The order was that only those in cars or on foot were allowed to go through, rickshaws being prohibited. Cars were to be driven by foreign chauffeurs. Many a young couple, some obviously newly married, trekked over into Hongkew on foot, setting off jauntily as if for a day's hiking in the country, "We are just off to have a look at our flat," cheerily announced one couple, "we have not been near the place for a month."
Many, having crossed over into Hongkew, could not resist the tem-station of bringing across something a little more bulky than mere "personal effects." Pianos and pieces of furniture were among the heavier articles which the adventurous few "I don't even know whether my house is still standing," one refugee told a "North-China Daily News" reporter. "The last I saw of it was on August 16, Everything I have except the clothes I am wearing is down in Hongkew. hope the place is still he grinned.
"I have lived in Hongkew for the past sixteen years", said another, "and had to leave at one hour's notice. I have two suits and a small trunk. I shall have to wait until I get into Hongkew before seeing what else is left that I can call my own."
One refugee claimed to be the last foreigner to have left Hongkew. "It's funny," he said, "but my house was the first to be hit by a bomb in the 1932 trouble, and the first again in the 1937 trouble. I stayed in Hongkew until August 26, and my only companions were five dogs and two cats, belonging to former neigh-hours." "Look at this collar", he continued, pointing to a dirty piece of linen around his neck, "it ought to have have been "condemned" two years ago. But it is the only one I have to wear at the moment."
Strange "Personal Effects"
In pite of the plainly worded, and strictly enforced, limitation of Articles to be retrieved to clothing and other personal effects, there were many who tried to include a weird assortment of articles in this category. One man wanted to bring back a bicycle, another a radio set and a statue, and a young lady actually wished to include a tropical fish among her "personal effects." Then there was a Sikh who was pining for three tins of ghee—but these were eventually considered to fit in the category; Keen-eyed officials at the Consulate, under Mr. R. S. Heaney, pi port officer, disregarding all ple ings, struck out every article that not come well within the category Even the man who wanted to include a case of whisky and some bags of flour in his "warm winter clothing" received no more than a smile from the official lip:
Most were "going home" merely to fetch clothes which were more suitable to present weather conditions, which show a marked change from those of a month ago when Hongkew was evacuated by foreigners. The salvagers included sixty or so Sikhs, many of whom were intent on removing some of their belongings from the Gurdwara in Paoshing Road. Many did not know how to write English, and so they obtained the kindly offices of a Sikh police interpreter to fill in their permit forms, attempted to smuggle over. Two lots of furniture were confiscated by the Japanese Consular Police, and taken to the Japanese Club. They belonged to Portuguese and German nationals, and were being brought over contrary to the regulations, which allowed those going over to bring back their own possessions only.
The area open yesterday to Britons living in Hongkew was north of Kashing Road and Chimei Road, and south of the Landing Party Headquarters. The same area will be open to Britons to-day, and another large batch is expected to visit homes which have been abandoned for a month or more,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.