The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-07-31

line because ( crossed it within. about
half a mile of one of these tiny
bridges. What would have happened
TO me if I had crossed within sight of
a big bridge I shudder to contemplate.
On one or two occasions on which I
passed near small bridge I had with
me Chinese ''mafoo." who looks sus-
piciously like a Japanese. being small,
wearing corduroys and generally wear
ting his queue wound UP inside OF a Eu-
ropeSn hat.
As soon as the soldier on guard at the
bridge saw me cross the line he sum-
moned his companion, and they asked
who was.
explained to them in my best Rus
sian, and at a distance Of about a hun
dred yards,o that ISwas a war cprre-
spondent and that everything vas in
order. But they were not satisfied.sl
They wanted to get a nearer view of
me, and accordingly ordered me TO
come closer. I obeyed with alacrity, as
they had guns in their hands, but I
wondered what would happen to man
who, under similar circumstances, did
not know enough Russian to under~
stand them and continued to ride on.
o TRY TO INJURE ROAD. o
About the time9r was thus stopped on
the railway several bodies of mounted
japanese, each party numbering sew
sral thousand. Intellectually found their
way, in direct imitation of Dewet when
he invaded Cape Colony, as far as thir-
ty miles to the north of Mukden, their
+ object being presumably to ascertain
has much as they could of the disposition
Of the Russian forces and at the same
Ptime to injure the Railway.
Repeated attempts were made by
them to carry out this latter part of
Stheir programme, and although these
attempts Invariably failed they natur-
ally increased the solicitude with which
the Russians looked after their line.
Similar attempts were made between
iSdukden and Lispyaig. and only few
days ago six Japanese cavalfymen were
captured in the vicinity of the latter
town. Q
The japanese not only send mounted
scouts in uniform to attack the rail-
way, but they also send peaceful and
i9heavily paid Cinnamon, as we'll as
4 bapds of Chinese robbers to attempt
! Sometimes thee encounters between
j the Russians who want to guard the
! line and the Huhghuses who want to
wreck it (0attaino) serious dimensions.
ABOUT week ago a band of Chinese
4 Hunghuses attacked a Cossack detachs
) ment and did not retreat until they had
lost twenty of their number
These attempts make everybody in
FMukden anXiously listen for the. whist
ling of the railway locomotives. So far,
as I have already remarked, that
whistling has been almost continuous.
In fact, the railway has fully justified
all the hopes placed in it.
GREAT PIECE OF WORK.
It is a marvel, and if it continues to
do its duty for another four months
n the Russians should treat it as the
! japanese treat mountains which have
rendered distinguished service to the
\ country by ornamenting ethe land
escape and should make it henceforth
incumbent on every loyal subject of the
? Car to speak of the railway as Mon
sieur the Railway" in the same way as
the japanese speak OF Fujiyama as
! FUjisan.
! Prince Khilkoff. certainly deserves the
DECORATION he recently received for the
magnificent work the railway is doing
under his management. The amount Of
that work is not properly. appreciated
by anybody who does not see the trains
l.go past.
/ have never seen a more imposing ex-
hibition of the power and might of
Russia than I have witnessed day after
day during the last four weeks at Muk
den.
The endless. procession of implements
of destruction and of men to make use
of them dwarf into utter significance
any procession that have ever seen.
although at times 1 cannot help ask
ing myself, as ! watch them rolling
swiftly past, how many of these brave
young fellows will ever come back
A partial answer to my question is
supplied by the hospital trains These
I trains consist of spotlessly clean white
I carriages with a red cross painted out
side, and Red Cross nurses fitting
about inside like angels of mercy In
stead of. being, as one would expect.
abodes of pain, they are filled with
light and cheerfulness.
WOUNDED WE'LL CARED FOX.
have never yet looked on one that
I did not envy the occupants None
of them were seriously wounded, for
dangerous cases had to be treated as
near the front as possible, and all
seemed to be perfectly happy and con-
tented.
AS ] walked about the Mukden rail-
way station on a warm sunny day,
looking at hospital train, could not
help thinking that these smiling in
valids, in their neat carriages, were
enjoying the happiest period in their
lives
Ehey were heroes, they had done
= their duty manfully to Russia and the
/ Car many of them wore the coveted
/ st. Georges Cross and other decora-