38 "THESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM" kind in publio and in the open,and they did so with a practical good sense and a Christian cheerfulness beyond all praise.All had been instructed to bring their own provisions,and fortunately-considering how unexpectedly long the siege lasted-did so.Besides,close to the Legation were three large European stores- Tallieu's,Kierulf's,and Imbeg's-and also several Chinese shops of various kinds.From all of these everything likely to be useful was brought in as fast as possible:rice,four, meal,fuel,tinned stores,preserves,etc.,etc., etc.,were found,and also quantities of piece goods-cottons,silks,and satins.Thus food for six or eight weeks was secured,and stuff for the manufacture of sandbags to crest the walls and barricades required for defence and for hospital use.Every lady made her share of sandbags-and it was wonderful where needles and thread came from I-and as for finding and bringing in food supplies,the activity and energy of MM.Chamot,Dupree,and Fargo Squiers(the gallant young son of the American Secretary of Legation,an Eton boy)were astonishing.Mr.Dering of the British Legation also toiled incessantly for days with admirable persistence over the work of providing fodder for the ponies (all destined to be eaten)and the sheep that were then obtainable.The stock of ammunition was a cause of some anxiety
.8 "THBSE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM" kind in publio and in the open, and they did so with a practical good sense and a Christian oheerfolness beyond all praise. All had been instructed to bring their own provisions, and fortunately-considering how unexpectedly long the siege lasted-did so. Besides, close to the Legation were three large European stores-. Tallieu's, Kierulft's, and Imbeg's - and also several Chinese shops of various kinds. From all of these everything likely to be useful was brought in as fast as possible: rice, 110ur, meal, fuel, tinned stores, preserves, etc., etc., etc., were found, and also quantities of piece goods-cottons, silks, and satins. Thus food for six or eight weeks was secured, and stuff for the manufacture of sandbags to crest the walls and barricades required for defence and for hospital. use. Every lady made her share of sandbags-and it was wonderful where needles and thread came from I-and as for finding and bringing in food supplies, the activity and energy of lIM. Chamot, Dupree, and Fargo Squiers (the gallant young son of the American Secretary of Legation, an Eton boy) were astonishing. Mr. Dering of the British Legation also toiled· incessantly for days with admirable persistence over the work of providing fodder for the ponies (all destined to be eaten) and the sheep that were then obtainable. The stock of ammunition was a oause of some anxiety, (
THE PERING LEGATIONS 29 but after a couple of days or so every man Bettled down to using it only when it could be relied on to kill,and economy beoame the rule all round-in faot,it was sometimes ourious to note the silence and stillness of the Legation, not a shot replying to the furious fusillade kept up by the Chinese from their secure hiding- places on the neighbouring roofs and behind the loopholes in their barricades.But although as few shots were fired as possible,constant watch had to be kept,and men had to be sent to one place or another-sometimes in the British Legation itself and sometimes to other Legations-where and when attack was fiercer or more threatening.At first a mere affair of Boxers armed with sword and spear,from the 20th of June on we had also the soldiers to deal with:they fixed some Krupp guns and some smooth-bore cannon on the city wall to the south and at various places near the Lega- tions,and they had besides the very newest and best kinds of repeating rifles in their hands: one day were counted as many as seven hundred shot and shell fired at the Legations,and the tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition they daily expended when rifle-firing kept up a fright- ful din.While the weather was fine,sentry work,etc.,was no great hardship,but we had some wet nights,and then to lie crouched on the top of a wall behind sandbags or stand
- THE PEKING LEGATIONS -9 but after a couple of days or so every man settled down to using it only when it could be relied on to kill, and economy became the rule all round-in fact, it was sometimes curious to note the silenoe and stillness of the Legation, not a shot replying to the furious fusillade kept up by the Chinese from their seoure hidingplaces on the neighbouring roofs and behind the loopholes in their barrioades. But although as few shots were fired as possible, constant watoh had to be kept, and men had to be sent to one place or another-sometimes in the British Legation itself and sometimes to other Legations-where and when attaok was fieroer or more threatening. At first a mere affair of Boxers armed with sword and spear, from the 20th of June on we had also the soldiers to deal with: they fixed some Krupp guns and some smooth-bore cannon on the city waJ.l to the south and at various places near the Lega.- tions, and they had besides the very newest and best kinds of repeating ri1les in their hands: one day were counted as many as seven hundred shot and shell fired at the Legations, and the tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition they daily expended when rifle-firing kept up a £rightful din. While the weather was fine, sentry work, etc., was no great hardship, but we had some wet nights, and then to lie crouohed on the top of a wall behind sandbags or stand -
30 "THESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM motionless in a trench behind a barricade was extremely trying.The Marines,seventy-five all told,were supplemented by a dozen Legation men and twice as many Customs people for regular duty,and there were besides,for special defence in the event of a general attack,some seventy or eighty armed volunteers(missionaries included).Our ears became so aocustomed to the constant whistle and craok of rifle bullets, and to the heavier noise of the cannon,that when some quiet days intervened we found the silence even more trying;amidst all the din there was an element of the comic too,for,to increase the noise and so the more effectually terrify us,our assailants let off strings and strings of fire-crackers For the general safety it was essential that the southern city wall should be held between the Chien-men and Ha-ta-men gates:the Americans faced west to hold the first behind their Legation,and the Germans east to hold the second behind theirs. For the safety of the British Legation in particular it was equally indispensable that the Soo-Wang-Foo,across the canal,should not fall into Chinese hands,and it was held by Colonel Sheba and the plucky Japanese with a persist- ence,gallantry,skill,and forethought that were most admirable.The Germans,however, eventually abandoned their position on the wall on noticing the Americans doing the same;but
• • '" "'~ ". "_" "" ;\I ... " ""',"'''f\iiIIIkIKII'"~''''~>iIIII1 """'_"""'" "'il!!II!"!I!I,,''"~mlrn~~ ~~"" "'" ~~~I .,J" I "",,- HI I~III\<I<" "I ,,,,'II I 10 " t~ ... "~iiilliiI~HiIlll;t;lI~_ ,~I", W~ I II I ' I I"" II I 30 cCTBESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM" motionless in a trench behind a barricade was extremely trying. The Marines, seventy-five all told, were supplemented by a dozen Legation men and twice as many Customs people for regular duty, and there were besides, for special defence in the event of a general attack, some seventy or eighty'armed volunteers (missionaries included). Our ears became so accustomed to the constant whistle and crack of ri1le bullets, , and to the heavier noise of the cannon, that· when some quiet days intervened we found the silence even more trying; amidst all the din there was an element of the comic too, for, to increase the noise and so the more effectually terrify us, our assaila.nts let oft' strings and strings of fire-crackers I For the general safety it was essential that the southern city wall should be held between the Qhien-m8n and Ha-ta-m8n gates: the Americans faced west to hold the first behind their Legation, and the Germans east to hold the second behind theirs. For the safety of the British Legation in particular U was equally indispensable that the Soo-Wang-Foo, across the canal, should not fall into Chinese hands, and it was held by Colonel Sheba and the plucky Japanese with a persistence, gallantry, skill, and forethought that were most admirable. The Germans, however, eventually abandoned their position on the wall on noticing the Americans doing the same j but, • "" • • . , • • • • •
THE PEKING LEGATIONS 3I strongly reinforced by British and Russians,the latter quickly retook the forsaken post under the able guidance of Mr.Squiers,and then strengthened it daily,and held on to it till the end;unfortunately the Chinese advanced along the wall from the Ha-ta-men Gate,and thus the Germans never reocoupied their portion of the wall,and various inconveniences resulted therefrom.The Austrian,Dutch,and Italian Legations were forsaken early and forthwith burnt;the residential part of the French Legation was taken by the Chinese step by step after obstinate fighting,but the remainder was pluckily held to the last by the Commandant D'Arcy and men with only a wall between assailant and assailed;the other Legations, and also the Peking Hotel (M.Chamot),were riddled with shot and shell and showers of rife bullets,but,skilfully and obstinately defended, the Chinese never got possession of them.The American Colt machine-gun did splendid work on the wall,but the Austrian and British machine-guns were not thought a success:the absence of the Russian gun left behind at Tientsin was terribly felt when the Chinese took to constructing barricades and mounting oannon behind them.The Jubilee bell in the British Legation was occasionally sounded as an alarm, and then everybody turned out either to fight fires or assailants:fortunately neither effected
• -- THE PEKING LEG.ATIONS 31 strongly reinforced by British and Russians, the latter quickly retook the forsaken post under the able guidance of Mr. Squiers, and then strengthened it daily, and held on to it till the end; unfortunately the Chinese advanoed along the wall from the Ha-ta-mAn Gate, and thus the Germans never reoooupied their portion of the wall, and various inoonvenienoes resulted therefrom. The Austrian, Dutch, and Italian . Legations were forsaken early and forthwith burnt; the residential part of the Frenoh Legation was taken by the Chinese step by step after obstinate fighting, but the remainder was pluckily held to the la.st by the Commandant D' Aroy and men with only a wall between assa.ilant and assailed; the other Legations, and also the Peking Hotel (M. Chamot), were riddled with shot and shell and showers of rifte bullets, but, skilfully and obstinately defended, the Chinese never got possession of them. The Amerioan Colt maohine-gan did splendid work on the wall, but the Austrian and British machine-guns were not thought a success: the absence of the Russian gun left behind a.t Tientsin was terribly felt when the Chinese took to constructing barrioades and mounting oannon behind them. The Jubilee bell in the British Legation was oooasionally sounded as an alarm, and then everybody turned out either to fight fires or assailants: fortunately neither effected • • " • . .. -
32 WTHESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM" an entrance,but on two oocasions it seemed all but impossible to prevent fire from crossing our walls and destroying us.At the French Legation the Chinese resorted to mines with success:on one occasion,when the first mine exploded,the Austrian Charge,Mr.von Ros- thorn,was buried in the ruins;the second explosion vomited him forth free and unhurt a miraculous escape-but the assailants then made good their position inside the Legation walls. Up to the 20th June we had-as already stated-only Boxers armed with sword and spear to fear,but on that day rifles began to be used,and soldiers fired them-notably men belonging to Tung Fuh Hsiang's Kan-suh com- mand.Our longing for the appearance of Admiral Seymour grew intense,and night after night we buoyed ourselves up with caloulations founded on the sound of heavy guns in the distance,or the appearance of what experts pronounced to be search-lights in the sky:soon, however,we gave up all hope of the Admiral's party,but,supposing that the Taku Forts had been taken on the 18th,we inferred that a few days later would see a large force marching from Tientsin for our relief,and that within a fortnight it would be with us-otherwise why imperil us at Peking by such premature action at Taku?From the 20th to the 25th June a
31 "THESE FROM THE L~ND OF SINIM" an entrance, but on two occasions it seemed a.ll but impossible to prevent fire from crossing our waJIs and destroying us. At the French Legation the Chinese resorted to mines with success: on one occasion, when the first mine exploded, the Austrian Charge, Mr. von Rosthorn, was buried in the ruins; the second explosion vomited him forth free and unhurf;- a miraculous escape-..but the assailants then made good their position inside the Legation walls. Up to the 20th June we had-as already stated-only Boxers armed with sword and spear to fear, but on that day rifles bega.n to be used, and soldiers fired them-notably men belonging to Tung Fuh Hsiang's Kan-suh command. Our longing for the appearance of Admiral Seymour grew intense, and night after night we buoyed ourselves up with calculations founded on the sound of heavy guns in the distance, or the appearance of what experts pronounced to be search-lights in the sky: soon, however, we gave up all hope of the Admiral's party, but, supposing that the Tuu Forts had been taken on the 18th, we werred that a few days later would see a large force marching from Tientsin for our relief, and that within a fortnight it would be with us-otherwise why imperil us at Peking by such premature action at Taku? From the 20th to the 25th June a (