Fortunately for my little family, Mr. H. G. Squiers, as I have mentioned, had laid in an abundant supply of rice, flour, and other stores, and he offered, if I would undertake to move all his stores safely to the British legation, to contribute to my needs. This I was only too glad to do; so, taking two of his servants and the only two of mine who, out of nine, had remained faithful, I worked from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. removing Squiers’ stores to the British legation.
VIEW FROM THE WALL OF PEKING SHOWING SCENE OF THE BLOCKADE AND OTHER POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
1.—The prominent building at this point is the British Legation, practically the headquarters of the defense. 2.—This high wall, extending the entire length of the picture, marks the boundary of the “Forbidden City”; at the point indicated, the Krupp guns, mentioned in the narrative, were mounted, giving them a sweeping range of Legation street. 3.—The residence of the author after the siege, his own property having been so badly damaged by the mob as to make it untenantable. 4.—The roof of the American Legation (in another picture is shown a view of the Legation itself). 5.—The Russian Legation, another of the most important points in the foreign field of defense. 6.—Bridge over the canal at Legation street. The foul and stagnant water in the canal and the filth in its bed are plainly shown. 7.—The roofs of the Emperor’s palace and “Forbidden City” and other portions of some of the buildings appear above the wall that surrounds it. It will be noticed that, while strictly barred out from the “Forbidden City” and the palace of the Emperor, the foreign legations were nevertheless within a comparatively short distance. 8.—The top of what is known as the “Coal Hill,” in the Imperial grounds of the “Forbidden City,” shows over the top of the wall. This hill is a vast supply of coal, which has been accumulating for hundreds of years. It is entirely without shelter, and there seems to be no authentic history to account for its inception, nor any special reason for its continuance; but here, in the most sacred place in the Chinese kingdom, right in the magnificent palace grounds of the Emperor, this ugly, unsightly pile of coal, covering several acres in extent and rising, as can be seen by the picture, to a very considerable height, washed by the rains and seamed by the upheavals of the frosts of winter, continues to exist, as it has done from time immemorial.
I purchased, also, from one of the foreign stores within the lines of defense two dozen tins of condensed milk and four tins of baked beans, a very inadequate provision to feed six children and two adults for two months.
Many others were as poorly provided for as myself; but, providentially, within the region we had adopted as our lines of defense, were several large grain shops full of rice, wheat, and millet. Our carts were kept busy for several days hauling these supplies into the English legation, where they were placed in charge of a commissary officer and issued out as needed.
We thus had sufficient grain, not only for all the foreigners, but also for the two thousand odd refugees, coolies, and servants, who had, from one motive or another, cast their lot with us. From the grain shops, too, we brought in their millstones, and, as we had altogether over one hundred and fifty mules and horses, we started up a ten-mule-power mill, which ground out flour all day for the needs of the besieged.
Being occupied daily with the sanitary work and attendance on the sick, I was unable to keep much of a diary, so I instructed my son Robert, aged sixteen, to do so for me, and the following transcription of his diary gives the events of our daily life until the end of the siege.