Some men went round with registers during the watch and ticked off the names of those on duty. "Whose lantern is that?" "Oh Mr. So and So's." "Where is he?" "He's just gone round the corner. He's gone home to sleep no doubt." So @ visit was made to his house and he came out rubbing his eyes. "I was so sleepy I'thought I would come home for a short nap." Then sarcasm was employed in the way Chinese are second to none. Others who not even sent a lantern got a aod dose of the same medicine which they are not likely to forget for a day or two.
A proclamation had been put out stating a complete T'nan under Brigadier Wang had left Pengpu on August 11 being towed by launch to Chengyangkuan. A company each of cavalry and artillery was accompanying them. On Tuesday the first few cavalry arrived. Now three regiments, 20 to 20 cavalry. two guns and half a dozen machine guns have come. 'The latter were carried through the main streets of the city from the north to the west gates. Camps are at the four gates of the city and comprise a few tents. Some of the' infantry have gone south-west to Suktapu (40 li) "and others are reported to.be due from the north. The scattered soldiers are said to be waiting for N Tuchun's decision or something else. Tt would almost appear that they have been the excuse to move troops to our western border prepare for eventualities. The distance between our border and the Kin-Han railway is not very gr Tus "Lost Soupiers."
Major Kao put out a proclamation stating his only reason for coming to Huan was to escort some recruits expected from Pochow, The Anfu Chun was being changed into the Luh-chun and of course they needed to bring the various sections up to the quired number. Evidently a large percentage of men have been "lost" lately—not that pay has been necessarily less per regiment—so the deficiency must be made up for the new start!
That a couple of hundred men should come up for this specific purpose while none were required to bring the recruits here, or only two or three, must be difficult to swallow. Language in proclamations seems to be used to con-coal rather than express thoughts.
Lying of all sorts is the order of the day. Shoes and socks were sent out to the broken troops some days ago. The number was given out as 1,200 pairs of each, Inquiries give 120 pairs of each. What is a mere ey] Coolies were sent out with bread, ete.. and were either told the people would be at a certain place or they thought so. When they got there they put down the goods and returned not having seen one of the K'ueiping. Word arrived here that there were some sick and wounded among them so it was suggested the Red Cross Society (whom I reported as desiring to form a Field Corps two weeks ago) should go out for them. The opportunity was not taken for "we might be detained by the scattered soldiers."" Two or three days ago I understand the postal courier was detained by them for few hours.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.