I soon got tired of this, as plenty of other people now came in, all calling for food, and I was really so weary from lack of sleep and proper rest that I could not remember what they were talking about two seconds after they had finished speaking.  Most of the men were angry at the “muddle,” as they called it, and said it was hopeless going on this way.  One of the Austrian midshipmen told me that there had been altogether very little firing, and not more than a few dozen Chinese skirmishers engaged, but that the whole northern and eastern fronts of our square were so imperfectly garrisoned that they could be rushed in a few minutes.  Everybody agreed with him, but nobody appeared to know who was in supreme command, or who was responsible for a distribution of our defending forces, which would total at least six hundred or seven hundred men if every able-bodied man was forced into the fighting-line.  Fortunately the Chinese Government appears to be hesitating again; we have been all driven into our square and can be safely left there for the time being—­that seems to be the point of view.

I now became anxious about a trunk containing a few valuables, which I had sent into the British Legation, and I determined to go in person and see how things were looking there.  What confusion!  I soon learned that it had been very gay at the British Legation during the night.  At four o’clock of the previous afternoon, when the first shots had already been dropping in at the northern and eastern defences, not a thing had been done in the way of barricading and sandbagging—­that everybody admitted.  The flood of people coming in from the other Legations, almost weeping and wailing, had driven them half insane.  At the Main Gate, a majestic structure of stone and brick, a few sandbags had actually been got together, as if suggesting that later on something might be done.  But for the time being this Legation, where all the women and children have rushed for safety, is quite defenceless.  Yet it has long been an understood thing that it was to become the general base.  It was not surprising, then, that at six in the evening yesterday a tragedy had occurred within eyesight of everybody at the Main Gate.  A European, who afterwards turned out to be Professor J——­, of the Imperial University, an eccentric of pronounced type, had attempted to cross the north bridge, which connects the extreme north of Prince Su’s palace walls with a road passing just one hundred yards from the British Legation northern wall, and perhaps three hundred yards from the Main Gate itself.  It was seen that the European was running, onlookers told me, and that after him came a Chinese brave in full war-paint, with his rifle at the trail.  Instead of charging his men down the street to save this wretched man, the British officer, Captain W——­, ordered the Main Gate to be closed, and everybody to go inside except himself and his file of marines.  He then commanded volley-firing, apparently at the