1901.] With the Allies in China. 679 



parapet of the wall. In firing them, 'one or two of these guns 

 actually fell off the wall on to our side. 



At 3.30 a.m. on August 12, the Japanese advance guard reached 

 the city gate, while the other troops were deploying. No resistance 

 was offered. One company of engineers blew up the gate with 

 dynamite. 



At 4.30 the whole army of the Allies entered the city by the 

 south and south-west gates. A deputation had been received saying 

 that no fighting would take place if the lives and property of the 

 people were safeguarded. 



As far as this point the Allies had kept in touch with their 

 transport, the communication being to a considerable extent by 

 water. From Tung-chow, however, the Pei-ho had to be abandoned. 



The allied generals held a conference, at which it was decided 

 to march at once on Pekin. 



A distance of only fourteen miles separated us. 



The Allies would attack the city in the following order : — 



The Japanese at the extreme right along the paved road ; the 

 Russians in the centre on the north bank of the canal ; while the 

 Americans and British marched to the south of the canal. 



It was understood that the troops would encamp for a day some 

 three miles from Pekin, in order to give our soldiers a rest, for 

 through heat, dust, thirst and sickness, the men were in a pitiable 

 condition. Hundreds had already fallen off the ranks — sunstroke, 

 dysentery and typhoid fever playing havoc among them. 



During the whole afternoon of August 13, we of the Relief 

 Expedition heard terrific firing in the direction of Pekin. It was so 

 continuous that it resembled thunder. The sky was gloomy, and 

 many thought that it was only an approaching storm. 



This, however, did not seem to be the impression prevailing in the 

 Russian camp, where a final and determined attack on the Legations was 

 suspected and feared. Russian scouts had already pushed to within 

 two hundred yards of the wall, and were only fired upon when close to 

 the city gate. They were pursued by a few soldiers, and brought 

 back the news that, as far as the wall itself was concerned, no resist- 

 ance would be encountered. 



Acting upon this information, in the evening of Monday the 13th, 

 one battalion of infantry and half a battery, under the command of 

 Major-General Vassielevsky, set out on a reconnoitring expedition 

 towards Pekin. The object of this was to prepare the way for the 

 attacking force, which was to follow the next morning. The night 

 was very dark, and at 11 o'clock it rained so heavily that the Russians 

 were able to extend their reconnoitring much further than was 

 originally intended. They actually reached the Tung-Pien Men 

 gate of Pekin without being discovered. Finding the enemy un- 

 prepared, General Vassielevsky decided not to lose his chance of 

 making a bold stroke. 



Along the wall there was a moat with water, which could be 



