few people believed the Boxers.
"It was reported that forty or fifty Boxers in Shue-Fu-Yuen were
shot by foreign soldiers, who, when they were going away, were told by
the people that these dead men could become alive again when the old Boxers
touched their bodies with their hands. The soldiers, hearing this, turned
their way back and spoiled the bodies with the swords on their muskets.
"Tung-Fu-Hsiang suggested that, as the Boxers could not burn the
foreign legations, assistance with soldiers should be rendered. This plan
suited the mind of Prince Tuan's party, as they presumed the foreigners
in Peking were the chief number of all in the world.
"Thus the Chinese troops guarding the legations were increased
with orders to resist the Boxers, but virtually they would besiege the
"In the evening the Tsung-Li-Yamen, under imperial orders, sent
despatches to the different legations telling the Ambassadors to leave
Chiao-Min-Hsiang (Legation Street) within twenty-four hours, for the Admiral
demanded from the Chinese the forts at Taku, and thus the peace had been
broken, and saying that if they would not do so bombardment would be inflicted.
"The Boxers and those foolish were very glad, and said foreigners
had been enemies for forty years, now it was the time to take revenge by
sweeping over all the world. In the streets written informations were pasted
on the wall by Boxers saying that the fifth moon was changed to the eighth
moon, and Legation Street was changed to 'cut up foreigners' cock-crowing.'
In the evening Boxers set fire to the telegraph station outside the Hai-Tai
"On a certain day before noon I was told that the German Ambassador
was shot to death in the main street of Tan-Pai-Lou by the soldiers on
his way to the Tsung-Li-Yamen.
"In the evening it was reported that at Taku seven foreign vessels
wanted to enter the port, and were shot so they sunk and six were captured.
People who did not know much about foreign countries were glad to hear
the victory, and said that they were sure it was time for the Chinese to
take revenge for their former defeats.
"But I said that this victory could not be true, for we had never
gained a victory like this during the war with the Japanese. They said
we had the help of the Boxers. I asked them how could they destroy war-vessels?
"They said that the Boxers could burn them simply by pointing
at them with their fingers. I knew that they were foolish, but I durst
not say any more, or they would tell the Boxers that I was a betrayer.
"The Boxers lately got the power of killing any person they wished;
therefore when they saw any man, woman, or child they disliked, they killed
at once on the road. Fire continued every day. Some people said that there
was very little food and ammunition left in the legations, and that they
would die of hunger in a few days.
"Though the attempts proved fruitless, the Catholic Church in
Hsi-Shi-Ku had been attacked four days. Some Boxers said that part of it
had been destroyed, but very few people believed. Prince Ching suggested
that it was against treaty and international law, and also unreasonable,
to attack foreign ambassadors; moreover, it would be impossible for a weak
country like China to resist several powerful nations.
"Prince Tuan, hearing this, became very angry with him, and said
that now so many people arose at the same time they must kill every foreigner
in the world.
"Five hundred of Tung-Fu-Hsiang's soldiers were killed and wounded
during the attack upon the French Legation. The Boxers could not burn the
Catholic Church at Hsi-Shi-Ku, so cannons were necessary to be used.
"The Tsung-Li-Yamen was afraid that Boxers would destroy its buildings,
and asked Prince Tuan to send some Boxers to guard it against the soldiers
from plundering the treasury. The Boxers at once wanted to kill the head
cook, who is, of course, a cunning man, for the food he prepared was very
"The Boxers, as they themselves said, but not all true, could
distinguish the Christians from the Buddhists by a mark of a cross on the
temple or forehead. During these days rumor said