After walking through the soldiers for about ten minutes I saw a steamer coming up the river. As the was painted rather peculiarly I did not pay much attention to her; but, on seeing the. British Naval Ensign I turned and -watehed her as she steamed along. 1 then proceeded up the hill, passing through" more soldiers. As I had a good view of the river I looked back from time to time and watched the movements of the Wo,' as I guessed it to be. Very soon, about 5.30 p.m. in fact (Waxhsien time) I saw her steam alongside the Wanhsien? I then heard the sound of rifle-fire coming from the B. & S. steamer and then a rapid return of machinegun fire, Immediately the Chinese on both sides of the river opened fire with both field-pieces and rifles on the 'Kiawo,' and gunboats who had commenced to heave up their anchors. I then joined my friends who were standing on a rock higher up. We watched the action for about 20 minutes. Very soon after the 6 inch. guns had ned fire, smoke was seen to' rise up from different parts of the city. We then decided to try and reach the Standard Oil Instalation. After walking through about 200 soldiers. who were taking up positions higher up, We reached the installation in safety, There we met the Post Master, Mr. Dalton, Mfr, and Mrs. Jenkind, the Standard Oil Ca., Manager, Mr, Lorentsen, With me were Mr. and Mrs. Parker. Miss. Wagnar, and Mr. Pugh. Shortly afterwards Mr. Leopold arrived, He having been stopped by the soldiers and robbed of his gold watch and other articles that was carrying at that time. There /were now 10 of us, two being British, From this place we were able to view the rest of the firing. The "Kiawo' was then seen to. steam near to the 'Wantung.' All the naval vessels, including the 'Kiawo' Jwere then seen to proceed a short' way up river and steam down the river on the city side firing as they steamed along. On drawing near to the Standard Oil Installation the firing slackened, and then broke out again the other side of lus. Then silence: after about jan hour's engagement, killing many soldiers and doing considerable damage to the city, they steamed away. The night having then far advanced we were able to see the city in flames in four places, That night the soldiers tried to enter the compound four or five times; but, owing to the vigilance lof Mr. Lorentsen, who patrolled the place at different times, they were prevented from doing so, Soldiers Looking For Us The next morning, Sept. 6, the soldiers tried to obtain an entrance, On looking to see why they fred, we saw the "Hsin Shu-tang" (Under French Flag). We heard later that two Chinese had been in-[jared as the result of this fi Word then came to us that the soldiers were looking for us, (Mr. Dalton and me) and that money was being offered for us should we captured. We then tried to send }word to the Customs Commissioner: }who, being Japanese, was not being Our messengers were stopped four times and our messages taken, Soldiers were then seen to dig trenches near to the idea of endangering the lives of our American friends, an urgent messages was sent to the Japanese gunboat requesting them to take off Mr. D. and myself as, at that time the soldiers had left for their meals, we believed. A reply came to the effect that a motor-boat would come shortly, We watched it go up river, (We heard later that it went up to bring the Customs. Commissioner down so that he could get'us), very soon a coolie came and informed us that the motor boat fad met with an accident and sunk, between the Butterfield & Swire steamers, these steamers having been brought over to the opposite side of the river, (City Side). After talking it over we decided to take a sampan, This was kindly lent us by Mr. Jetkind of the American Oil Ca, Whilst we were waiting for the boat to come. the soldiers returned and started drilling, and some stood about on the er theless we decided to and by sitting on the bottom of the sampan we were not noticed, even though we had to row up past all the soldiers. In jabour half-an-hour' we reached the Japanese gunboat 'Seta' where we were made very welcome and every= thing done to hide us from the soldiers who were near by.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.