In the Yellow Sea Part 23

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

When my scattered senses returned, I could not quite understand my position. Had I been wounded? Yes, I remembered something striking me on the head. Whatever it was it had grazed my temples, and my hand sought the wound involuntarily. My fingers came away tinged with blood, my head felt very uncomfortable and dizzy, but after a while I sat 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 I began to suspect that the victors had killed most of them. My own escape from death seemed marvellous, for I lay almost helpless. The shouts, shots, and shrieks below in the town told me of the fearful scenes, the pursuit of the vanquished, the death of the fugitives. I attempted to rise to my feet, and had just supported myself by the parapet, when a j.a.panese picket approached. The men were almost savage, their weapons were bloodstained, their dress disordered and dusty, and splashed with blood; they were shouting, and indulging in what seemed to me fiendish merriment; they were drunken with excitement and the spirit of slaughter; they bayoneted the few living Chinese within reach, and then levelled their rifles at me, laughing still.

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

Look! I am a friend."

Whether the appeal touched their hearts or they recognised the English tongue, they certainly perceived that I was not a native Chinese or Manchu. They examined my appearance closely, saw my stained and painted face, through which spots of white British skin appeared, and my blackened features, which could not belong to any Celestial being, and they looked surprised. One fellow, in sheer brutality, as he intended, 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 surprise saved my life. At this juncture I recalled the badge and permit which the captain and officers had given me. In a moment I had grasped them, and even as the angry soldiers advanced with sanguinary threats to bayonet me, the priceless permit, and, even more than it, the badge of the naval officer, arrested my would-be murderers.

I was saved! The levelled rifles were shouldered, and when the men had talked together, they intimated to me that I must accompany them--to their officer, I presumed. Securely guarded, I proceeded, taking care not to exhibit any of my disgust at the many terrible scenes I noticed, until we met an officer who was wearing white gloves, and appeared almost a dandy in the midst of slaughter and destruction.

My "pa.s.s" and badge were shown to him, and finding I could not understand his language, nor even "Corean-Chinese," he bade me accompany him to the general's quarters. I paced the streets, closely followed by my original captors, the observed of all those by whom we pa.s.sed, maddened soldiers triumphant, Chinese civilians despairing, and dead heaps of fugitives, who received no quarter. It is true, as a j.a.panese 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 few as possible to survive the battle.

We pa.s.sed through the narrow streets, now thronged with j.a.panese, past the shops with their suspended lanterns and long scrolled signs, but had not reached the officer's destination, when a j.a.panese saluted, and, glancing at me, said a few words to my leader. I gazed at the man in surprise, and some diluted pleasure, because I recognised him as my former a.s.sociate Hoko, the scout with whom I had been travelling, and by whom I had been robbed.

Our eyes met in mutual recognition. He made signs to me, and uttered a few sentences in French, asking whether I had presented my permit, and how I came to Kinchow. He informed the officer; and the man being an accredited interpreter and trustworthy, the officer dismissed my unruly escort, and bade the interpreter take care of me pending his own arrival at headquarters.

We exchanged few remarks during our pa.s.sage to the general. I was stiff and sore, aching in head and limbs, weary and dishevelled.

Besides I had a grudge against the interpreter, and anxious for release. He seemed quite careless of my feelings. In this manner I accompanied my preserver to headquarters, where as an interpreter he was welcome, and in a few minutes I was introduced into the presence of the general. My conductor briefly explained matters, mentioning the fact of my having been rescued from the _Naniwa_, and the manner in which I had been received by the officer as an English gentleman and a seaman. A j.a.panese officer, who spoke English fluently, was able to confirm this statement by my interpreted account, and thenceforward all was 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 the place 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 the least 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 have the enemy in a sack. They may resist, but they must be beaten; there is no cohesion. We are united, firm, and drilled. The Chinese cannot stand against us."

I acquiesced, but continuing, I said--

"Suppose any Power comes to the a.s.sistance 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 so much. But, unless she is _too_ intrusive, we shall not oppose her. We do not _fear_ her even, though she intends to rule the East some day.

She shall never rule j.a.pan. Come with me, I have the pleasure to convoy you."

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

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

"Port Arthur is almost impregnable, I hear." He smiled,--the j.a.panese frequently smile.

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

When we reached the house which the officer had made his own, by conquest, temporarily, he gave orders to a soldier, who I supposed was a tailor, for he came and took my measure with his eye, and walking round me made his notes in his mind. When he had departed, my kind military friend caused me to rest, sent me food, and had my clothes removed and sent me a supply of fresh water, in which I revelled. My shaven hair caused him some amus.e.m.e.nt, but he supplied me with a cap which the useful tailor had procured, and when I awoke from my sleep next morning I found a new semi-European suit awaiting me, with some underclothing.

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

This officer, whose kindness I shall ever remember, sent me a note to say that the army was advancing, and the interpreter would accompany me towards Port Arthur. I was pleased to hear this, and anxious to interview 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 forts above Talien, and the j.a.panese fleet had arrived in the bay.

This seemed to me incredible, but I ascertained subsequently that the Chinese garrison had retired, and the fleet had fired at empty forts until the 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" (I called him lieutenant) "find a pa.s.sage 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 and battles in strange countries amid strangers. With my own countrymen a campaign would have been comparatively pleasant, but under my present circ.u.mstances the adventure was not very enjoyable, and though I had been singularly fortunate in my cruise, I considered prudence the better part of valour, and a timely retreat was advisable, so I determined to elope at the first opportunity.

Provided with clothes, and possessing cash; furnished with a permit like a special correspondent, I made my way about the cantonments and bivouacs of the j.a.panese army, and heard a great deal respecting their exploits, yet in no boasting manner. Certainly the officers and men were elated, but that was but natural under the circ.u.mstances. It is true they were very much incensed at the Chinese, and swore fearful vengeance upon them when they again attacked; but that was not surprising when one saw the Chinese proclamations for so much for the head of a j.a.p--as if for a savage wolf in Old England--and an increased reward for the body of a prisoner.

Mind, these placards were displayed upon the walls, printed in character, in yellow, and signed by the chief of the district in the name of the Emperor of China. j.a.panese soldiers were decapitated, and hacked when dead. Even the trees were bearing ghastly fruits of savage warfare at times. So one can hardly wonder if the j.a.panese retaliated upon 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, when dead, pelted by lads "for fun" as the bodies swing in the wind, one hesitates to dub the Chinaman a decent _savage_! But this is Chinese warfare, and must end in clearing away the nation from the earth which advocates and practises such barbarities.

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

While making these observations, which I have recorded as they occurred to me, I lost no opportunity to escape to the sea, but though I was permitted to wander about, and even a.s.sisted in my searches, I found no opening for retreat. There were correspondents of European, and even j.a.panese, newspapers and ill.u.s.trated periodicals, but though they were most polite and sympathetic, none of them a.s.sisted me in the way I desired. Whether they credited my narrative or not one cannot say, but they--perhaps wisely--did not seem actually anxious to get me away by stratagem. On the other hand, they were not unkind.

On that memorable 7th November the guns of the j.a.panese warships were heard outside, and speculation was rife. The troops had already advanced to Talien Bay, where forts protect the peninsula of the "Regent's Sword," as the narrow isthmus is called. If the invaders captured these forts, the road to Port Arthur would be open, and Shing-Ching would be at the mercy of the j.a.panese. They did not hesitate to advance against these strongholds. Three detachments marched bravely on, supported by artillery and cavalry, and I followed as a spectator, well in the rear, but not out of range.

The troops advanced full of determination, and were received with an equally decided fire--for a short time. The a.s.sailants took no notice of these rounds, but, dropping a few of their number, rushed on; I, surprised at myself, followed, keeping under shelter as much as possible from fragments of soaring sh.e.l.ls, which were few and far between. The troops reached the forts, and with a volley mounted to the walls, protected by their artillery. Then came a pause, then a distant cheer, renewed again and again. The j.a.panese flag was waving over the forts, and the Chinese, pursued by bullets and sh.e.l.l-fire, were running away as fast as their feet could carry them. The fugitives had quitted their guns--in many cases undischarged--and were "cutting away" to Port Arthur, their flying forms looking as unlike soldiers as possible to European eyes, their heads being bound up as with 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 climbed up the hill and reached one of them afterwards; and while seeking a way to the seaside, considerating which path I had best pursue to escape to the outlying fleet in the bay, a friendly hand was placed upon my shoulder firmly, and held me. I turned suddenly, startled by the sudden arrest. Five j.a.panese soldiers had come upon me, bringing two unfortunate Chinese prisoners. They bound me in silence, and led me away, making no reply even by gesture to my complaints.

CHAPTER XV

AN ADVENTURE ON THE HILLS--THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH--TALIEN-WAN

For a while I was pa.s.sive. Then, realising the danger of this new situation, I made violent efforts to escape my captors. A prod of a sword-bayonet was the only reply, and the sharp steel point caused a cry of pain to escape me. What had I done? I looked at the men who had captured me. They did not appear to be regular soldiers. They were armed indeed, but they lacked the uniform, the gaiters, and the knapsacks, so heavy to be borne, which the j.a.panese regular infantry wear. Where were the white-crowned caps or the white bands of the regiments I had seen? nor was the grenade-star of the engineers visible. Then I guessed that these men were camp-followers--coolies--robbers, perhaps, who had got out of hand and intended to kill or torture the Chinese. Finding me in the fort, and a stranger, they had seized me too. No one amid all the hurrying soldiers took any notice of my escort save to glance at us. The spectacle of Chinese prisoners was too common then.

"The j.a.panese never kill their prisoners." These soothing words came into my mind as the party of camp-followers descended the hill--not in the direction of the camp which I had quitted, but in that of the seaside. As we advanced I could see the warships sh.e.l.ling the villages along the coast, punishing the innocent natives. My captors also saw them, and gesticulated savagely. Then the idea struck me that I was in the power of banditti! Men who made war equally upon both sides, and in j.a.panese garb or in Chinese dress plundered or murdered all alike.