In the Yellow Sea

As I advanced I rendered some assistance, I am pleased to think, but the numbers requiring aid were beyond expectation. The Japanese suffered greatly. Tens and dozens of dead bodies lay in groups in many places, and this slaughter was all around one. When the forts were stormed the Chinese became the victims and paid heavily for the Japanese dead. A terrible revenge was taken, and when the Pine Tree fort blew up there was a loud shout of victory. Thenceforth the invaders had all their own way.

And such a way! Midday had struck, as the phrase is, when the first forts were taken – Inland, and then the remaining forces came on to reduce the coast line of forts and redoubts, including the large Golden Hill fort already named, which by its cannon turning in all directions had caused much loss in the distant Japanese ranks. Preparations were made to storm this place late in the afternoon. The Chinese were still resisting under all possible cover in rifle-pits and trenches and redoubts, but all the time the Japanese were encircling them and the town – their usual method. I noticed that at sea the fleet circled round the Chinese ships, and now on land the soldiers came up on three sides.

Following the troops I watched them from a distant height forming a cordon around the devoted town, which contains about a thousand houses built Chinese fashion (usually in one storey), two theatres, temples, hotels, and banks, besides the extensive docks fitted with all modern appliances, torpedo factory, a railway, cranes, workshops, and basins for ships and boats. The place is well supplied with water, and later I witnessed a curious scene in those docks.

When I had struggled as near as I deemed prudent, armed with a Japanese rifle, cartridges, and a cap, I fancied I could hear a band playing. A musical welcome from the Chinese was perhaps the most curious of the many curious and contradictory things in China, but it was certainly a military band in the town, while the brigade beyond was storming the forts. I made inquiry as well as I could, and ascertained that the Japanese had already occupied the town, and the band was playing them in with their National Anthem, which I recognised as having already heard on board ship in the hour of victory.

The day was now coming to a close. Golden Hill remained in Chinese hands, and the fighting was for a while suspended. Still Port Arthur was in possession of the Japanese, and the remaining fort when attacked next morning was found empty. The garrison had deserted it in the night.

That night of the 21st November 1894 will be remembered by all who live to think of it. Why? you may ask. Simply because the Chinese were slain in the most savage and unrelenting way in the town. On the hill a chill and piercing wind rose that night, and the sufferings of the wounded must have been terrible. I made my way at dusk, under shelter, behind the hill I had scrambled up before, and found the Japanese lying on their faces still, thickly. The Chinese were lying anyhow on that hill, and on the other slope; half-clothed, nearly always unarmed, and seldom in any "uniform" dress.

These are common instances which indicate the temperaments and courage of the two nations. The Japanese shot in the forehead or chest falls forward and dies. The Chinese I saw were fugitives who had cast away their weapons and clothing the more easily to escape and to be mistaken for civilians. I must add that the Japanese wounded never seemed to complain or cry out. Their fortitude under the most deplorable conditions, amid terrible injuries and wounds, was Spartan-like – heroic.

That cold night, for which all were unprepared, found those on the hills badly off, though wearied to death they lay, some beside watch-fires some in the darkness, dead asleep; while the soldiers in the waking town conducted themselves like absolute fiends. As already stated, the soldiers were exasperated by the brutality of the Chinese, but that was scarce a reason for the wholesale and deliberate murder of civilians, women, and children in cold blood.

Next morning, under the guidance of a soldier and the interpreter, I essayed to reach the town. We descended the hill, my companions looking triumphantly upon the devastation and the evidences of death, which, though now familiar to me, were none the less terrible.

The town was reached, and we entered it near the dock where is a reservoir of water, a kind of lake, one may say, at the foot of the sloping ground. There even my callous companions halted. The pool was full of dead bodies floating in all kinds of attitudes, head downwards, or extended on the back or face bleeding or bloodless, many women, and even young children. There they lay, some floating, as I have said, some pressed down by others, some lying half in and half out of the bloodstained water, all killed by violence, by the rifle-shot or bayonet, and hacked as savages would not have thought of doing.

And this was the act of the merciful Japanese! I turned sick and faint with horror, rushed away into the town to escape from this most fearful scene. Presently I was compelled to seat myself in sheer illness, my companions were also ashamed I believe.

After a while I rose and made my way through the streets, but here again were horrors piled up even if possible more awful than the first experience. Houses, shops, inns were pillaged, fired, plundered! Men and women dead – mutilated – every possible shame had been inflicted, and even then, in daylight, the Japanese soldiers were looting and killing all in their way, binding up bundles of plunder, or chasing an unfortunate Chinaman to death amid the laughter of his fellows. Fortunately I was properly protected, else my doom had been sealed, for the dead lay so thickly in the streets and passages, that one had to tread carefully for fear of stepping upon a body; and if a Chinese was discovered seeking his dead friend, relative, wife, or child, the first Japanese butcher would kill him, and then slash him into slices with his sword.

For true barbarity the inflamed Japanese countenance in a passion of killing is the most repulsive. What the night had witnessed I tremble now to think. Of what we witnessed of the awful results it is impossible even to do more than name, the details are quite unfit to describe. The dismemberment of the bodies even of children and women will always remain a stain upon the Japanese, on the soldiers for executing such awful rapine and murder, on the officers for not stopping such scenes of bestial violence.

Amid such scenes in the docks next day the field-marshal presided at a grand luncheon, where hundreds of officers attended, and numerous newspaper correspondents assisted, and drank the health of the Emperor of Japan. Whom of those hundreds who stood at the long tables spread in the dockyard, and feasted upon potted and tinned food, thought of the massacred Chinese? Even then, perhaps, dark and silent murder was being done while the bands played stirring airs, and officers congratulated each other upon their own successes while the curses of the dying natives were heaped upon the savage soldiery.

"Find me a way from this fearful place," I begged at last, when I had vainly sought escape by boat. "Is there no junk, no vessel, in the bay which will shelter me and carry me to Chefoo?"

My despairing appeal was carried to the ears of the officer who had already befriended me. He came towards the ruined inn, where I was resting, and inquired what I wanted.

"Means to leave this horrible place," I said briefly. "The Naniwa is in the harbour. Cannot you manage to communicate with your brother? He may assist me to reach the opposite shore."

"Is that all? Why, there are several British vessels in the gulf." He then quickly said a few words to my companions in their own tongue, and left me. I am glad to think that he and some other officers had been staying the massacre of the night. "I will follow you," he added. "Wait beyond."

As we made our way through the narrow streets westward to the Port, the natural harbour, the sights were beyond description. Even there dead lay in the streets and shops, which, still hung with the Chinese signs and open as in a fair-ground, were wrecked and dabbled with blood. Fortunately the weather was cold, and when we reached the harbour, or West Port, the soldiers were dragging dead bodies from the water, where they lay thickly.[6] Men, women, and children had been hunted down and slain in the water. The few junks on shore were also filled with dead bodies of fugitives and crews.

My interpreter shook his head. He could do nothing. Remembering his former conduct, I began to fear that he had some sinister object in his mind's eye. I asked him what I should do, and then as he paused in his reply, I demanded why he had robbed me before. My fears were then allayed, because I saw the Japanese officer, Tomi's brother, approaching. But the interpreter remained perfectly calm to all appearance. He merely deprecated any reference to such an unpleasant incident, by a shrug of the shoulders, and an appealing movement of his hands.

"Then you intended to destroy me!" I exclaimed. "What do you propose now? May I ask you, sir, to question this man about his conduct while in my society, when, as I have told you, I was robbed by him and left alone to find my way across the isthmus."

The interpreter's nimble tongue was at a loss for once. He could not advance any excuse.

"Did this man rob you?" asked the officer. "Speak, sir."

"Yes," I replied. "Let him deny it if he can."

The Japanese officer turned to the interpreter and said something to him, motioning to the soldier who had accompanied me to advance.

The traitor fell upon his knees, Chinese fashion, but what he said I could not understand. He produced the revolver, however, and some papers.

"He declares he was instructed to take these from you, for fear of your safety if they were found upon you by the natives. Is that so?"

"Not at all. I was given the pistol and money by your brother for my protection. He had already defended me, and the captain of the ship urged my departure as a scout, knowing some Chinese. They hoped I would remain with the army, reach Port Arthur, and so get away."

"Then you were suspected on board?" he asked sharply.

"Yes, because I was sailing in the Chinese transport, I think. Your honourable brother assisted me, and intended to send me to the British fleet."

"He had no authority to do so. But I am sure the captain would have landed you at Chemulpo had you desired it."

"I did not want to be landed. I am a sailor, and wished to continue on board until I could be sent to Shanghai or Chefoo."

"It appears to me now that you did wrong. You had better have landed and made your way, with the assistance of your consul, to China. But matters seem also to have been against you. As for this man's statement respecting the robbery, I do not believe it. He has traduced my brother."

Then followed a few sentences in the Japanese language, which sounded particularly harsh. I saw the man seized by the soldier, and cried out. The officer turned to me inquiringly.

"What do you intend?" I asked. "What punishment?"

"I shall strike off his thievish hand."

"Oh no!" I pleaded. "There has been slaughter and hacking enough! Let him go free!"

"He has lied concerning my brother. He deserves to die! I shall only prevent his robbing in future. Take him, and keep him in guard."

The soldier tied the man's hands together with his belt, and drove him away before him, leaving me with the officer. My appeal had been in vain. As a fact, I had no energy to continue the question, because my bodily strength was waning fast. The excitement which had so far sustained me was already disappearing, and the disgust which had replaced it did not tend to keep me up.

The Japanese officer perceived this, and beckoned me to accompany him. I saw he was anxiously looking at my pallid face. What would have become of me had he not come to my rescue I did not venture to think. I followed him closely, and retraced my bloodstained steps through the lately prosperous-looking streets, then well furnished with shops, now a terrible line of dismantled houses; goods lying upon the ground amid the dead, and accentuating the desolation.

My conductor took me to an inn, or hotel, in which resided, temporarily, several Japanese. These gentlemen, I ascertained, were journalists and artists employed by the newspapers and others, for the Japanese people took the greatest interest in the struggle with China. Two of these men spoke English quite sufficiently for conversational purposes, and they made me welcome by request of the officer.

"When opportunity occurs," he said, "we will send you home. Perhaps we may despatch you to one of your men-of-war vessels. Farewell!"

I had only time to thank him for the idea of such a happy despatch, when I felt faint and sick. My new friends immediately removed me to an upper chamber, – a rather unusual thing in China, – and laid me upon the couch or bench which was then being warmed by the hot air from the fire or "furnace." Handing me a thick counterpane, which the increasing cold made acceptable, my friend left me to recover myself – my strength and my self-possession.

It was long before I was able to rise. The day passed. Food was repugnant to me. My brain reproduced all the horrors I had witnessed, and I shuddered as with ague. The night was still more dreadful, as my solitude was invaded by three of the company, and I was thankful when morning again dawned and left me alone, if listless and ailing.

I must pass rapidly on, for nothing occurred to alarm me. I lay quiet, eating and sleeping and thinking. My new companions amused me by telling me their adventures, and listening to mine. They taught me some of their language, and I imparted to them some English. The weather grew worse, frost and snow set in, with bitter winds; and I learned that the headquarters of the army had been fixed at Kinchow, till the second army – Port Arthur force – made northward for Kai-ping. The Japanese fleet was in Talien Bay. Winter had set in in earnest, and transport was very difficult.

Christmas passed. Such a Christmas it was, too. I felt like the boy who had been left at school while all the other fellows went home for the holidays. Most of my companions had scattered, but two stayed, one for some Government business, and the other awaiting orders as to the disposal of the quantities of plunder and stores, before leaving to join the fleet. We conversed in a mixture of Japanese and English, a dialect which did more to keep up my spirits than anything save release, because we laughed at each other's mistakes all day. The weather became very cold, and as the year came to an end I began to feel "hipped," and really uneasy. But the New Year caused a change in the troops' quarters, and indirectly in mine, for when the second army advanced, or rather a portion of it advanced, to the north, to join the Yalu army, I was very agreeably surprised by a visit from the officer I knew as Tomi's brother, and, best of all, he was accompanied by Tomi himself. This visit was paid in the month of January 1895, when I was feeling extremely "low."

My astonishment was great as my pleasure at the meeting, and in my delight, being also conceited about my new attainments, I exclaimed in "dog" Japanese —

"Tenno Heika Banzai! Nippon Yüsen Kabushiki Kaisha! So glad to see you again!"

Somewhat to my astonishment the two officers touched their caps, and, looking at each other, burst into a hearty peal of laughter. I stared. What had I said? I felt guilty and nervous, then annoyed at the laughter.

"Well, gentlemen, what's the joke?" I said. "Have I in any way offended you? Pray accept my excuses – in English. I assure you" —

"Please excuse us," said the naval officer, seizing my hand. "We are delighted to learn that you have mastered Japanese as well as Chinese and French. Thank you for Emperor and Company."

"I think you do not quite understand," remarked my military friend. "Do you know what you did say?"

"Yes – at least I think so. I intended to cheer your Emperor and you, and to wish success to the Japanese united arms. I suspect I made a little mistake."

"No, no!" cried the young lieutenant Tomi. "It was beautiful! Splendid! It sounded so well, too. Didn't it?" he asked, turning to his brother.

"Yes; and so exactly to the point," added the captain, laughing again. "You are already an interpreter, Mr. Julius."

I felt rather "at sea" at this renewal of the merriment, but the officers quickly subdued their laughter, though it occasionally burst out in spasms while they alternately announced their business.

"We have another mission for you, Julius," said the younger. "A pleasant little trip to an English man-of-war perhaps."

I leaped to my feet in delight. "Really?" I said. "You mean that?"

"Oh yes, certainly. We understand English," he said, laughing.

I blushed, and felt annoyed with Tomi. But I dare not show this.

"When you and your brother have quite finished laughing" – I began.

But this attempt at dignity set them off again, and though really angry, I was compelled to join them. The whole business seemed so ridiculous.

"Pray pardon us," gasped the elder officer. "This is really business – from the admiral."

"The admiral!" I exclaimed. "Does he know anything about me?'

"Of course, certainly; and when you talk to him in Japanese" —

This caused another explosion, and I made condemnatory remarks concerning the native smile.

"Well," I asked coldly, "any further joke?"

"This is no joke, indeed," said the sailor. "The Admiral Ito wants a letter conveyed to the Severn – what you call it – cruiser, for conveyance to Admiral Ting, the Chinese naval commander. The little difficulty arose about the messenger being a Japanese, and then I reminded my captain that you were in Port Arthur, and trustworthy. My brother had already told me so much. The immediate result has been our presence here, and our request to bring you to the admiral. Will you come? we will fit you out again."

"And I am to join the Severn?"

"Perhaps. At anyrate if you carry the letter, and bring back an answer or not, you can act as an ambassador."

"With pleasure," I cried, delighted to think I was again to be restored to British protection, and to see English faces. "I will accompany you at once."

I made some few – very few – changes in my appearance, which was a bit remarkable for an English youth, or "man." My stubbly hair, my thick wadded costume, —a la Chinois, – for your Chinaman pads his garments until his bulk, in winter, vies with Mr. Daniel Lambert, of pious memory. Thus, something like a clean scarecrow, crossed with the Fat Boy in Pickwick, I accompanied my deliverers.

As we quitted my quarters, I said as pleasantly as possible —

"Tell me the mistake I made when you came in?"

They smiled at the recollection, and the sailor-boy said, nodding at me —

"It was all right, really. You only said, Hurrah for the Emperor! and" (here he choked) – "and called out for the 'Japan Mail Steam Company.' That's all."

I laughed aloud at the connection. What I intended to say I have now no idea, and my Japanese friends never enlightened me.

This was my last attempt at Asiatic languages – on service.

CHAPTER XVII

EXPLANATIONS – ON BOARD THE NANIWA AGAIN —

THE BLOCKADE OF WEI-HAI-WEI – ON SERVICE

During our journey to Talien Bay, which had become the Japanese naval base after the demolition of Port Arthur, I put a number of questions to Tomi and to the military officer, his brother, whom I now learned was attached to the army staff. Several of these inquiries had reference to the movements of the army and navy, but some questions were personal to myself. At last my kind friends threw off their official reserve, and cheered my heart with the prospect of release.

I began by asking how the young lieutenant had found me out, and why, having sent me adrift, he had thought of seeking me again. I told my adventures briefly.

"I am sure you did it for the best," I concluded, "but all the same your plans nearly cost me my life."

"We had no choice, I am sorry to say. The report that you were a Chinese spy had been so insisted upon that even Japanese discipline wavered on board. When you confessed to knowledge of Chinese, the plan of sending you as a scout with the interpreter was adopted, and I gave you all the assistance I could."

"Yes, indeed. But the interpreter proved false. He robbed me, and left me helpless."

"True; he has paid for his treachery. Yet, had you been taken prisoner, and the map and pistol found upon you, your life would have been forfeited and awful tortures inflicted," added the elder brother.

"I did not realise that contingency," said Tomi, "nor did I imagine the interpreter would be false. He evidently regarded you as an enemy; perhaps he thought he was serving us by putting you in danger. On the other hand, he did you a service by concealing you and taking the compass and revolver."

"Well, that is one way of looking at it," I said. "Let the matter rest there. Now, may I inquire why, and how, I have been sent for? and how I have been discovered?"

"The second question is the easiest to answer. Inquiries and letters are awaiting you. The English captain from Shanghai" —

"What! My skipper, Captain Goldheugh?" I interrupted.

"I think he is the same. The captain who commanded the Chinese transport, Kowshing."

"Rather Fêng Shui," I said. "The same man. What of him?"

"He has come up in an American steamer, and has made inquiries about you all around the coast – at Chefoo and at Talien-wan. He boarded the Naniwa, and we told him all we knew. My brother had previously told me something about the interpreter, and a Britisher in camp. So we put our ideas together, and decided then you were the missing man."

"And the captain has letters for me?"

"Several; and despatches also, I understand. Inquiry from the consul, too; so your Government think you are of some importance."

I laughed, and said, "I suspect my father and mother, were alarmed, and set the diplomatic wheels moving. Then I am to go home?"

"Yes; but meantime we have a favour to ask, and we had considered it possible you would assist us on the way back."

"Certainly; when I have announced my safety at home, I can do all you require, I hope."

"It is merely to convey a letter to the English admiral in the gulf outside Wei-hai-Wei. You have several ships there, and Admiral Ito is sending a squadron to keep watch on Tengchow and Wei-hai-Wei."[7]

"Then you intend to capture and occupy Shengtung?"

"So it is understood, but we cannot decide that. The Naniwa or other vessel will convey you to Tengchow, close to Chefoo. There you will find your friend Goldheugh, or perhaps at Chefoo."

"That seems good enough," I said. "But why send me? Why not one of your own officers?"

"You are neutral," replied the young lieutenant, "and the communication is to the Chinese Admiral Ting. Both Chinese and Japanese respect English good faith, and any intervention by your force will prove its honesty of purpose."

I could only bow to this compliment, and did so with becoming gravity. "I am quite ready," I said. "When properly equipped and clothed I shall be at your admiral's service."

"Then I must bid you farewell," interposed the soldier, as we came in sight of Talien Bay. "We shall never meet again, perhaps, but I trust you will not judge all the Japanese soldiers from the specimens at Port Arthur. They were exasperated and triumphant, they were victorious all along the line, and irritated by the execution of prisoners."

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask what the Japs would do if they were beaten, but fortunately I did not raise the discussion. It will be time enough to ask that question when they are pitted against a less yielding enemy. At present the Japanese have much confidence in themselves, and are most enthusiastic. Time will show results.

My parting with the staff-officer was most friendly and regretful. He had nobly paid his debt to the English lad whose countrymen had accepted him as a friend. And for my own part I think the English would do well to ally themselves closely with the Japanese nation, which is a coming factor in the Eastern world.