The San Francisco call., 1904-09-22
Woman Escapes Through
Japanese Blockade
at Port Arthur.
Describes the Situation
in the BeIeaguered
Stronghold.

CHEFU, Sept. 21.-Mrs Anna
hravtchenko, the English wife of a
Russian army officer, who arrived on
the night of September II with Lieu
tenant Prince Radzivil from Port Ar
thur, is the first woman to run the
blockade from the Russian stronghold
SINCE the Japanese increased their
vigilance to prevent egress from the
port. Her trip was rendered extremely
perlous because she came out with
the Prince and his companion, Lieu
tenant Christoforoff, who carried mes
sages from Lieutenant General Stoes-
sci, the commander at Port Arthur, to
General Kuropatkin. Both these Off
GERS We're disguised and had they been
captured by the japanese they GER
IalhIy would have been executed. Mrs.
kravtchenko said
We left Port Arthur at 8 o'clock on the
night of September 10. There was a good
wind and the moon was bright. We were sue
ctssful in avoiding danger of the first Japan
ese blockading line. We came up TO the
second line when the moon was under a cloud.
seaTchlights We're flashing on all sides, but our
junk was not discovered
At O'Clock the next morning saw a
steamship coming in our direction. She had
the appearance of cruiser and / was ter
rlbly frightened. When we saw the cruiser
Prince Radzivil and Lieutenant Christoforoff
went below. stretched myself out on deck and
covered myself with dirty blankets. Chinese
were lying at my feet and at my sides and
Tor nearly an hour. although nearly smothered.
kept my position. l never uttered a more
thankful prayer than when l was informed
that the steamship had seen was a Red
Cross vessel and that her captain had no in
tention of overhauling US
wonderful things being done by the
staffs Of the different hospitals at Port Ar
thur. who are assisted by ladies. There are
thirty nurses for each 1000 patients. The
ladies devote most OF their time to the max
ing Of clothes for the soldiers. The laundry
work is done by Door women and the wives
OF enlisted men. The sick and wounded are
thus kept supplied with clean clothing. The
laundry work has to be done in dreadful heat.
There are no contagious diseases at Port
Arthur but many deaths are resulting from
the bite of a large red headed fy, which feeds
ON the decomposing corpses scattered over the
hsttlefelds. y doctor who bitten the
thumb by one Of these flies instantly severed the
member. He then had his arm amputated,
but not before the poison had reached his
heart. The result OF the bite was fatal
Every day in the week the band plays at
The wounded men recover quickly from the
wounds inflicted by maxim projectiles and by
the bullets of the Ohska rifle. but the wounds
resulting from explosive bullets awful,
and recovery IS impossible.
The old town Of Port Arthur is almost en-
tirely wrecked. The streets are filled with
holes made by exploding shells. The loss OF
life in Port Arthur from the bonbardments
has been remarkably small. Once I counted
f1fty-seven Japanese shells fired at a Russian
battery. not one Of which reached its mark
The Russian garrison is cheerful 1t would
be impossible to imagine braver finer
set OF men. They return from three days
duty in the trenches with songs on their lips
Although many places in the ranks are va
cant all the have unlimited confidence
in their power to hold the fortress against
the enemy.
will stand against the Japanese: | do not think
the stronghold will fall