The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-24
H'CALLA FIRST IN PEKIN
An American Woman in a Legation
Describes His Arrival.
American Marines Lead in the March
to the Residences of Diplomats
Soldiers Cursed and Hooted by the
Chinese Mob-Spanish and Belgian
Ministers Both Without Guards.

NEW YORK, July 23-The following let
ter, which strongly indicates the alarming
situation in and around Pekin early last
month, has been received in New York
The letter was written by one OF the
women OF the beleaguered legations to a
sister in Japan, who in turn forwarded it
to another in this city:
"Pekin, June 2, 1900.
Here l am still in Pekin and the prob
abilities are that 1 will soon be en- route
for Japan. An English woman who has
lived quite long time in Yokohama, I be-
lieve. is to chaperon me there, as she goes
direct to that metropolis. But-and this
but is quite big under the circumstances
she may be afraid TO start down. as We
might get detained at Tientsin or Taku or
Tonga.
Tue condition of Pekin is pretty bad.
and Sir Robert Hart says that in all the
years he has been here and in all the coups
d'etat that he has watched he has never
seen Pekin or foreigners in :. more critical
condition taan now. But / suppose you
have been reading kilograms from Pekin
and have keil au courant, so 1 won't both
er you with facts.
We were at the temple in the hills and
wild tales of what the Boxers were going
TO do. and saying that a hundred had left
the small villages near our temple to so
to YaoSti and burn it. 1t is a station
with quite small collection OF houses Of
foreigners. aHd having 2 bridge The
foreigners heard OF the intention and es-
capped in the early morning. We thought
the servants were drawing the long bow
but about 4 O'Clock in the afternoon we
were called to watch the fire from cur
balcony. 1t was near enough for US to
see all the smoke, and the flames, too.
There were thousands Of Boxers about
and We were frightened lest the Boxers
on returning 10 Pekin might step and loot
our dwelling, and incidentally kill US.
There was not foreign man on the plain.
The Tsung- Ii Yamen had sent i Chinese
guard OF ~ Give soldiers to protect US,
and they srtyed at the temple until they
saw the Boxers coming that way, SO they
deliberately ran away. You can imagine
our feelings. Three babies to protect and
a lot of frightened Chinese seEvantsi
Mr.. $ was in Pekin, and we did not
know if he would hear of the burning Of
Yaogti in time to get out to us that night
Mr.. $ had. however learned of the
burning of the town. and had ridden out
at great speed to the temple, borrowing
on the way one of the four Russian Cos
sacks that were quartered in the Russian
Legation.
We were ready for anything all night.
and at o'clock were up packing. At $50
our caravan had started for Pekin. We
got into the legation at 1920 o'clock. Mr.
Pettue. Ii Hung Chang's private secre-
tary, said he feared for our safety and
was on the point of sending a Chinese
regiment for us. So. for the last four
days, we have been in the legation and no
one allowed to go out. RumoTs are fly
ing broadcas, and there is excitement TO
know if the marines would arrive in time.
The missionaries are terrified half 10
death and Mr.. s. has presented good
many of them with rifles and ammuni-
ton
The marines of the English, the Rus
SLAMS. the Japanese, and the French all
came up the day before yesterday from
Tientsil and when they finally landed at
Taku there was great excitement as to
which body of marines should lead. Cap
tain McCalla, who had come up with our
fifty marines. hurried his men double quick
to get the lead. and cur troops were the
first to march up Legation Street. There
was an enormous mob at the station and
they were frightened and did nothing as
the troops were passing. However, they
yelled and howled and swCTe curses on all
the soldiers ancestors. We have rented
quarters for the marines just back of the
legations Captain McCalla. of the New
ark. that is at Taku, came up with the
marines and discussed the 81 uatiOn with
Mr.. Conger The poor legations that had
no troops are terrified. The Spanish and
the BelGians have none. The Belgian sec
rotary lad te; yesterday with us and could
only be gone one hour, as he had been
told he must come back and help guard
the legation. l should like to see a good
narrowing climax that would give the
marines chance to use their Maxims and
hear the cannon go off,
The writer of the above letter did not
leave FOR Japan and is. SO far as known,
still in Pekin Her hopes for 'har-
rowing climax" have been realized.