The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-12-26
IN SIEGE
OF PEK|NG
The Only Horse That
Came Out Alive.
HEROIC CHAMOTS HERE
Man and Wife Who Fought, Suffered
and Helped the Suffering
In China.

when the foreigner-hating CeleStlalS
were doing their best to annihilate the
white people and native Christians
within the walls of the great Chinese
city. compelling them, as they lay
waiting and fighting in their fortitica-
/ cations, to subsist on the flesh OF
horses, is now passenger aboard the
Pacific Mail steamship City of Pc
king, lying in this port, en- route to
! San Francisco.
Pepper box" Is the name of this ia
nous pony and he occupies a special
ly constructed stall on the deck of the
! big liner.
! He has seen many of his comrades
eaten, and over the favored head of
! this particular animal no shining
sword of cruel fate hung by treach-
in authority among the defenders in
! that the life of Pepper would
the besieged ones until it was abso-
lutely necessary, which meant that
Pepper box" would be the last horse
to be slaughtered for food.
And the little pony proved himself
a great deal more useful alive than he
would have been as steaks and chops.
He is a Monaghan horse and has a
nasty temper; he bites and kicks most
ferociously, although he means well.
But he is faithful to those who know
him and treat him well.
A. f. Chamot and his wife are pas
sengers aboard the City OF Picking.
They conducted hotel and a store in
Pekin and were in the city all through
the siege, and can tell of many eXcit-
Ing and interesting incidents of that
| time of terror and suspense.
They are the owners of the famous
"PepperboX." Mrs. Chamot as
brave and fearless a woman as her
| husband is a man, boasts Pepper
box" as her own particular property.
She is an expert rider, as we'll as a
sharpshooter Of no small reputation.
While the shells of the Chinese
were flying thick and furious, while
the savage hordes peppered away at
the walls which protected LAe foreign
crs from death and torture, Mr.. and
Mrs. Chamot stayed in their hotel,
nor did they retreat Their hotel
was situated between the inner and
outer walls Of the Notifications which
sheltered the legations. Many a shell
went through their hotel and many a
ball entered their store. Chamot was
shot in several places French ma
rines We're stationed at the hotel and
| they, together with others, were able
to put up something of a formidable
defense.
Chamot brought death to many a
Boxer through his unerring aim. He
was careful of his ammunition and
hardly ever wasted a shot. Nearly al
ways would his bullet hit its mark,
and one of the enemy would be laid
low in the agonies of death.
Mrs. Chamot, riding the faithful
"Pepper-boX," would move hither and
thither. with her rifle ON her arm ev-
cry now and then bringing it to her
shoulder to let fly at some one of the
enemy.
The Chamots have had all they want
of China, The experiences through
which they have gone will last them.
for excitement, for the remainder of
their lives.
They witnessed a great deal of suf-
fering around them during the siege
and did everything in their power to
ed. Mrs. Chamot did noble work
among the wounded and the sick,
often at the risk of her life Passen-
gers on board the City of Picking
speak in the highest terms of the cour-
age of the Chamots, and those aboard
have whiled away many an hour on
the voyage from the Orient listening
to the stories of Mr. and Mrs Chamot.
Everybody has taken look att
'Pepper-boX," petted him at a dis
lance, for he bites when he happens
to feel like 1t, and admired him be-
cause he was fortunate enough to come
through the awful siege with a whole
hide.
Mr.. and Mrs. Chamot now are going
to San Francisco where they will
make their home, and whore Pepper
box" will not be troubled in his sleep
any more by shrieking shrapnel and
kissing shells.
The Chamot Hotel was in ruins
when It's owners left IT, Fortunately
for "Pepper-boX," Picking was reliev-
cd In time so that the forfeit OF his
life was not necessary for the physie-
al maintenance OF the people.
Mrs. Chamot's mother and brother
are aboard the City OF Picking, having
gone TO Hongkong TO meet the Cham
OTIS
There are couple OF newspaper
men on the Picking, George Lynch,
representing the London sphere and
the Graphic and II III Morrell, who
writes for tho sydney Herald,
w. Hartmann Was the only passen-
ger on the Poklng for Honolulu
Other through passengers on the yes
sol are q " Petite, Dr. A heNan,
Mr ana MIS- A y ChlmOi and valet
Howard FallOn : o. FTleir J Good
nov hra ! G0ohnow, T. Hartmann,
Miss a llenfAall, GnorFe Lynch A
Mailhni Af smith " rr0mfra J A
aTnnqNeti hrs n Mccarthy EuRpuH