224 A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



bay, c'lnd heading towards the mouth of the Avatcha ; 

 our messao^e had evidently reached its destination. 

 We consequently tied our handkerchiefs and capes to 

 the ends of the poles and began waving them and 

 signalling desperately to the people on the launch. 

 Although several miles separated us, our efforts were 

 crowned with success, and presently the steamer 

 turned in our direction. The Ispravnik in person 

 was on board, and heartily greeted us back ; our 

 belongings were soon transported, and the whole 

 party safely reached Petropavlovsk in the afternoon. 

 Camp was once more pitched on the memorable sand- 

 spit, part of which had now been turned into a coal 

 depot, numerous Corean coolies being engaged in 

 unloading the Tsitsikar, a large collier, anchored in 

 the outer harbour. 



The captain of that steamer had brought news of 

 the serious troubles which had broken out in China ; 

 he had informed the Ispravnik that war had been 

 declared against the Celestial Empire by the joint 

 Powers, in consequence of the murder of the German 

 representative in Pekin ; that the forts of Taku had 

 been stormed by the pAU-opean troops, and that the 

 Chinese Imperial Army had united with the Boxers 

 in a drawn battle, wherein 1,700 Russians and 10,000 

 Chinamen had been killed. Thou''h events seemed 



