than a whole nest of men rushed out on us, firing and shouting as they ran.  Some had only huge lances made of bamboo, fifteen feet and more long, and tipped with iron and with little red pennons fluttering; yet these were the most effective of all.  Waving these lances violently, and holding them in such a manner that it was impossible to get near, these men scattered our charge before it got home and unhorsed a number of troopers.  Then it became a general melee, which ended in the killing or capture of a few of the enemy and the rapid escape of the remainder.

Very late in the evening we rode into Peking with our helmets and our coats of mail and our long lances as trophies.  The capital seemed terribly listless and oppressed after the country beyond, and I was bitterly sorry that expedition had not lasted for weeks and months.

XII

SUSPENSE

October, 1900.

* * * * *

Another month has come and there has been practically no change.  They say now Prince Ching has no power to treat, and that he is a mere Japanese prisoner.  Li Hung Chang is in Tientsin, too, it appears.  He is to be the other plenipotentiary when negotiations really commence, but for the time being he is the Russian captive.  The Russians have him surrounded with their troops, and no one but a favoured few may even see him.  Already there has been trouble with the British on this score at Tientsin, and some people say that some pretext will be seized to bring about an international crisis among the expeditionary corps.  They are fighting about the destroyed railway up to Peking already.  Various people are claiming the right to rebuild the line, and refuse to give up the sections they have garrisoned.  Everywhere there are pretty complications in the air.

Meanwhile, in Peking itself things have become more and more quiet, and as the policing is slowly improving, confidence is a little restored.  But still new troops are being marched in all the time—­notably German troops—­and as soon as night closes down all these men fall to looting and outraging in any way they can.  They say that the Kaiser, in his farewell speech to his first contingent, before Peking had been heard of for weeks, told the men to act in this way.  They are strictly obeying orders.  Even the officers of the new troops take a hand in this looting in a modified way.  They force their way into the remains of the curio shops, take the few pieces which are left, place a dollar or so on the counter and then walk out.  This makes a legitimate purchase.

In the Japanese district, which is now the best policed and the most tranquil, shops are being reopened, but are now being panic-stricken by this new procedure.  It is the refinement of the game, and there is no redress possible.  Beyond this I know not of a thing worth the mentioning.

XIII