624 LOOT OF THE IMPERIAL SUMMER PALACE AT PEKIN. 



francs in .snuiU ino-ots of o-okl and silver. This sum was divided 

 between the two armies and, when subdivided exactly, it formed for 

 each man a prize of a})Out 80 francs. 



It was nearly in the middle of the afternoon and the s(Mitinels had 

 been continualh' on guard, gun in hand, l^efore the palace within which 

 the commission was working. Every few minutes soldiers marched 

 out laden with bri('-a-))r!U' which excited the admiration of the troops 

 gathered ))efore the sentinels. After laying down their burdens these 

 soldiers returned and showed their passes. 



In the midst of the troops of all soi'ts wdio took part in this first 

 move, French infantry. Englishmen, unmounted cavalry, artiller}'- 

 men. Queen's dragoons. Sikhs. Arabs, Chinese coolies, all mixed 

 together, a rumor circulated and spread, repeated in all the idioms 

 represented by the crowds assembled there, w ith their eager eyes and 

 their mouths dry with desire. They said, "When most has been 

 carried out we shall enter and have our turn; why the devil should 

 we not have at least our own slice oil' the cake^ We have come far 

 enough. Isn't that so^' And they laughed and nudged each other. 

 A little disorder had already begun. 



General Montaubaii, who began to feel anxious, was walking a])Out 

 at the other side of the square, leaning on a green bamboo which 

 replaced the walking stick that he lost in the panic of the night before, 

 but things had not reached such a pass as to require interference. 



Suddenly a trumpet call resounded, a company was called to arms. 

 What could it be^ A veiy simple thing; the Chinese of Haitien had 

 entered the park by scaling the walls, and it became necessary to pro- 

 tect the treasures which were just being explored. 



"It is too bad," said the troopers; ""these Chinese are going to grab 

 everything. We must see about that." 



The peasants of the neigh])orhood and common people of Haitien 

 were slipping up to the walls of the park; they fraternized with our 

 coolies and chatted with them. Our coolies had ladders which they 

 placed against the walls and, like a great crowd of sparrows, the black- 

 headed pillagers tilled the avenues and ran toward the palace. 



It became necessary to disperse them and for this purpose a com- 

 pany was called to arms. It had not yet asseml)led wdien a second 

 trumpet call was heard; this was for another purpose; it called for 

 soldiers without arms, equipped as a tire brigade, for partial attempts 

 at tiring had already begun. 



In China when a tire breaks out, before thinking of protection from 

 the flames, it becomes necessary to seek protection from thieves who 

 arrive at the points threatened quicker than the firemen, and the 

 result is that the habitual robbers who profit by fires know how to 

 start them and consider the fire as a necessary ally, and an element 

 indispensable to a good stroke of business. 



