The morning passed away in this wise, but there were several contretemps which nearly led to the spilling of blood.  In one case, an English marine tried to take a watermelon from a soldier, who was very anxious to sell it; but as the latter would not give it up without immediate payment, the marine thumped his head and then knocked him over.  Everyone rushed for their rifles, but some of us shouted for silence, and going over to the marine, whispered to him to keep quiet while we tied up his hands.  We told him to march back into our lines, and informed our audience that he would be beaten, and that the man who had been knocked over would get a dollar.  We managed by this crude acting to save an open rupture, but it was plain that the rank and file must not be allowed to mix.  We managed eventually to restore a semblance of good-fellowship by purchasing at very heavy prices a great number of eggs.  The women, the children, and the wounded have been long in want of eggs and fresh food, and we knew that these would do a great many people good.

Late in the afternoon, as a result of this extraordinary fraternising, a very singular thing occurred along the French front, where the bitter fighting has rebounded into a hot friendship.  A French volunteer, who is as dare-devil as many of his friends, suddenly climbed over the Chinese barricades and shouted back that he was going away on a visit.  They tried to make him return, but in spite of a little hesitation, he went on climbing and getting farther and farther away.  Then he suddenly disappeared for good.  Nobody expected to see him alive again, and everybody put it down to a manifestation of the incipient madness which is affecting a number of men....

But two hours afterwards a letter came from the French volunteer.  It merely said that he was in Jung Lu’s camp, having an excellent time.  Very late in the evening he came back himself.  In spite of the foolhardiness of the whole thing his news was the most valuable we had received.

It shows us plainly that not only has something happened elsewhere, but that the Boxer plan is miscarrying in Peking itself.

The young Frenchman had been really well treated, fed with Chinese cakes and fruit, and given excellent tea to drink.  Then he had been led direct to Jung Lu’s headquarters, and closely questioned by the generalissimo himself as to our condition, our provisions, and the number of men we had lost.  He had replied, he said, that we were having a charming time, and that we only needed some ice and some fruit to make us perfectly happy, even in the great summer heat.  Thereupon Jung Lu had filled his pockets with peaches and ordered his servants to tie up watermelons in a piece of cloth for him to carry back.  Jung Lu finally bade him good-bye, with the significant words that his own personal troops on whom he could rely would attempt to protect the Legations, but added that it was very difficult to do so as everyone was