south gate and leaving it by the north, we slowly
marched towards Hsi-ku, where Admiral Seymour and
Captain McCalla had entrenched themselves in the
arsenal, in which they were fortunate in discovering im-
mense stores of guns and ammunition, most of which they
were obliged to destroy, being unable to bring them away.

To look back on the column was to see a long, narrow

ON THE MARCH 67

line of khaki - dressed human beings moving slowly;
from its winding form, it gave one the idea of a serpent
wriggling its way along. At its head were the pictur-
esque uniforms of the Generals and staff, followed by
the fine Indian soldiers, mounted on their beautiful
horses. Then came the gallant Welsh Fusiliers ; while
the well-set, business-like United States infantrymen
marched next, burning to avenge the slaughter the 9th
Infantry had suffered ten days before. Then came the
Japanese general, with his soldiers in white clothes ;
they seemed fitted to run in where the others were too
big to pass. The rear-guard of the column did not arrive
till the early hours of the morning. A snack of " bully
beef " and biscuit and a drink of cold tea made up the
sum total of the evening meal ; while bed was found on
mother earth, with a blanket and oilcloth as protection
from the damp.

At 2 a.m. the next morning (Sunday) the order was
given to march. No bugle calls were sounded, and
every movement was performed almost in silence.
The three armies advanced in three columns : Japanese
on the left, Americans in the centre, British on the right
next to the river-bank, and on the old road to Peking.
At 3 a.m. the Chinese guns began to boom at us, and
continued without ceasing until 10 a.m. It was late
before the assault on the enemy was made. This work
was entrusted to the Japanese ; it was the post of
honour, it being believed that the left wing held the
key to the Chinese position. They moved up as closely

68 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

as if on parade, and being in close order were shot
down with, great rapidity. But, when one fell, thera
were three to take his place. Military critics said
their formation was defective, and their white clothing
was too good a target for the enemy. However this
might be, they took the powder magazine at consider-
able loss to themselves. Upwards of one hundred of
their men were killed ; but the ' Krupp guns were
secured, and this more than compensated to the
Japanese for the losses they had sustained. The
Chinese retreated in good order across a pontoon
bridge ; but they were not sharp enough to destroy it,
and it served us well on the morrow, when it became
necessary to cross to the east bank of the river.

I here quote from General Gaselee's report to the
Secretary for War:

" As arranged, in the early hours of the 5th the
turning movement commenced. At daybreak the
column came under a heavy fire, and the action began
by a vigorous forward movement of the Japanese
against the entrenchments, supported oh the right by
the British. The brunt of the action fell on the Japan-
ese, who attacked and stormed line after line in the
most gallant manner. I readily accord to the Japanese
the whole credit for the victory. Their loss was three
hundred killed and wounded, while the British was
twenty-five. The Chinese rout was complete, and
before noon they had entirely disappeared, having fled
to the left. bank of the river. The other allied forces'

ATTENDING THE WOUNDED 69

were scarcely engaged, and practically had no loss.
After the victory at Pei-tsang we pushed on for a
mile or two along the west bank, but, being stopped
by inundation, were compelled to return to Pei-tsang
and cross over to the east bank, where we bivouacked
for the night, covered by an outpost two or three miles
in advance."

The long-range naval guns did good service. They
were the self-same guns that had been used in South
Africa, whence they came, labelled " Prom Ladysmith
to Tientsin direct." Here at Pei-tsang they knocked
the Chinese guns out of action just as easily as they
had at Tientsin, sending the Chinese to the right-about,
shouting, " No likee lyddite."

To walk over a battlefield is an interesting though
sad experience. The British general had asked me to
act as chaplain on the march ; for, as the good man said,
" A British soldier always feels better on the battlefield
if he realises that he is within reach of a Christian
burial." Glad I was that my services in this direction
were so little needed. Most of the British soldiers who
fell had been hit by the Chinese artillery fire. Far
away they had found the range, and shells would fall
■both behind and in front of us. Close by was the field
hospital, and to this came a stream of wounded men on
stretchers, hit by shell, torn by shrapnel ; yet there
was not a murmur, a sigh, or even a moan. " They bore
the surgeon's rough tenderness as they bore their
wounds— stoical, silent, soldier-like."

7o FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

Dead Japanese and Chinese were lying around the
trenches, showing how severe had been the battle on the
Japanese line of march. I stood and gazed on the form
of many a poor fellow who had started out with us that
Sabbath morning full of life and hope, but whose spirit
had now flown. Many a dearly beloved son of a
far-away mother lay full length in the broiling sun,
awaiting his grave on the great Chili Plain.

The battle of Pei-tsang had been fought and won,
and that night we slept in the Chinese camp, almost
before their oamp-fires had gone out. The town was
in flames, and ammunition was exploding in all direc-
tions, making a terrific din ; but this did not interfere
with our sleeping the sleep of the weary, if not of the
just.

It will be remembered that the Russians, French,
Germans, and Italians had marched on the east of the
river, but, owing to the flooded state of the country, had
been unable to proceed farther than about five miles.
They returned and crossed the river to the west, follow-
ing on our line of march ; all except the Germans,
who, not being prepared for the forward movement,
retired on Tientsin after the battle of Pei-tsang. The
Russians and French were the first to march. Passing
our camp, they crossed the pontoon bridge, left by the
Chinese, to the east of the river, where there are two
roads running parallel. The Americans and British
followed, while the Japanese continued to march on
the west bank of the river. Before resuming our

BATTLE OF YANG-TSUN 71

advance, I went round to examine the position we had
taken, and was gratified to note here, as elsewhere,
the correctness of the information brought in by our
scouts.

The march for the day was about fifteen miles, and
the heat was so terrific that twenty per cent, of
our men had fallen out before the next battle began,
ten miles from our starting-point. On coming into
contact with the enemy at Yang-tsun, the American
infantry and battery were placed on the right, the
British in the centre, and the Russians on the left, with
their flank on the river embankment. The Chinese
had taken up a very strong position on the railway
embankment, which at this point is about thirty feet
high. We were down on the plain, and they poured
in a deadly fire from above. At last the charge was
ordered by the General. The 14th U.S. Infantry was
led by fine old Major Quinton, and their attack and cap-
ture of the position was a. gallant piece of work. The
1st Sikhs and 24th Punjabis shared with the Americans
the honour of capturing the enemy's strong position
at Yang-tsun.

A very unfortunate accident occurred here during
the artillery duel and while the charge was being made.
By some means the Russian guns swept the American
infantry while they were assaulting the position,
their shrapnel tearing many of the poor men to pieces.
If American regiments cherish the memory of their
deeds of bravery as do English ones, the 14th U.S.

72 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

Infantry might have the words of one of its
sergeants inscribed on its colours. When the battle
began, he exclaimed, " Let us have the day's work over
before dark." And it was done.

The report of General Gaselee to the Secretary for
War was as follows :

" On the 6th the whole of the allied forces marched on
Yang-tsun by the river-bank, with the exception of
about six thousand Japanese, who continued to advance
by the left bank. The enemy's main position was along
the railway embankment, with one flank resting on a
village close to the bridge. It was at once arranged to
attack this position with one Eussian battalion on the left,
British in the centre, Americans on the right, while the
Bengal Lancers covered the extreme right flank. The
advance to attack was made in beautiful order over about
five thousand yards of level plain covered with high
crops. At about half this distance the troops came
under a hot shell and musketry fire. Nevertheless,
owing to the open order in which we worked, our loss
was comparatively small. The advance was a rapid
one. The enemy's guns were in a retired position, and
thus escaped capture. I would also like to mention the
namejB of two American officers who gallantly supported
our fighting line, namely, Major William Quinton, 14th
United States Infantry ; Captain T. E. M. Taylor, 14th
United States Infantry."

The allied forces lost many killed on this occasion.
The hospital was set up under the trees, and here

THE ENEMY RETREATING 73

sixty or seventy men were bandaged and otherwise
surgically treated. The Chinese held their position
bravely until they saw the line of cold steel coming
nearer and nearer the railway embankment. Then
they retired, taking most of their wounded and their
guns with them. If the Japanese had been ready on the
other side of the river to prevent their crossing the two
pontoons, the slaughter of the Chinese would have been
appalling. But the Japanese had had to bridge several
breaks in the river-bank on their line of march, and
were thus delayed till most of the Chinese army had
crossed to the west bank and made good their escape.

Only on our ascending the embankment could we
realise the extremely strong position the enemy had held.
At intervals small holes had been dug.; in these the
Chinamen had sat and fired till they had been hit or
ordered to retire. Round each hole were scattered
ammunition and empty cartridges. The former was
gathered together and thrown into the river close by.
As already stated, most of their guns they had taken
away, but many shells had been left behind. Later, a
few daring soldiers returned to our position in the hope
of carrying some away ; but they were either shot, or
caught and made to work as coolies.

Yang-tsun is a large market town, where a Chinese
camp has been established, to my knowledge, for fifteen
years. The railroad crosses the Pei-ho Eiver at this
point, and it was here that Admiral Seymour and
Captain McCalla were obliged to leave it and take to the

74 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

river on their return from Lang-fang. Still standing
on the embankment were the boilers and wheels of the
engines used in that fruitless attempt to reach Peking.
How the Boxers must have gloated in their hate when
they rushed upon these inventions of the "foreign
devils " ! They had burned the woodwork of the
carriages, looted the brasses, nuts, and bolts, and had
even torn up and buried the rails and sleepers. But
the wheels and boilers remained there in defiance ; the
white man's forgings had proved too unyielding for the
Boxers.

CHAPTER VI

ON THE MAECH

QO far, we had marched twenty -five miles in forty-
^ eight hours. That was two hard days' work for
an army of twenty thousand men, even if the fighting,
sun, and dust be not taken into account. The men
were exhausted and the Chinese had fled, so it was
decided to give the soldiers a day's rest.

This did not mean that there was no work for the
scouts and Intelligence Department. It seemed as
though the river were being drained of water farther
up, for our transport boats were nearly aground. Years
ago we know that the tide was perceptible as far north
as Yang-tsun, but we did not think the river could ever
fall to the extent now noticed. Our fears were that
the Chinese had cut the river-banks north of us, to
prevent our boats from getting up the river. This
seemed the most probable explanation of the condition
of the river ; the more so that the Chinese had cut the
line in front of and behind Admiral Seymour, and had in
thaVfc way barred his progress towards Peking. What
more likely, then, than that they should cut the river-

76

76 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

banks and let the water out over the low-lying country ?
This would have been a very serious obstacle, for we
could not have marched without our transport. The
naval guns had been placed in boats, and already these
were aground. A ride along the river-bank and an
examination of the probable rise and fall of the water
led me to the conclusion that the fall of the river was
owing to the tide from the coast, fifty miles away.
Fortunately I proved correct, it being found later that
the Chinese had not cut the banks higher up.

With the cry of " Make haste ! " ringing in our ears,
the fact that the Chinese had been driven from their
second line of defence acted as a salve for wounds and
lame limbs, and all were ready for Wednesday's forward
movement. The British force consisted of Sikhs,
Eajputs, Pataans, Bengal Lancers, and Punjabis— all
Indians, in turbans— the only white men being three
hundred Welsh Fusiliers, three hundred marines, the
Naval Brigade, and one battery of Field Artillery.
Then there was that most interesting individual, the
Chinee-British soldier, from Wei-hai-wei, who seemed to
be in his element most when he was following Chinese
prisoners with a fixed bayonet in his hands ; though I
believe the regiment did valiant service in the attack
on Tientsin. This cavalcade was doubtless the most
picturesque-looking that ever went on to a battlefield.
In addition, there were Americans, Japanese, Bussians,
and French, all in distinctive garb.

On 8th August, at daylight, the heterogeneous army

78 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

began to move across the pontoon bridges to the west
of the river, and, from the point at which we left the
line of march taken by Admiral Seymour, our road was
that followed by the British in 1860. In fact, the survey
made at that time formed the basis of our map for this
march. We had four surveyors attached to the expedi-
tion, but they were none too numerous for the work
to be performed ; for each village, road, well, path, and
name had to be entered.

In 1860 the French marched on the east of the river,
and the British, their allies, on the west. On that march
the French must have paid for nothing that they took,
for during the forty intervening years every foreigner
travelling on the east of the river has had to suffer
reviling, and worse, in consequence of their proceedings.
Now, forty years later, five armies were marching to
Peking on the west of the river.

At eleven o'clock a halt was called, and we dis-
mounted near a well. I was taking a drink and water-
ing my horse, when I espied a Chinaman hiding behind
a hedge. After I had addressed him in his own lan-
guage, he came out and said to me, " I am not afraid of
the British " ; adding, " I was here forty years ago, when
the English came, and they did not injure me ; so I
thought I would trust them now and not run away."
All other inhabitants had fled. Entering into conversa-
tion, he gave me information concerning the retreating
Chinese army, its guns and condition. Generals Sung-
ching and Li-ping-hgng, with General Ma, were the men

AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION 79

in command at Yang-tsun. Li-ping-heng had brought
up his army of " Honan Braves," but they had been hope-
lessly cut up and were demoralised. After the battle,
Yii-lu, the Viceroy at Tientsin, had shot himself, and his
body was being taken north. The Empress Dowager
had ordered him to retake Taku and Tientsin ; but this
being beyond his power, and finding himself being
driven back rapidly on Peking, he knew his head would
be in danger, so, to save the Empress Dowager the
trouble of removing it, he had taken his own life.

The conversation was so interesting that I had not
noticed the column marching, though I had heard the
bugle sound. The Bengal Lancers were the rear-guard
for the day and the only soldiers still on the spot. I
experienced a " rude awakening " when the Indian
officer in command called out, " Come long, sir ; Chinee
catchee you." This was the first time I had felt afraid
of being caught. There was now no time for delay, so
with a hasty wave of the hand I left my friend the
Chinaman, and galloped into position. This ride cost
me much aching of heart, for it was pitiable to see our
weary, footsore soldiers trudging along under a sun
of intense power, the thermometer standing at 102°
in the shade.

Till the rains begin, the heat of North China is dry
and not very trying, but at this time the air was damp
and the heat most relaxing. In ordinary circumstances
the residents of North China would carry— umbrellas ;
but this of course was out of the question now, and so

8o. FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

we rode or marched on foot, and made the best of our
discomfort. I felt the heat all down the middle of my
back, and, dismounting under a tree, sat down to cool
and rest. One of the many doctors rode up and inquired
as to my condition. I assured him that I was well ; and
not wishing to be " counted out," I remounted and rode
to my place.

By 4 p.m. we had reached Tsai-tsun, and found that
the advance guard had pitched the camp. A hasty
wash and a cup of tea refreshed us greatly, and many
of the men took a bathe in the Pei-ho. Several of the
senior officers improvised drawers and joined in the
fun. My work, however, was not yet finished, for the
yamen must be visited and the papers examined. Some
were of value and were preserved, though the Japanese
had mixed them up so that they were difficult to find.

Many prisoners had been caught by this time. Some
were regulars, and others were Boxers wearing uniform.
The British and Americans dealt with prisoners accord-
ing to the rules of warfare among civilised peoples,
though we knew we were fighting an enemy who neither
gave nor expected quarter. The usual mode of disposing
of them was to send them in gangs of a dozen or twenty
to pull the boats or push the transport barrows. They
were guarded by soldiers with fixed bayonets ready
to shoot any daring to escape. Many prisoners had
been caught red-handed, and to deal with such men
according to the rules of warfare was distasteful to some
of our men, especially to those who had had comrades

PROGRESS SLOW AND DIFFICULT 81

beheaded while they were in the hands of the Chinese
as prisoners. We had reason to believe that some
prisoners were never turned over to us " officially,"
but were handed over to the tender mercies of the
Japanese, Russian, or French soldiers, who, as a rule,
had no such conscientious scruples on the subject as
bound the Anglo-Saxon. Part of my duty consisted
in examining the prisoners and reporting to the In-
telligence Department information received from them.

The Wei-hai-wei regiment took charge of the prisoners
captured by the British. Strange was the sight of this
Chinese regiment of British soldiers fighting against
their own countrymen. They might have refused to
fight them had they been .men from the same province ;
but they were Shantung men, and had nothing in com-
mon with our enemies in the metropolitan province.

Thursday's march was noticeable chiefly for its
excessive heat and its cavalry battle. Five armies were
marching together, the Japanese first, over roads not
more than six feet wide in many places and indented with
deep ruts. Progress was terribly slow and arduous.
We had hardly started this morning when a halt was
called. At this point the road ran down a narrow
ravine, and this was blocked by the large American
waggons ; not for long, however, for " many hands
make light work," and soon there was an onward move,
though this march, which ought to have been done
in five hours, actually took eight for its accomplish-
ment. The heat became well-nigh insufferable, and it

6

82 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

was reported that three hundred men had fallen out,
while ten horses succumbed to sunstroke. The advance
guard for the day was the Bengal Lancers. As we neared
the end of the day's march we found the road obstructed
by Chinese troops.' Two miles outside Ho-hsi-wu the
Chinese cavalry came out to oppose our progress. The
Lancers formed up, and for a time there was a desperate
encounter. The Chinese infantry were ordered out,
but, being busy with their dinner at the time, they
became confused, fired a few rounds, and fled. It was
well that our infantry regiments were not called upon
on this occasion. The mounted men had not suffered
from the heat as had the infantry, who were quite
prostrated by the time they had made their way into
camp. We had several horses killed, but the Chinese
lost heavily. They left a number of dead on the
field, and the standards of Generals Sung and Ma
were captured.

The fighting over and the Chinese having retired, we
occupied their camp. Their fires were burning, and
there was plenty of hot, steaming rice left. We found
a smelting-pot, in which the lead for bullets had been
fused, showing that ammunition had been getting scarce.
The Chinese had dug entrenchments, thirty feet wide and
twelve feet deep, down to the bank of the river on one
side, and round the town on the other, facing an elevated
piece of ground, which they had intended to utilise as a
fort. Unfortunately for them we came too soon, and
their guns were not in position ; in fact, the trenches

ENCAMPED AT HO-HSI-WU

83

had not been completed. The baskets, spades, and picks
were lying round in confusion, just as they had been
thrown away at the tidings of our approach. Another
week's work would have made this a stronghold, but
our policy throughout the march was to give the enemy
no time to entrench. To maintain the pace at which
we were proceeding meant a severe strain on our troops ;

A TYPICAL CAMPING-GROUND.

but they stood it well, inspired as they were with the
desire to relieve the poor distressed people in Peking.

We had now reached the half-way point, and here we
found, placed as a convenient centre, a powder magazine,
estimated to contain from eighty to a hundred tons of
powder. We camped close by, and a sentry was posted
to watch over it. At the council of war held on the

84 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

pitching of our camp, the Generals decided that in con-
sequence of the heat, which was working such havoc
with the troops, we should halt until 4 p.mj. on the
morrow, and then take a night march, when the
weather would be cooler. Thus we had a long halt,
but little rest; for with so many thousands about, it
was impossible to find a quiet corner,

I had taken a walk towards the powder magazine ;
and finding a shady tree with some soft grass beneath
it, I threw myself down for a rest. Only one thing
disturbed me, and that was the squealing of pigs at the
rear of some deserted huts. A soldier, who was looking
round, made his way to where the squealing came from,
and • found four pigs shut up in a sty without food—
hence the noise. He let them loose, and I settled
myself down for a quiet half-hour. But this was not
to be. A sharp voice rang out my name, and I looked
up, to see General Barrow, Chief of the Staff, before
me. He asked me how I was ; and after being assured
that I was well, though tired, he said, " Living so
many years in China as you have, I want to ask you
what you think we should do when we get to Peking.
Supposing we find the Emperor— who is said to be dead
— alive, don't you think we had better have him put
back on the throne, if possible ? " Answering, I said,
"It seems to me that would be a good thing." "And
what do you think of Li-hung-chang as Prime
Minister ? " he went on. " Well," said I, " it seems to
me that would hardly do. Li, to my mind, does not

A DANGEROUS RESTING-PLACE 85

deserve the confidence of the Allied Powers. Besides,
he is too old."

At this moment an orderly stepped up to the General
and informed him that by some means one of the de-
serted huts near the magazine had been ignited and was
all ablaze. The General rode away at once to the place,
and a party of soldiers was called out, and with buckets
of water fought the fire, which at last was got under.
The fire was too near to the magazine to make my
retreat a safe resting-place, so I deferred my siesta sine
die, and made my way back to camp.

This excitement and lunch over, it was soon 4 p.m.
and time to march. A night march seemed fraught
with many dangers, though under the circumstances it
seemed to be the right course to take. General Barrow
led the column, with Mr. Bois Kiip of Tientsin as inter-
preter. The band of the Gourkas played a lively air,
and we marched off with a swing. The road lay along
the dried-up bed of a river deep with sand. The sun
had poured down all day on this sand, till it was like
molten metal and almost unbearable. During the first
two miles two hundred men fell out, and there were some
cases of actual sunstroke. It seemed strange^ to me
that the Indians should suffer so severely ; yet it was
evident that they stood this kind of heat no better than
did the Americans and British. Many horses had to
be abandoned ; yet, despite the fact that most of them
were invalided past recovery, numbers made attempts
to rejoin the ranks.

86 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

The strain on man and beast was so severe that a
halt was called at a village at which there were two
wells. The wells here are like those in Palestine. They
are deep, and every person drawing water must carry
his own i vessel with -a rope attached. Of the Indian
soldiers, each carries his own vessel, made of brass.
Each also had provided himself with a rope. Thus at
every well they could get a drink ; whereas the Japan-
ese, British, and American soldiers carried no vessel,
and had to rely on the bounty of others.

At one of these wells I was witness to an amusing
incident. A parched, exhausted Japanese soldier,
seemingly ready to drop, begged a drink from a Sikh
soldier. The Sikh motioned that thi's was not per-
missible. Notwithstanding, the Japanese laid hold of
the vessel. The Indian wrested it from him. Then he
showed him, by example, how to place his hands together
in the shape of a cup, into which the water could be
poured. No sooner said than done. The Jap held his
hands up to his mouth, the Sikh poured the water from
his vessel, and the Jap's thirst was quenched ; thus the
Sikh's caste was saved. If the Sikh had allowed the Jap
to drink out of his vessel, he would have lost his caste.

Each Indian regiment had its own war-cry. Even
while the men were suffering badly from the heat a
sudden shout would ascend from, one of them, and the
whole force would respond with a most hideous yell,
which seemed to give heart and energy to them all.

After a few minutes at the wells, the " fall in " was

BRITISH COLONEL AND R USSIAN SOLDIER 87

sounded, and the march was recommenced. Suddenly
a terrific explosion took place. Some of the men fell
to the ground, and others shouted, " A mine ! " A
few of us were in the secret ; we knew that Colonel
Scott-Moncrieff, commanding officer of the Eoyal En
gineers, had been left behind for the express purpose
of exploding the powder magazine at Ho-hsi-wu, last
night's camp, and that this was to be done at six o'clock.
The shock was tremendous, even at a distance of two
miles. Looking back we saw a dense black cloud of
smoke ascend and develop like a huge tree, till it covered
the sky. Then there descended a shower of dust which
stuck to our khaki clothing for hours afterwards. We
supposed that the detonation would be heard in Peking,
but were informed that explosions were so common that
this one excited no surprise.

When the Colonel came into camp he had a remarkable
tale to tell. With his assistants, he had laid a long fuse
from the magazine. This was ignited, and he was
running away when he noticed a Eussian soldier walking
directly for the magazine, oblivious of the fact that it
would immediately be exploded. The Colonel ran
towards him and made gestures, not being able to speak
Eussian. Nor could the Eussian understand English.
So by physical force the Colonel had to stop the man.
The Eussian resented this interference with his liberty,
and insisted on an explanation. At that moment the
flame reached the magazine, the explosion took place,
and both were thrown violently to the ground. Then,

88 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

and only then, did the Eussian understand the meaning
of the conduct of this excited British officer.

This was our first night march, and a new experience.
Our line of march led us through the market town of
An-ping, where we rested for about half an hour. At
nine o'clock some of us half wished we might camp
here, but it was not to be. So many of the men
lagged behind, that a few stray Chinese scouts could
have picked off many of them. The cavalry kept a good
look-out, yet we knew not where an ambush might
be laid for us. The kao-liang, or " tall millet," was on
both sides, between ten and twelve feet in height, and a
whole army might easily have been concealed within it.

An edict had been issued by the Empress Dowager,
ordering the Boxers to concentrate in large force at
Tung-an-hsien, a city but a few miles on our left. If
they obeyed the edict, they kept quiet, for we had little
trouble and hindrance to our progress.

The road was not wide enough to admit of more than
two or three men's marching abreast ; consequently
our column was miles in length. At about eleven
o'clock, when we were two miles from our destination
and were turning a sharp corner, a voice rang out,
" Who goes ? " In an instant the gleam of bayonets
showed that business was on hand. But " Friend/' as
an answer, satisfied the sentry of the 14th Infantry
which had pushed ahead and lost their baggage in the
dark. We were able to put them right, and we marched
together into camp at Ma-tao. The baggage train did

A THUNDERSTORM 89

not turn up until the morrow, and many of the men
spent an uncomfortable night in consequence. The
midnight hour had struck before we took up our
quarters in a large kao-liang field, with grain at least
ten feet high. This had to be broken down ere we could
secure a six-feet length of mother earth whereon to
spread our scanty bedding. Officers and men alike
took their blankets and, without more of a supper than
a drink of cold water, lay down anywhere, to indulge
in " nature's sweet restorer." A " rude awakening ''
was our portion when, two hours later, a thunder-
storm, with heavy rain, wet us through ; and most of
us had to wait till daylight before the khaki clothing
dried on our backs.

My contact with military officers at mess and in tent,
in camp and on march, only increased my deep sympathy
and regard for them— at least for the Anglo-Saxon
portion of them, and it is these I know most about.
Most of them are gentlemen by birth and education, yet
they never grumble at their surroundings, but take
everything as it comes. In fact, many a time I felt
sorry that they had to work so hard on such poor food.
The luxury of a tent was seldom indulged in while on the
march. Two blankets and an oilskin were considered
a necessity— all else were luxuries. Had I not witnessed
it, I could hardly have believed it possible that men
would march from 4 p.m. till after midnight, and then
turn in without anything stronger than a drink of cold
water.

go FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

One day I was invited by Major Quinton to dine
with the officers of the 14th U.S. Infantry. It
was a great honour, for they have won the envy and
esteem of all who have witnessed their brave deeds.
Two empty boxes on end did duty as a. table, while
a newspaper was the tablecloth. There was a metal
knife, fork, and spoon for. each, and each had but one
enamelled plate for all the courses. Captains Taylor and
Leonard were present, and I suppose that by this time
their daring deeds have brought them into contact with
the " upper ten," and that luxuries will have been heaped
upon them. They deserve it. What a change !— the
drudgery of war, then honour.

And then the British Indians— the polo-players, the
aimers at " looking smart " and making a dash through
the " beggars "—what a change now, again ! At noon
one day I saw General Sir Alfred Gaselee, with his
Chief of the Staff, General Barrow, who had called
a halt, squatting on the ti, or outer bank, of the Pei-
hoBiver, and lunching contentedly on the contents of a
tin box. The sun was pouring down his midday heat,
and all were panting for breath. A thoughtful officer
had galloped to the well of a neighbouring village, and,
returning, handed his bottle of water to the General.
The General was only too glad to get a draught of cool,
refreshing water. Close by was a melon patch, carefully
tended by a poor countryman; but, on the approach
of the troops, he took to his heels, and the soldiers
took his melons. Melons are grand for slaking

AMENITIES OF CAMP LIFE

9i

one's thirst, and so generals and privates alike found
out.

Colonel Soott-Moncrieff I saw much of. He is a
sincere Christian, and a late member of the Church
-Missionary Society Committee in London. Often on
the march he would ride up and say, " I have faith ;

CAPTAIN (NOW MAJOR) WINGATE, CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OFEICEK.

Peking will hold out till we get there." His faith was
not misplaced. Would that we had more Christian
warriors ! Others I was thrown into contact with were
Captain E. W. N. Norie, Quartermaster-General for
Intelligence, every inch a gentleman ; Captain Wingate,
who rode at the head of the column and knew no fear,

92 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

though, frequently in great danger ; Captain Ryder,
who had charge of the surveyors ; Major Luke, of the
Chinese regiment ; and Captain Coe, of the transport.
All are gallant soldiers and gentlemen.

From the beginning of the march I had been unfortu-
nate in losing my horses. Fasten them as I would, they
broke loose. In consequence I had to apply to the
transport officer for remounts. He usually sent me to
the captured pony lines to " take the best you can find."
This was not an easy matter where there were scores
to choose from ; so, not being a horsey man, I used to
secure the help of a friendly cavalryman, who was
always ready to oblige me. To one and all of the officers
and men I owe a debt of gratitude for their kindness
and attention to a novice in the field.

The next march was to Chang-chia-wan, and we were
to move at two o'clock in the afternoon. This is where
the Chinese fought the allied troops in 1860, and we
expected they would make a stubborn stand again, so
were prepared.

Having the morning at liberty, Captain Kemp, the
Eussian interpreter to General Gaselee, and I went for
a walk outside the camp. Hard by a small temple, on an
elevated piece of land, we sat down to rest, choosing a
spot from which we could obtain a good view of the
river. We had not been seated long when— whiz !
whiz !— and two bullets flew past us, much too close
for our comfort. The Captain jumped up and called
out, but there was no reply. Then, revolver in hand, we

A NARRO W ESCAPE 93

went round the hill in search of foes. Presently we came
across the shooter. He proved to be an infantryman
who was amusing himself during his leisure hours with
shooting dogs ; he had mistaken the head of one of
us for a fine China pup ! Explanations followed and
apologies were offered, and the soldier went back to
camp a wiser man. The carelessness with which some
of the men handle their weapons surprised me. On
the battlefield, in case of accident, there is neither
inquest nor jury, and this begets a recklessness which
is inexcusable.

This march to Chang-chia-wanwas unique, because the
road was so narrow and our column so long. Orders
were given by bugle and lanterns in the hands of
signallers, under Captain Rigby, and in this way the
long, serpent-like army was kept in touch with the
Cenerals. The Japanese had taken another road, and
had struck the Chinese rear-guard before we came up.
For some reason the Chinese had refused to fight, and,
throwing away most of their surplus baggage, had made
good their escape. The Japanese fired the town, and
by the time we came up it was enveloped in flames and
clouds of smoke. The effect of this at night was to
strike terror into the retreating Chinese troops.

The decision to march at night was a wise one, and
in future wars with China it should be remembered that
the Chinese have a strong dislike to being out after
dark ; they retire early, and never travel at night
without a lantern. Owing to the number of lanterns

94 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

carried by the retreating army, the Japanese were able
to place many shells accurately, and they proved very
destructive. The Japanese captured ten guns, but we
arrived too late for what the officers called "the fun."

We pitched camp near the burning town, the heavens
seeming all ablaze. A threshing-floor served as a bed.
The night was fine; we were without tents,- but, for
all that, we slept till the bugle sounded at 5 a.m.
The morning sun broke over us very hot, and we knew
we were in for another of those scorching days. We had
come our last night march, and, on looking back,
it seems very strange that with all the natural advan-
tages on the side of the Chinese, they did not make
better use of their opportunities to harass and bar our
progress. Perhaps they thought it was a hopeless task.

On more than one occasion we had reason to be grate-
ful to the Japanese, who had engaged the Chinese before
we arrived. They are brave men, and will in future
have to be reckoned with, when international affairs
are being discussed. Bishop Fowler has made a com-
parative statement of the inhabitants of the Far East.
He says :

" The Chinese crowd into every door. They do most
of the business of Japan. The Chinese are solemnly
in earnest, the objective point sought by their energy
and industry being ' another cash.' The Japanese is a
clerk, the Corean is a coolie, and the Chinese is the pro-
prietor in the Far East. In architecture, Japan is a
match-box, Corea a straw-stack, and China a quarry.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAR EAST 95

In character, Japan is a squirrel, Corea a pig, and China
a tortoise. In courage, the Japanese is a bantam,
Cbrean a rat, and Chinese a cur ; while, in social habits,
Japan smiles, Corea groans, and China meditates. In
the great campaign for the capture of Asia, to take
Japan is to take the outer forts, to take Corea is to
capture the ambulances, but to take China is to take
Asia."

In justice to the Chinese, it should be stated that they
invariably carried off their wounded with them ; it
was reported that when they reached Tung-chow they
had forty boat-loads.

CHAPTER VII

THE ASSAULT OF PEKING

OUE next move was to Tung-chow, the port for
Peking, on the Pei-ho River. The city is one of
considerable importance and wealth. Forty years ago
the Chinese officials invited commissioners from the
allied armies to enter this place under a flag of
truce. Sir Harry Parkes and six others were sent in ;
but the Chinese soldiers closed on them, bound them
with ropes, threw them into carts, and rattled them
over the great stone road to Peking, thirteen miles
away, and put them into prison. Several succumbed
to the hard treatment they received. It was within
the range of possibility for the Chinese to try the same
tactics now, and we should not have been surprised at
the appearance of a white flag at this point. But not
so. The imperial army evidently meant to fight to
the bitter end. As we followed the retreating army,
we came across pots, pans, umbrellas, and fans, the
necessary paraphernalia of a Chinese army, scattered
about in all directions. Here and there a deserting
soldier had thrown away his coat and rifle rather than

IN SEAR CH OF INFORM A TION 9 7

face the enemy. It seemed, therefore, that there
would be no serious stand till Peking should be
reached.

Before marching, I had gone into the burning town
to try to find somebody who would give us information
of the plans of the retreating generals. After a long
search I found a Taoist priest and his wife, crouching
down in the corner of the temple. A friendly word or
two in his own language drew the priest into conversa-
tion, in the course of which he reported that the soldiers
were getting dissatisfied with the army, because they
had not had pay for four weeks ; and, when it did come,
the " squeezes " were so heavy that they had little heart
to fight. Besides this, the supply of grain was short.
Early in the campaign an expedition had been sent south
of Tientsin, where it was known that a large quantity of
grain was being landed from the Grand Canal and was
being sent overland to the Chinese camp in the north.
This expedition cut the supply at its source and inter-
cepted the grain-junks coming from the southern pro-
vinces. With food and pay in arrears, it seemed evident
that no serious opposition would be made till the Allies
should reach Peking.

General Ii-ping-h^ng, with his " Honan Braves,"
was in full retreat before us, notwithstanding his boast-
ing that he would rush all the " foreign devils " into the
sea at the first battle. General Sung-ching of Shan-
hai-kuan, with General Ma,, his chief of staff, were dis-
couraged, and, with the body of the late Viceroy of the

7

98 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

province, Yii-lu, they were hurrying north, believing
" discretion to be the better part of valour."

Sung had always shown himself friendly to the
foreigners, till the magic wand of the Chinese " Jezebel "
had stirred him up to be our stubborn enemy on this
march. Ma was the man who had trained the guns
so accurately on Tientsin settlement. Ten shells had
entered the Temperance Hall in twenty minutes.
British officers being quartered there, the Chinese had
made a special target of it. Four shells had burst in
my house, while forty had entered the garden. The
guns were no obsolete ones, but modern Exupps, trained
on the foreign settlement by men who had been drilled
by Eussian officers.

Generals Nieh and Hu had been killed at Tientsin.
We learned this from despatches found in the yamen.
Up to that time there had been a doubt as to the fate
of those men. And now the remainder of China's best
generals had been driven to within twenty miles of the
capital !

On the march to Tung-chow we came on signs of a
severe battle that had taken place near the west gate.
The Japanese had been there early and finished the
fighting before we arrived. They took ten guns and
killed many Chinese, the remainder fleeing towards
Peking.

Near the east gate, where the British were to camp,
there met my eyes a ghastly sight. Hanging on a
pole were the heads of four Chinamen, probably

POSITIONS OF THE ALLIES 99

Christians who had fallen into the hands of the
Boxers.

We marched down to the river-bank, and took up
quarters in the inns and houses which had been vacated
by the inhabitants in expectation of our arrival. The
Generals quartered themselves in a spacious upper storey,
while the staff occupied rooms on the ground floor of a
large inn. The American camp was on a level piece of
land outside the west gate of the city, with plenty of
trees for shade and a clear flowing stream in the valley
below— an ideal spot for a camp. The Eussian camp
was farther to the north of the city ; while the Japanese,
like the Americans, were encamped outside the west
gate, with an outpost close to Pa-li Bridge, two miles
nearer Peking. These were the several positions on
the night of 12th August.

General Li, with his forty boats of ammunition and
wounded, escaped, the morning we arrived, up a narrow
branch of the river. He had left behind two boats of
powder and ammunition, with a crew in each, they not
having had time to escape. The latter we took prisoners,
but the powder we destroyed and threw into the river.
In a temple, not far from our camp, were stored fifty tons
of powder ; there was a large stock also in one of the
towers on the city wall. During my absence in Peking
the latter exploded, destroying half the city and killing
many people. Several Boxer prisoners were caught
while sniping from the other side of the river.

Tung-chow contains some wealthy families. The east

ioo FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

suburb is a populous and well-to-do quarter. At this
time, however, it was not easy to find people, for they
had either fled or were shut up in their houses.
y Looting soon began, and very early I was called to
interpret in regard to it for General Gaselee. A wealthy
old Chinaman had presented himself at headquarters
with a plea the General could not understand. But I
soon found out his errand. He complained that several
Indian soldiers had broken into his house and were loot-
ing it ; he wished the General to interfere on his behalf.
At once the General asked me to accompany the old
man home, and tell the soldiers that by the General's
orders they were to desist at once and quit the house. It
was quite a palatial residence we entered. The old man's
story had been true enough ; a number of Indian soldiers
were helping themselves to anything they fancied.
Some were walking away with arms full of skins, silks,
and ornaments. I shouted at the top of my voice,
" General orders retire." Whether, or not they under-
stood my language I cannot say, but they saw my uni-
form— I was dressed as an officer— and knew from that
that I was " somebody." At once they dropped the loot
and bolted. Having cleared the mansion of the in-
truders, I helped to barricade the door, and then took
my leave. The old man was very unwilling that I
should go ; with tears in his eyes he begged me to stay.
" If you remain," he said, " I am safe ; but when you are
gone, they will come again." Assuring him of help in
case of further trouble, I left him.

LOOTING pi

Up to this time looting had not been prohibited ; v
but it soon became so common that an order was issued
forbidding the soldiers to enter any native houses, and
Captain Low, provost marshal, informed us later that he
had fifteen of one regiment under arrest for disobedience
of this order. The officers did their utmost to reduce
looting and outrages of every kind to a minimum, but
there being five armies to control, it was impossible
wholly to prevent them; for, when a complaint was made,
it usually turned out that the culprit was a soldier from
one of the other camps who had come into alien ground,
and levanted as soon as he had completed his wrong-
doing.

On 12th August I was sent for by General Barrow,
Chief of the Staff. After a few preliminary remarks,
he handed me a despatch from Sir Claude Macdonald to
read. This had come to hand at Yang-tsun, but, it being
in cipher and the staff not having the code at hand, we
had to send to Tientsin before we could ascertain its
purport. It contained advice as to the best point at
which to enter the city of Peking, of which it gave a
plan. After reading it through, I turned to the General
and said, " I am sorry to disagree with Sir Claude
Macdonald, but his advice to enter by the Yung-ting
Gate is, to my mind, a mistake. T?irst, it means three
miles extra march for our men, and thus a waste of time.
Second, the gate is stronger than the middle east gate
of the south city (Sha-wo Gate) ; and I should advise
that." My view was taken, and this gave the British a

102 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

march of fifteen miles to Peking, on a line parallel with
the Americans and about two miles south of them.

At a council of war held on the 12th, it was decided to
send forward strong reconnoitring parties on the 13th,
to concentrate on a line about five miles from Peking
on the 14th, and to attack on the 15th. The positions
of the forces were thus assigned : The Eussians to
march on the extreme north, on a line from Tung-chow
towards the Tung-chi Gate. This road runs parallel
with the great stone road, about one mile north. The
Japanese were to take the great stone road, which
would bring them to the Chi-ho Gate, which is the
most used, and was in their direct line of march. To
have taken roads either north or south of this would
have lengthened their march. The Americans were to
march south of the stone road and along the bank of
the canal, which would bring them to the Tung-pien
Gate, the point at which the southern and Manchu
cities join. The British were given the choice of
roads on the extreme south. The one chosen was, as I
have already stated, that about two miles south of the
American line, and leading to the Sha-wo Gate.

Thus it was arranged that the Allies should march
in four parallel columns between the two cities of Tung-
chow and Peking. These lines of march were followed,
but, " owing to the premature advance of the Russians,
the intended concentration was abandoned, and the
troops were all hurried forward to assault the city of
Peking " (General Gaselee's report to the War Office').

PREPARING TO ASSAULT PEKING 103

At the council of war on the 13th, it was intimated
that the Russians were tired and unable to march
more that half the way to Peking on the 14th. Late on
the evening of the 13th, however, there were signs
that the Russians were preparing to march. The Japan-
ese general understood the move to mean that the
Russians were determined to be the first into Peking
and have all the honour that would attach to it. He
therefore ordered his men out at once, at the same time
sending word to the American and British generals.
General Chaffee had his men out by midnight, and
already slowly marching on Peking. As soon as General
Gaselee heard of the Russian move, he sent forward
two guns, the 1st Bengal Lancers, and the 7th
Bengal Infantry as an advance guard. This force was
about five miles on the way to Peking before midnight
on the 13th.

While in Tung-chow, in order to procure intelligence
I rode on one occasion with Captain Norie, Q.M.G., over
part of the road we had to travel. Our route lay directly
past the site of what had been the headquarters of the
American Board of Missions in North China. Their
college had been established here, and a prosperous
mission station had been in existence for many years ;
but in their place now we found only heaps of broken
bricks. The foundations had been dug up and the
good bricks stolen. A war correspondent had informed
me of a hole crowded with dead bodies, probably those
of converts ; but this I did not see. We found on

io 4 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

the ground a Boxer flag, on which was the inscrip-
tion:

"By Imperial Sanction— Lien-chin Contingent.''

(Lien-chin is a town ahout forty miles south.)

On our return to camp, I was instructed to have a
proclamation written and issued, inviting the populace
to return to their homes and bring food for sale to the
troops. Turning to General Gaselee, I said, " Certainly
this would be lenient treatment, for this is the
first place from which American women and children
had to flee for their lives. I should propose rather the
lighting of a huge bonfire to-night— one that will strike
terror into the hearts of the people in Peking. If you
do that, I think we shall have little fighting to-morrow."
In reply, he said, " Well, you know, we do not wish to
antagonise the 350 millions of China." This was
characteristic of the man from beginning to end of
the march. He was kindness itself.

During the night of the 13th a terrific thunderstorm
came on, with heavy rain. This made hard work for
the naval guns ; but the " handy man " of Ladysmith
was the same at Peking— always ready. H.M.S.
Terrible had supplied guns and men. • The latter had
shared the trials of Ladysmith with the rneii of the
Powerful ; but while their more fortunate comrades
were enjoying the Royal hospitality at Windsor, they
were toiling on this stormy night to relieve those be-
sieged in Peking, where there was

NIGHT MARCH COMMENCED 105

Shrinking and black despair,
And one dull, darksome dread —

Dread for the women dear,
Grief for the noble dead.

Still we with straining eyes
Gaze out in distance far —
Gaze where the bullet flies,
, Gaze at our guiding star.

Pray for the help we need,

Pray for the armies' tramp ;
Tender the wounds that bleed,

Watching life's flickering lamp.

Then up again we rise,

•Start from the bed of pain,
Listening to savage cries

Shrieking across the plain.

Up, men ! and at them now !

Dearly our lives are bought !
Friends ! — crush them ! lay them low !

Steady ! — your powder's short !

Up, men ! they storm the wall !

Fight for the women brave !
Guard them with cannon-ball,

They — and the children — save !

"What if the bullets fly?

What if our number's few ? "
Strive till you fall and die !

Do what you have to do !

After the advance guard had left camp, early on the
night of the 13th, Colonel O'Sullivan came to my
quarters with the message that the General wanted me

106 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

to ride with him at the head of the Infantry Brigade at
2 a.m. on the morrow. At midnight the camp began
to stir. Fortunately most of us had been sheltered in
Chinese houses from the storm; but the water was
standing inches deep on the courtyard floor, and to step
out was to get wet-shod. At this time of the year that
did not matter, for it was quite warm. We took a cup
of cocoa and a cracker— some of my brother officers
liked whisky and soda better.

At 2 a.m. we were ready to march, and we set out
in the darkness. The roads were very bad, and at
first horses and men stumbled about in all direc-
tions, the soil being so slippery. But 'daylight soon
dawned, and we were able to see and thus avoid many
of the ruts and bogs. The road we were travelling was
different from anything we had hitherto experienced ;
but, long before reaching here, I had suggested that
the Chinese would find their advantage in the deep
ravines, worn for centuries and never repaired, that
did duty for roads. In places they are twenty feet
below the surrounding country. These spots, with the
high grain on the banks above on both sides, were well
adapted for an ambush ; but, until we came abreast
of Pa-li Bridge, there was no fighting, except for the
Japanese and Bussian columns.

Early in the morning we could hear heavy firing, so
marched in the direction of the sound. We came up
with the advance guard at 7 a.m., and at once pushed
on with such troops as were available, the main body

BEFORE THE GATES 107

following after an hour's rest. Meantime the Russians
and Japanese were Hearing the walls of Peking ; but
they were not to reach their goal unchallenged,, for
the Chinese opened fire, on them from guns placed to
command the two northern roads— those travelled by
the Russians and Japanese. These guns must be
silenced before they could reach the city wall ; but this
was easily effected, and gradually the Chinese retired
within the gates.

The walls of the Manchu city, by which the Japanese
and Russians were faced, are sixty feet high and forty
feet wide on the top— wide enough for four carriages to
be driven abreast at full speed. They are in splendid
condition, with massive gates on each side. From the
top of this wall, crowded with soldiers, the two columns
were kept in check all day. Many attempts were made
to blow up the gates with gun-cotton, but every time a
man approached to light the fuse he was shot down.
This continued until Japanese and Russians had each
lost about one hundred men killed. Then they gave
up the attempt till after dark.

The early arrival of the two forces under the Manchu
wall had had the effect of drawing off the soldiers placed
to guard the south city. The belief of the Chinese
generals seemed to be that the allied forces were advanc-
ing in two columns instead of four, the Americans and
British being so much later in turning up at their
respective gates. Consequently all their efforts were
given to the defence of the Manchu wall.

108 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

At about 12 o'clock General Chaffee and his men
prepared to attack the Tung-pien Gate of the south
city. The wall is only about thirty feet high at this
point and about nine feet wide. It juts out a quarter
*of a mile farther east than the Manchu wall, and was to
that extent farther away from the fire of the Chinese
soldiers. It was decided to scale the wall at the corner ;
so up climbed a number of men of the 9th Infantry
with the Stars and Stripes. But this was not the end of
the day's work, though it was the first entry to the
outer city of Peking. There was some hard work
ahead, and the men braced themselves for whatever
fate had in store for them. From the Manchu wall
they were exposed to a galling fire, from which they
could secure little shelter ; but they marched bravely
on, in spite of the leaden hail poured on them by the
thousands of Chinese on the wall.

As we British marched along the soft road to the south,
we could see and hear that sharp fighting was proceeding
to the north, but not a shot or shell came near us. No
effort had been made to defend the road we traversed,
except that there was an outpost in a timber-yard on
our line of march ; that, however, was soon disposed of.
But though there was no organised defence, there were
snipers all around us, waiting to cut off stragglers and
disabled soldiers.

On one occasion, while we were halting that the
scouts might ascertain whether there were any obstacles
to our advance, I was talking to one of the Indian sur-

INSIDE THE CITY 109

veyors, who was busy drawing, a few yards from the
main body, when— whiz ! whiz ! — and bullets fell around
us. One hit his board, scattering his instruments and
sending us both flying to our places. Nobody was hit
—for a wonder.

At noon the Americans and the British were in touch,
and the latter pushed on to the Sha-wo Gate. While the
columns to the north were being kept in check, we
marched on unopposed. From our left and south we had
information that there was an army of twenty thousand
men camped in the Emperor's hunting-ground ; so we
expected an attack from that quarter. But it never
came. If we had marched to the Yung-ting Gate,
as advised by Sir Claude Macdonald, we should pro-
bably have had this army on our rear and one in front,
and the two together would have punished us severely.
But the enemy seemed satisfied to expend their efforts
on the other three columns, so that the British loss
during the day was three men wounded only.

On and on we went, till at about one o'clock we could
see the Sha-wo Gate looming in the distance. Steadily
we advanced towards it, until within twelve hundred
yards of it ; then two guns of the 12th Field Battery
were ordered up. (By a strange coincidence, it was the
12th Battery that accompanied the expedition of 1860.)
Ten or twelve shells were fired, the gates flew open, and
the tower trembled. A soldier climbed to the city wall
and then to the tower, unfurling the Union Jack as he
proceeded. Then he hoisted it in position, so that all

no FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

could see and salute it. The gate was undefended, for,
though a few guns were found inside, the soldiers had
gone elsewhere. We marched down the Sha-wo main
street towards the Chang-i Gate,- till we came to the
Ha-ta Gate main street. We hardly attempted to reply-
to their desultory and ineffective fire, being disturbed by
snipers.

The men were much exhausted by the long march
of fifteen miles and the intense heat, and were scattered
in groups ; but they struggled gamely on. Down north,
towards the Ha-ta Gate, we went, till we came to the
city moat. This was a little too near the Manchu wall
for our comfort. So we turned west, along a narrow
alley, the houses on each side affording us protection.
We pushed on towards the water-gate, which Sir Claude
Macdonald had suggested, in a cipher message, would
be the best and easiest way to the Legations. The
allied flags were still flying on that portion of the Manchu
city wall which we knew had been held by the Legations ;
but an ominous silence made us fear the worst had
happened, and that the flags were only a ruse to lure
us on. But suddenly, to our great relief, we saw a blue-
jacket on the city wall. He signalled to us :
" Come up sluice street, by the water-gate."
The General, with his staff and soldiers, rushed across
the canal, and, with help from the inside, the bars of
the sewer-gate were soon broken down. As they crossed
a hail of bullets poured on them from the Ha-ta Gate,
but not a man was touched, and in marched General

THE LEG A TIONS RE A CHED 1 1 1

Gaselee and his staff, with the 1st Sikh regiment. I
was detained outside, with Captain Low, who was in
charge of the baggage caravan. The delight of being
one of the first inside the Legations was denied me ; but
I was well employed for an hour, for the respectable
business men were flitting from house to house. Our
men could hardly resist the temptation of shooting at
every passing Chinaman, not being able to distinguish
between decent civilians and Boxers. I was able to
save some lives, by keeping the officers informed as to
who were peaceable inhabitants.

CHAPTEE VIII

THE BELIEF OF THE LEGATIONS

THE excitement inside the Legations was intense.
Captain Pell, A.D.C., a Sikh officer, and four or
five Indian soldiers were the first to get up the water-
gate. The Indians shouted, while the rescued people
ran, took them by the hands, shed tears of joy, and in
many cases sent up thanksgiving to God for their
deliverance. At last I too entered, over the ankles
in sewage and covered with filth. The tunnel was
only about seven .feet high, so that I had to travel it on
foot, leaving my coolie outside with my steed. We were
a sorry-looking spectacle. A march of fifteen miles,
some fighting, and the rescue of the Legations, all in
one day, was not a bad day's work, and we had every
reason to be thankful. A young man inside the Lega-
tions described the relief as follows :

" During the night of the 13th firing continued.
At two o'clock we suddenly looked each other in the
face. No one spoke. We listened carefully. There
could be no doubt about it ! It was the sound of heavy

" THE TROOPS ARE IN THE CITY!" 113

guns quite close ! We simply rent the sky with our
cheers. The Chinese could not understand what was
the matter, and, after firing a few volleys, ceased for
about ten minutes. Perhaps they too were listening.
At four o'clock the sound was nearer, and, as the day
wore on towards noon, the guns seemed to be coming
closer and closer.

" I shall never forget the entrance of the Sikhs into
the Legation. We were sitting in the Mongol Market,
chatting and listening to the guns, when suddenly
someone rushed in to say, ' The troops are in the city ! '
We could see no foreigner. It was an English-speaking
Chinaman who brought the glad news. We simply
went mad with excitement. We jumped in the air,
knocked each other down, shouted and howled.
Others • ran to the loopholes and fired wildly at the
Chinese. Then we all wanted to run to Legation Street
to meet them ; but Von Strauch, our commander,
would not let us quit our posts. One man broke away,
saying, ' I'm not on duty,' and in a few minutes rushed
back : ' The Sikhs are in Legation ! ' Discipline
restrained us no longer. We ran, yelling and howling
with joy, to the Legation lawn; and the scene that
followed is indescribable. Besieged Peking simply went
mad with delight, and nothing could be done during the
remainder of the day except run here and there and greet
the soldiers as they came in, and ask foolish questions.

" Next . morning we discovered two mines already
laid, with powder and fuse all complete. If the troops

8

ii4 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

had come one day or one night later, God only knows
what the result would have been."

Mr. Edward Lowry, the youngest son of the Rev.
H. H. Lowry, D.D., the late superintendent of the
Methodist Episcopal Mission in North China, had acted
as interpreter to General Chaffee on the march. He
had tried to reach Peking with Admiral Seymour and
Captain McCalla, but, like them, had had to return to
Tientsin. Neither of these two was present when
Peking was reached, but Mr. Lowry was there. The
secret of his persistence lay in the fact that his dear wife
had suffered the siege, and this had made him desperate.
Mr. Lowry had marched, accompanied by Mr. Lewis of
the Soldiers' Christian Association, with the TJ.S. 14th
Infantry, and arrived at the Tung-pien Gate in time to
see the wall scaled ; but the heavy fire from the Manchu
city wall hindered their progress, the more so that there
was so little shelter to be had. At last the forward
move was made, along the side of the moat to the Ha-ta
Gate, and thence to the water-gate, which they entered
at five o'clock, employing the same method as ourselves,
but three and a half hours afterwards. Several of their
men had been hit, and they had some sharp fighting.

The British race had relieved the Legations, not-
withstanding that they had given an undertaking " not
to lead the column " ; but they had carried off the
honours. " Honour to whom honour is due." While
the British were pitching their tents, the Eussians were
fighting to get in ; and not till nine o'clock at night—

THE REV. FREDERICK BROWN, IN ROBE OF HONOUR PRESENTED BY
NATIVE CHRISTIANS IN 1893.

1 1 6 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

six and a half hours after the British, and four hours
after the Americans— did they enter the Legations.

■ God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.

Generals, troopers, correspondents, scrambled up the
banks through all the filth. The rescued were flushed
with excitement ; on the other hand, the rescuers
were haggard and rough-bearded. They dragged them-
selves as if ready to drop, their khaki uniforms
dripping with perspiration and black with mud.

On my entering, a crowd surrounded me, eager for
the latest news from the outside world. Even to some
of my missionary friends I had to introduce myself,
since they had never looked for me, especially in uniform.
Eevs. Davis, Hobart, and Walker looked thin and pale,
and the other sixteen Methodist Episcopal missionaries
showed signs of the dreadful ordeal they had passed
through; and, while the American Board and the
London Mission missionaries were well and active, it
was plain that they had suffered. The Bev. Gilbert
Eeid had been shot, and Mr. GamewelJ, of whom Dr.
Morrison of the Times spoke very highly, and about
whom he sent a special report, was the centre of an
admiring crowd.

As the flush of excitement left the faces of the besieged,
it was seen that they were haggard and s worn. They
looked, like a company of invalids. Every part of the
enclosure testified to their tragic experiences. There

AN UNINVITING MEAL 117

was a plot of land in the corner filled with graves.
Several children, for whom no proper food could be
procured, had died of starvation. Fifty-four of the
defenders- had been killed, while one hundred and
twelve had been wounded.

I had scarcely entered the Legation when Mrs. Stone-
house, of the London Mission, handed me a cup of tea.
Needless to say, it was most grateful. Then" half a
dozen of my friends invited me to share the evening
meal with them. Naturally I was only too glad. But
before the meal was through I had changed my mind.
The first course was " pony soup and brown bread." The
second and last was " mule steak and musty rice." I
did more talking than eating, and, as soon as politeness
would allow me, excused myself and went back to the
Legation verandah, where the staff had taken up their
quarters, and had a little " bully beef " and biscuit, which
was more to my taste.

Even when we had effected the relief of the Lega-
tions, we were by no means safe, for bullets flew over
the barriers from all quarters. A few moments' rest,
and the 1st Sikhs were dispatched to put a stop to these
proceedings. A terrible slaughter was the result ; but
in our part of the city there was quietness for the night.

Early the next morning the guns began to boom.
A French battery was battering the palace ; while the
U.S. Battery, on the Chien-men Gate, was engaging a
Chinese battery on the Shun-chie Gate. Here, sad to
relate, Captain Eeilly, commanding the former, was

i,i 8 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

killed, not many yards from where I stood. He was
a brave officer, who was loved by his men— for " Reilly's
Battery" was the pride of the force. The evening of
the same day his mortal remains were laid to rest in the
Legation compound.

On riding to the Methodist compound, on our way to
the Observatory, we met a sight that made our hearts
ache. Here had stood the beautiful Asbury Chapel,
in which we had worshipped on the 3rd of June ;
now, on the 16th of August, nothing but a heap of
broken bricks was to be found. Every building in the
compound— chapel, college, university, and residences-
had been razed to the ground ; even the very founda-
tions had been dug up.

A ride along the city wall brought to view scores of
antiquated cannons that the Chinese had used, while
tents were dotted about in all directions— but all empty.
While on duty in Peking I slept nightly in one of these
tents. Looking over the wall, on the west of the city
one could see the cemetery in which we deposited our
" sacred dust " ; but now only two heaps of ashes
marked the spot, all the gravestones having been
broken up. That such desecration could have been
possible in a land in which ancestral worship is so
strong'a national characteristic, proves the intensity of
the hatred of the Chinese for foreigners.

Let us turn back to the Legation, where those mourned
as dead have been restored to us alive and well. There
stands the gun the besieged had improvised and named

TRIBUTE TO NATIVE CHRISTIANS 119

the " International," otherwise the " Betsy "—the latter
because she kicked so badly when discharged. Left by,
the British in 1860, found in an old - iron shop in
1900, her wheels made by an Italian, loaded with
Bussian shot and Chinese powder, fired by an
American gunner, truly had she earned the name of
International.

Peking is relieved, the Legations are saved, but at
the cost to the Allies of about a thousand men. We
gratefully recognise God's mercy, and give Him the
glory.. God uses human agency in most of the mani-
festations of His power ; and it was so on this occasion.
Certainly the Legations must have fallen but for the
native Christian refugees. A letter from the Hon.
E. H. Conger, United States Minister to China, reads
thus :

"To the besieged American missionaries, one and all
of you, so providentially saved from certain massacre, I
beg in this hour of our deliverance to express what I
know to be the universal sentiment of our Diplomatic
Corps— the sincere appreciation of and profound grati-
tude for the inestimable help which you, and the native
Christians under you, have rendered towards our pre-
servation. Without your intelligent and successful
planning, and the uncomplaining execution of the
Chinese, I believe our salvation would have been im-
possible. By your courteous consideration of me and
your continued patience under most trying circum-

120 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

stances, I have been most deeply touched, and for it
all I thank you most heartily. I hope and believe that
somehow, in God's unerring plan, your sacrifices and
dangers will bear rich fruit in the material and spiritual
welfare of the people to whom you have so nobly devoted
your lives and work. Assuring you of my personal
respect and gratitude,

"(Signed) E. H. Congeh."

This, coming from- so unimpeachable an authority,'
is valuable and gratifying testimony to the success of
the missionaries in inspiring some at least of the Chinese
people with noble sentiments and high ideals of their
duty towards the suffering and distressed ; and this
apart from the inestimable benefits they confer on them
by bringing to them the gospel of our Lord and Saviour.
Then to the missionary, despised for Jesus Christ's
sake, Mr. Conger writes :

" Dear Me. Gambwell,— You deserve and will receive
the lasting gratitude of all the Peking besieged. But
I cannot separate from you in this hour of providential
deliverance without bearing testimony that to your
intelligence and untiring effort, more than to that of
any other man, do we owe our preservation. I beg you
to accept the most hearty expression of my personal
appreciation of your work and my sincerest gratitude
therefor.

"(Signed) E. H. Congee."

NATIVE CHRISTIAN MARTYRS 121

The Eev. Prank Gamewell is a Methodist missionary,
and to him was given the duty of fortifying the Lega-
tions. Trained as a civil engineer before his call to
the mission-field, he proved of the highest usefulness
during those nine long weeks. With a few old spades
and picks, found round the place, and with cloth of
every description, taken from shop and residence, for '
sand-bags, he engineered the construction of the earth-
works which saved the besieged" foreigners. To him
more than to any other man, it is distinctly stated, the
foreign community owe their escape from death. Sir
Claude Macdonald, the British Minister, wrote to
him : " Personally I can only say that, should I ever
be in a tight place again, I hope I may have as my right
hand so intelligent, willing, and loyal a man as yourself."

On 7th January Lord Lansdowne instructed the
British Minister at Washington to thank the Secretary
of State for Mr. Gamewell's services.

Our missionaries all escaped, but the native Chris- s
tians were far less fortunate. Thousands were slain.
Most of them could have saved their lives, but would
not, at the cost of giving up their faith. Offered an
opportunity to recant, they, like the apostles and
martyrs of New Testament times, preferred death to
denial of Christ. Henceforth no man who is not a
caviller can ask the question, "Are there any genuine
Chinese Christians ? " Some fair-minded person^ have
expressed doubt on the point, and have called for proof
of it. A few " globe-trotters " have said, " The Chinese

122 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

never really renounce their ancient faith ; those who
are counted as Christians merely pretend to accept
Christianity because they get a living thereby, as
teachers, preachers, interpreters^ and helpers ; they
are simply followers of Jesus for the sake of the loaves
and fishes." Even were this so, they would not greatly
differ from thousands in Christian lands. There are
doubtless those numbered among Church members in
China who are hypocrites ; but false professors of Christ
are found everywhere. They were found even among
Christ's personal followers, and have always crept ra
among the saints. To prove that some Chinese Church
members are " rice Christians " proves nothing against
the genuineness of the majority . of the conversions.
The " rice Christians " are not the kind of stuff from
which martyrs are made. When the test comes— death
or denial— the convert who is a convert only in name
quickly shows where his heart is.

Foxe's Book of Martyrs must fall into the back-
ground in presence of the history of the Christian
Church in China during the year 1900. These con-
verts stood by the foreigners, their sole inducement
being a good conscience. All honour to the native
Christian refugees !

But we must hasten to a close. The Legations were
relieved only just in time. After we got in a mine was
discovered reaching under the British Legation, with a
fuse one hundred feet long attached. All that was need-
ful was a match ; the result would have been terrible to

"JUST IN TIME " 123

contemplate. " Just in time." Yes, the people were
despairing of the future; but, on the historic night
of 13th August, they heard the different-sounding guns
and believed that relief was nigh. They remembered
Jessie Brown's dream at Cawnpore, when she thought
she heard the bagpipes playing " The Campbells are
coming " — and they did come. And the Allies were
coming to the relief of Peking.

Hark ! what is that we hear ?

List, friends ! — and list again.
Hark ! Now 'tis drawing near —

Tramping across the plain.

Men ! that's no Chinese crowd,

Men ! that's no heathen roar !
Hark ! Now the tramping's loud —

Christ ! They're at our door !

List to the bugle's blast !

Rescued by armies brave !
Thank God — they're here — at last,

Allies are here — to save !

It is not within the scope of this narrative to record
events that succeeded the relief . To the brave Allies,
officers and men, I must say " Adieu," taking this
opportunity to thank them for courtesy, help, and
kindness shown to myself on numerous occasions. I
shall ever have a sincere regard for the soldiers and
sailors, remembering the words of our divine Master :
" Greater love hath no maji than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friend." I never can forget good

i2 4 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

General Sir Alfred Gaselee, who turned aside from the
serious work of his office in Peking to inscribe a letter
to myself, a letter I shall ever value for the generosity
with which he recognised the slight services it was in
my power to render.

" Peking, 9th September, 1900.

" I am sorry I did not see you again before you left
Peking. ... I am very much obliged to you for your
help during the march here. Your knowledge of the
country was most useful.— With good wishes, believe
me, yours sincerely,

" Alfred Gaselee "

(Commander of the China Expeditionary Force).

Another letter I am pleased to place by the side of
the General's is from Major Parsons, an Indian officer
who was commanding at Pei-tai-ho before seventy-five
of us were rescued by H.M.S. Hurriber on 18th June,
1900:

" I have to thank you for the great assistance received
from you while the troops were holding Pei-tai-ho in
June last. There were many ladies without their
husbands, to whom you rendered great assistance ; and,
owing to your long and intimate knowledge of the
people and language, I received valuable information
I could not otherwise have obtained.

"T. D. Parsons"
(Major Commanding).

A PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE {25

Only time will show the. full effects of the siege on
the people who went through it. Many have already
succumbed ; some will be permanently affected ; all
have need to feel proud of the brave stand they made.

Ye who have nobly stood

Months of suspense and dread,
Tortures and want of food,

Dying, and sight of dead ;

Ye who have nobly fought,

Struggled for women dear —
Surely ye've dearly bought

Bliss now to shed a tear.

Safe- from the sword and ball,

Safe from grim, ghastly fears,
Now, men,. your tears may fall, —

God knows they're blessed tears !

Weep o'er the victim's grave.

Praise God, ye noble band, —
Brothers are here to save.

E. M. d'A.

The glory for lives saved in Peking must be given to
our heavenly Father. The Governments had planned
carefully, and regardless of caste or cost. The allied
armies set out on the march, in the face of human
judgment, with twenty thousand men less than they
ought to have had, and in the middle of the " rainy
season." From beginning to end of the march to
Peking, everything indicated providential interposition,
and what was supposed would take fifty thousand men
one month to accomplish was actually done by twenty

126 FROM TIENTSIN TO PEKING

thousand men in ten days. God's hand was plainly
manifest, in answer to the agonised cry of " help for
the helpless " that went up from all countries. Peking
has fallen ; and should it again become necessary for
allied armies to march to the help of the helpless, no
finer feat will be performed than the historic march
narrated in these pages, a march undertaken in the
face of "China's millions," intoxicated, fanatical, and
mad with the money and promises given by the
Empress Dowager and her Ministers.

Again is proved the truth of the psalmist's words
when he said :

" He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh : the
Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak
unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore
displeasure " (Ps. ii. 4, 5).

PRINTED BY MORRISON AND QIB1* LIMITED, EDINBURGH

gOOKS AgOUT CHINA.

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By Rev. W. T. A. Barber, M.A., B.D., late Missionary in
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A STRING OF CHINESE PEACH STONES.

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THE FIRST YEAR OF MY LIFE.

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