The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-13
FLIGHT FROM PAOT|NC-FU
TERRORs OF THE RETREAT UPON
TIEN-TSIN.
Fearful Experiences Of a Small Party
of Europeans-NineO out of Forty-One
Left Behind.

The newspapers of China and Japan
contain many stories of the terrors of
the flights of foreign parties in the
general retreat upon Tien-Tsin, Taku,
and other centers where white people
might find safety. The China Gazette
tells of a thrilling experience of thirty
three men and seven women who at
tempted to get to TienTsin from Poat-
ing-fu. All foreigners were warned to
leave the latter place on May Is, and
on the 29th the party left, one of the
women carrying child. The railroad
that connected them with civilization
had been wrecked, and they were COM
PEELED to take boats, manned by Chinese
crews.
"The Europeans were mostly armed
with revolVers, although there were
several old Mauser rifles in the crowd.
AS they departed at five o'clock an
enormous hostile crowd gathered
around them armed to the teeth, and
in many cases wearing the red belts OF
the Boxers. After about an hours
journey NJ. Ossent. the railway super
intendent, who accompanied the party,
on the advice of sun, ordered the hatch
ways to be closed down as they APP
preached supposedly dangerous locah-
ties The foreigners objected to this on
the ground that in the event of being
attacked they would be helpless, for
diers who We're acting as their escort.
Notwithstanding every remOnstrance,
however NJ. Ossent ordered the hatch
ways to be closed, and as the heat was
intense, considerable suffering was en-
tailed"
The next day, when the Europeans
refused to allow the closing of the
matches, IAN attack was made by hun
dreds of Infatuated Chinese. The Euro
peans jumped ashore, and, forming
themselves into small groups were
promptly responding to the fire of the
Boxers. They found that they were in
front of a large town, the name of
which they had been unable to learn,
and the inhabitants turned out in large
force against them, being armed with
lances swords and guns. All the Eu
rOpeans with the exception of NJ. Os-
sent, Madame Astier (his sister,, and
Signors Cadet and Pesslro, who were
on the other side of the river, were
fighting desperately and at dangerous
odds. None of them could tell exactly
the situation of Ossent as in the fight
there was no time to think about any
one but oneself.
Firing went on furiously on both
sides, the savage cries of the Boxers
adding greatly to the horrible din. The
Boxers fired cannon from the wall, but
so bad was their craftsmanship that
that he saw the Chinese soldiers who
We're acting as escorts, firing at the
foreigners, and many others of the par
ty testified to the same effect After q
long and difficult tussle the party were
left alone without boats; and there was
nothing left for them to do except take
to the interior and make the best way
they could to Tien-Tsin. The majority
of them were only half clothed, and in
almost every case they had lost their
shoes in the mud getting ashore.
1.-THE party came to a farm house at
| length and succeeded in purchasing
drink and a little bread, the heat
| being positively unbearable. Still be-
sieged by hordes of rabble, the condl-
ton of the party was wretched in the
extreme, almost all suffering from in
sufficient rest and nOurishment. 1t was
after leaving here that they realized
for the first time that NJ. Ossent,
Madame Astier and seven others of the
party We're missing. They did not know
what to do, whether to turn back or
not. At last they decided to go on in
the hope that the missing would catch
up, as the Boxers were now pressing
| them severely.
| "The party succeeded some hours lat
| er in again reaching the river bank,
and a boat was procured in which to
| make for Tien-Tsin. On reaching Tien-
I Tsin they We're all very much exhausted
| and We're escorted by the relief party to
| the Aston House. where they were very
! kindly treated. Our informant was IN
Tien when the wretched band of stray
glers arrived, and she says they pre-
sented a truly pitiable spectacle, all
being in rags and tatters. One man
was proudly carrying a captured Box
er flag"