In the Yellow Sea

by Burt L. Standish

  CHAPTER XIV

  THE SACK OF KINCHOW--RELEASED--"CASTLED"--A CHECK

  When my scattered senses returned, I could not quite understand myposition. Had I been wounded? Yes, I remembered something striking meon the head. Whatever it was it had grazed my temples, and my handsought the wound involuntarily. My fingers came away tinged withblood, my head felt very uncomfortable and dizzy, but after a while Isat up and began to wonder what was the matter.

  The Chinese soldiers--all those left alive, I mean--had disappeared.Dead or wounded men lay around me, but few of the latter moved, and Ibegan to suspect that the victors had killed most of them. My ownescape from death seemed marvellous, for I lay almost helpless. Theshouts, shots, and shrieks below in the town told me of the fearfulscenes, the pursuit of the vanquished, the death of the fugitives. Iattempted to rise to my feet, and had just supported myself by theparapet, when a Japanese picket approached. The men were almostsavage, their weapons were bloodstained, their dress disordered anddusty, and splashed with blood; they were shouting, and indulging inwhat seemed to me fiendish merriment; they were drunken with excitementand the spirit of slaughter; they bayoneted the few living Chinesewithin reach, and then levelled their rifles at me, laughing still.

  Holding up my hands, I called out the few words I had heard on boardthe _Naniwa_, "Long live Japan!" and added in English, "I am no enemy.Look! I am a friend."

  Whether the appeal touched their hearts or they recognised the Englishtongue, they certainly perceived that I was not a native Chinese orManchu. They examined my appearance closely, saw my stained andpainted face, through which spots of white British skin appeared, andmy blackened features, which could not belong to any Celestial being,and they looked surprised. One fellow, in sheer brutality, as heintended, seized my pigtail and wrenched me round to torture me, when,behold, it came away in his hand!

  A shout of laughter succeeded at the expense of the brutal soldier,whose face was a study for a caricaturist, and his profound surprisesaved my life. At this juncture I recalled the badge and permit whichthe captain and officers had given me. In a moment I had grasped them,and even as the angry soldiers advanced with sanguinary threats tobayonet me, the priceless permit, and, even more than it, the badge ofthe naval officer, arrested my would-be murderers.

  I was saved! The levelled rifles were shouldered, and when the men hadtalked together, they intimated to me that I must accompany them--totheir officer, I presumed. Securely guarded, I proceeded, taking carenot to exhibit any of my disgust at the many terrible scenes I noticed,until we met an officer who was wearing white gloves, and appearedalmost a dandy in the midst of slaughter and destruction.

  My "pass" and badge were shown to him, and finding I could notunderstand his language, nor even "Corean-Chinese," he bade meaccompany him to the general's quarters. I paced the streets, closelyfollowed by my original captors, the observed of all those by whom wepassed, maddened soldiers triumphant, Chinese civilians despairing, anddead heaps of fugitives, who received no quarter. It is true, as aJapanese told me, "We do not kill our prisoners, as the Chinese do."No, they do _not_ kill prisoners in cold blood--but they leave as fewas possible to survive the battle.

  We passed through the narrow streets, now thronged with Japanese, pastthe shops with their suspended lanterns and long scrolled signs, buthad not reached the officer's destination, when a Japanese saluted,and, glancing at me, said a few words to my leader. I gazed at the manin surprise, and some diluted pleasure, because I recognised him as myformer associate Hoko, the scout with whom I had been travelling, andby whom I had been robbed.

  Our eyes met in mutual recognition. He made signs to me, and uttered afew sentences in French, asking whether I had presented my permit, andhow I came to Kinchow. He informed the officer; and the man being anaccredited interpreter and trustworthy, the officer dismissed my unrulyescort, and bade the interpreter take care of me pending his ownarrival at headquarters.

  We exchanged few remarks during our passage to the general. I wasstiff and sore, aching in head and limbs, weary and dishevelled.Besides I had a grudge against the interpreter, and anxious forrelease. He seemed quite careless of my feelings. In this manner Iaccompanied my preserver to headquarters, where as an interpreter hewas welcome, and in a few minutes I was introduced into the presence ofthe general. My conductor briefly explained matters, mentioning thefact of my having been rescued from the _Naniwa_, and the manner inwhich I had been received by the officer as an English gentleman and aseaman. A Japanese officer, who spoke English fluently, was able toconfirm this statement by my interpreted account, and thenceforward allwas plain sailing.

  "What did the general wish me to do?" I asked the officer in English.

  "He will send you to Port Arthur when we go there, and when we take theplace he will no doubt permit you to find your way to an English ship."

  "Then I am again a prisoner?"

  "Not at all, you can proceed whither you please. There is not theleast objection to your getting shot, if you prefer that end."

  "I understand; you think the Chinese will oppose your forward movement?"

  "Certainly they will. The fleet is at Talien Bay, though, and we havethe enemy in a sack. They may resist, but they must be beaten; thereis no cohesion. We are united, firm, and drilled. The Chinese cannotstand against us."

  I acquiesced, but continuing, I said--

  "Suppose any Power comes to the assistance of the Chinese?"

  "Then we shall still fight," he replied.

  "Even Russia or Germany?" I asked quickly.

  "Ah, that is a different matter! Russia is dangerous--she wants somuch. But, unless she is _too_ intrusive, we shall not oppose her. Wedo not _fear_ her even, though she intends to rule the East some day.She shall never rule Japan. Come with me, I have the pleasure toconvoy you."

  "You think the Chinese will not resist you?" I continued as weproceeded to his quarters--or rather, to the house where he hadtemporarily taken up his lodgings by right of sword.

  "No, I do not say they will not resist; I say they will not win. Wehave had a very simple and easy task hitherto."

  "Port Arthur is almost impregnable, I hear." He smiled,--the Japanesefrequently smile.

  "Ah, the Chinamen will not stay. Our preparations are already beingmade. In less than a week we shall secure Port Arthur. You shake yourhead? You will see."

  When we reached the house which the officer had made his own, byconquest, temporarily, he gave orders to a soldier, who I supposed wasa tailor, for he came and took my measure with his eye, and walkinground me made his notes in his mind. When he had departed, my kindmilitary friend caused me to rest, sent me food, and had my clothesremoved and sent me a supply of fresh water, in which I revelled. Myshaven hair caused him some amusement, but he supplied me with a capwhich the useful tailor had procured, and when I awoke from my sleepnext morning I found a new semi-European suit awaiting me, with someunderclothing.

  My thanks, and some suggestions respecting remuneration to the tailor,were laughed aside, and the officer then informed me that he knew myacquaintance the sailor Tomi well, and the interpreter had informed himof my first meeting with him, as had been related on board the_Naniwa_. On further inquiry, I ascertained that my military host wasTomi's brother, and this quite accounted for the manner in which he hadreceived me. The brother had been in London, and had met much kindnessthere, so they had in my case repaid it in full towards me.

  This officer, whose kindness I shall ever remember, sent me a note tosay that the army was advancing, and the interpreter would accompany metowards Port Arthur. I was pleased to hear this, and anxious tointerview the man again, but he did not appear till evening on the 7th,when he brought the news that the army from Kinchow had taken the fortsabove Talien, and the Japanese fleet had arrived in the bay.

  This seemed to me incredible, but I ascertained subsequently that theChinese garrison had retired, and the fleet had fired at empty fortsuntil t
he troops displayed their flags upon the deserted ramparts.

  "Is the _Naniwa_ in the bay?" I asked.

  "Yes, she and the other vessels are there now.

  "Can you send me away from there?" I said. "Can Lieutenant Tomi" (Icalled him lieutenant) "find a passage for me to Chefoo?"

  "Will ascertain," was his reply. But he came no more that evening.

  Meantime I made my plans for escape. I had had enough of war andbattles in strange countries amid strangers. With my own countrymen acampaign would have been comparatively pleasant, but under my presentcircumstances the adventure was not very enjoyable, and though I hadbeen singularly fortunate in my cruise, I considered prudence thebetter part of valour, and a timely retreat was advisable, so Idetermined to elope at the first opportunity.

  Provided with clothes, and possessing cash; furnished with a permitlike a special correspondent, I made my way about the cantonments andbivouacs of the Japanese army, and heard a great deal respecting theirexploits, yet in no boasting manner. Certainly the officers and menwere elated, but that was but natural under the circumstances. It istrue they were very much incensed at the Chinese, and swore fearfulvengeance upon them when they again attacked; but that was notsurprising when one saw the Chinese proclamations for so much for thehead of a Jap--as if for a savage wolf in Old England--and an increasedreward for the body of a prisoner.

  Mind, these placards were displayed upon the walls, printed incharacter, in yellow, and signed by the chief of the district in thename of the Emperor of China. Japanese soldiers were decapitated, andhacked when dead. Even the trees were bearing ghastly fruits of savagewarfare at times. So one can hardly wonder if the Japanese retaliatedupon their foes, however much we may regret their subsequent vengeance.When one sees prisoners hanging by the feet to the branches of a tree,and fearfully and horribly mutilated besides by the Chinese; and, whendead, pelted by lads "for fun" as the bodies swing in the wind, onehesitates to dub the Chinaman a decent _savage_! But this is Chinesewarfare, and must end in clearing away the nation from the earth whichadvocates and practises such barbarities.

  The army was under the command of Marshal Oyama. The general who hadreleased me was General Yamaji, a rather sleepy-looking man, wearing amoustache and long _goatee_ upon a rather fat face; his hair was thickand long, and his ears appeared to me very long and big. He woremedals and stars, one in the centre of his chest; he had a profusion oflace in curling cords, so to speak, upon his sleeves, epaulets andshoulder-knots. The marshal, when I saw him, was decked withstars--quite a galaxy. He had rather a humorous face, and it was quitedevoid of hair. Some of the other officers appeared as well set up and"groomed" as British officers, their short hair, shaven cheeks, andtrim moustaches, all aiding the resemblance, with bright keenexpression and smartness of manner.

  While making these observations, which I have recorded as they occurredto me, I lost no opportunity to escape to the sea, but though I waspermitted to wander about, and even assisted in my searches, I found noopening for retreat. There were correspondents of European, and evenJapanese, newspapers and illustrated periodicals, but though they weremost polite and sympathetic, none of them assisted me in the way Idesired. Whether they credited my narrative or not one cannot say, butthey--perhaps wisely--did not seem actually anxious to get me away bystratagem. On the other hand, they were not unkind.

  On that memorable 7th November the guns of the Japanese warships wereheard outside, and speculation was rife. The troops had alreadyadvanced to Talien Bay, where forts protect the peninsula of the"Regent's Sword," as the narrow isthmus is called. If the invaderscaptured these forts, the road to Port Arthur would be open, andShing-Ching would be at the mercy of the Japanese. They did nothesitate to advance against these strongholds. Three detachmentsmarched bravely on, supported by artillery and cavalry, and I followedas a spectator, well in the rear, but not out of range.

  The troops advanced full of determination, and were received with anequally decided fire--for a short time. The assailants took no noticeof these rounds, but, dropping a few of their number, rushed on; I,surprised at myself, followed, keeping under shelter as much aspossible from fragments of soaring shells, which were few and farbetween. The troops reached the forts, and with a volley mounted tothe walls, protected by their artillery. Then came a pause, then adistant cheer, renewed again and again. The Japanese flag was wavingover the forts, and the Chinese, pursued by bullets and shell-fire,were running away as fast as their feet could carry them. Thefugitives had quitted their guns--in many cases undischarged--and were"cutting away" to Port Arthur, their flying forms looking as unlikesoldiers as possible to European eyes, their heads being bound up aswith silk handkerchiefs--perhaps to keep the pigtail out of harm's way,for I noticed this head-dress was almost general with Chinese.

  The Talien forts were thus captured, to my extreme surprise. I climbedup the hill and reached one of them afterwards; and while seeking a wayto the seaside, considerating which path I had best pursue to escape tothe outlying fleet in the bay, a friendly hand was placed upon myshoulder firmly, and held me. I turned suddenly, startled by thesudden arrest. Five Japanese soldiers had come upon me, bringing twounfortunate Chinese prisoners. They bound me in silence, and led meaway, making no reply even by gesture to my complaints.