Evening star., 1900-06-30

They went through the form Of loading
t!le1l-nay have actually done 90. How
ever We were allowed 10 pass unquestioned
and landed six miles above the forts at a
coal dock five hundred yards from the
railway station. There 1 left Ensign Bel
knap with ten men to guard the baggage
and marched the remainder to the depot.
Curiosity had drawn a motley crowd of
dirty natives, coolies ard soldiers about us,
numbering not far from five hundred Tney
pressed in 50 closely that it was necessary
TO place the marines with their backs tc
a wall and to put in front numerous sem
tirels to keep off the press. The SEN
tinels losing patience. would now and then
give vicious blows with the butts of their
pieces which soon had wholesome eff
feet upon the ovcr-inquisitive ones of the
gathered crowd.
The men stood fully equipped from half
past three until six o'clock of the evening
when the train pulled out. For transporta-
ton the men had two open coal cars next
to the engine: the thermometer was much
below freezing and the wind coming over
the ice fields was biting. We We're obliged
to use these open floats. as the Chinese
soldiers that had Travelled in the closed
cars. American style, had made their floors
veritable sinks of filth. For one very long
hour and half the mon endured the expo
SIRE in those open cars dancing and
before we reached Tfcn Tsin, when We
crossed the river. and. with hearts full of
thaakfuiness. reported aboard the CHEEKY
old Monocacy. 1t was some time before
all of US were warmed through. and the
hot, black coffee Of the crews mess was a
delicious welcome.
Men From Other Navies.
eat the time of our arrival, besides the
Monocacy. England. France, Germany and
Russia each had gunboat moored a,ong-
side the bund. while in addition guards of
marines or sailors We're held in readiness
for duty In Pekin ia case of need. The
united forces consisted Of ffty-one Ameri-
can marines. fifty British marines, fifty
German sailors. fifty Russian sailors. fifty
Italian sailors and thirty-two Spanish ma
rineS.
Preparations were being made by the
commanding officers of these guards to get
them properly equipped for the extremely
cold weather of winter. Long sheepskin
coats, fur caps and 6 owes were purchased
at government expense by the various ma
tionalities for their men, In the case of our
own marines they had to pay for their
coats themselves, a matter of $50 in gold,
and the garments were absolutely worth
less to them in the spring. The strong
smell of wool prevented their being stored
on board ship.
"All guards were expected to be ready
to start for Pekin. eighty-six miles distant.
by December Is. but an edict forbidding
them to enter the city was issued by the
emperor.
Americans Worked Hard.
Every one believed that this edict would
be rescinded, and in order to keep the men
in proper physical condition to make this
march in four days or less the American
marines were marched daily, without re-
gard to weather uhere being no rain) about
seven miles. and in the afternoons, when
the weather was good they were drilled.
The German sailors We're the only other
body of men marched regularly and trained
Systematically.
When the river froze and steam
er communication was cut off, the
streets of Tien Tsin were barri-
caded. and the commanding officers
of vesses had at least an understand
ing of what was to be done by each com
mand in case of riot. fire or disturbances
Rumors varying in the sensational were
the daily order of things.
Knowing if the japanese saw fit to make
an attack on the Taku forts, thirty-two
miles down the river. or at Shanhatquan
40 miles to the west, connected by rail
with Ten Tsin, that guards would be called
to Pekin. and that it would be impossible
to procure carts for the transportation of
stores, three months rations for fifty men
were sent forward and stored in the lega-
ton.
What Might Have Happened.
In February l received an order from
the commanding officer of the ship by di-
rection of the admiral, to proceed to Pekin
to confer with our minister. Colonel Denby
in regard to making arrangements for
housing, feeding and caring generally for
the men, and to see what the missionaries
intended to do provided the Japanese land
ed in the Pichil district and moved on
Pekln. 1t is pertinent to remark here that
had the japanese landed in the Pichiu dis
trict 10000 Chinese soldiers would have
been defeated, and an immense rabbe of
armed men would have swarmed through
npl t,l
their way to their homes. for it is we'll
known there was not haversack in the
whole Chinese army. The condition about
Pekin would have been fearful.
After being ordered to Pekin the COM
mandlng officer of the Monocacy detained
me TOR week. as foreigners had been mo-
Tested en- route and Chinese soldiers had
robbed the banks money lenders) in the
towns through which 1 had to pass. Tween
ty-five thousand Chinese soldiers were en-
camped along the way, beginning twenty
miles from Tien Tsin and ending sixteen
miles from Pekin.
The Ride to Pekin.
1T took two days to make this disagree
able trip on horseback Chinese camps
lined the road; they were usually sur
rounded by wall of mud mixed with
straw. about sixteen feet high, castellated
for ornaments and having a single arched
entrance. Their use was to break the cold
out of camp-in other words, the walls
did the sentinel duty. Bodies of troops
met on the move were armed with all
manner of weapons. Tower muskets, GIN
gals, Remington rifles of so and AZ cal
iber. German carbines, Grass magazine
rifles of 1908 caiber. bamboo poles with
a small flag and spike. tridents, swords
with handles four feet long and other GU
rious and extemporized arms. 1 saw
thousand mustered to pay honor to Ii
Hung Chang on his way to Pekin. and not
one of them was armed. 1t is doubtful If
any of the troops near the capital had a
single cartridge, and / was told by strae-
Cling privates of different regiments that
ammunition would be served out only when
they started for the enemy.
Selecting Quarters.
1.-THE American legation compound is of
less than an acre in area and is badly cut
up by buildings, none of which were fit to
house fifty men, and, besides, the great
wall Of the city. sixty feet high and para
peted, was within a hundred yards of the
compound. This allowed 1t to be enfiladed
by rifle fire. which made it necessary to
look for other quarters. These l secured
in the then empty Dutch legation a COM
pound suitable In every way and consider
ably removed from the frowning shadow
of those threatening walls
The guard never reached Pekin, but in
stead remained at Tien Tsin ready for