1901.] With the Allies in China. 671 



To the right, under the command of Major-General Manabe, was 

 the 9th Brigade, one company of cavalry, one battery of artillery and 

 one company of engineers. 



The reserve consisted of the 11th Regiment, taken out of the 9th 

 Brigade and one company of engineers. 



Next to the Japanese along the embankment were, under cover, 

 the British forces. 



The Americans lost their way and did not take part in the 

 engagement. 



At 4 a.m. on August 5, the Allies had taken up their position. 

 The Japanese had pushed their way right up to the Chinese sentries 

 near the magazine, and with the first rays of light, at 4.20, got the 

 first glimpse of the enemy. 



Ten minutes later, at 4 . 30, the magazine was in the hands of the 

 Japanese. With this was also captured the first line of Chinese 

 trenches. Three thousand Chinese troops were reported to be guard- 

 ing the powder magazine, but they withdrew to their main defences. 

 A Japanese battery was set to work at this spot. 



I climbed with a friend ovor the embankment to obtain a better 

 view, and I suppose that we placed ourselves in full sight of the 

 enemy against the sky line, for directly three or four shells whizzed 

 uncomfortably past us, exploding a little way beyond. 



From this moment the Chinese, suspecting the whereabouts of the 

 Allies, began to send shell after shell into our position. 



The Japanese artillery was doing splendidly, but the Chinese 

 had found the exact range of the Japanese guns, and were making 

 their position very hot. The gunners were cool and composed, and 

 the Japanese officers calmly smoked their cigarettes, cracking occa- 

 sional jokes when shells burst too near. The moment any one was 

 wounded he was bandaged up and carried away on an ambulance. 



As I was looking on there was one soldier holding three horses. 

 A Chinese shell dropped, and man and animals were killed, and 

 gashed about in a fearful manner. 



I thought it was wiser for me to go and see what the British ar- 

 tillery was doing, a little further back along the embankment. It 

 had not yet come into action. This seemed a spot of comparative 

 safety, as only occasional shells dropped here, instead of a regular 

 hail of them. I was just talking to some soldiers, when a shell burst 

 directly over our heads, wounding one man badly in the neck, and 

 another slightly. 



There was no prospect of an immediate advance, as long as the 

 artillery duel continued, so I decided to go still further back, nearly 

 as far as where the Bengal Lancers were in reserve. 



I squatted on the ground, and was writing up my notes, when 

 some Japanese Bed Cross men approached and asked me whether 

 this was a safe spot, as they wished to bring some wounded. On my 

 answering in the affirmative, off they went, and presently returned 

 with two stretchers, on which were two Japanese, severely wounded. 



