TYPICAL CHINESE LION
As represented by them. One of a pair guarding a temple entrance.
AT THE same time that the tsung-li-yamen sent dispatches to each of the foreign ministers requesting them to leave Peking within twenty-four hours, they sent a communication to Sir Robert Hart, Bart., inspector-general of customs, notifying him of their communication to the ministers.
One would have supposed that the customs staff, being employed by the government to collect their own revenues, would have either been given a place of safety and separated from the foreigners who were to be attacked and exterminated, or their safe escort out of the country guaranteed.
This should also have applied to the staff of the Imperial University, but beyond a simple notification to Sir Robert Hart, no further account was taken of them, and they were left to seek either the protection of their respective legations, or remain together in the offices of the inspector-general, where all had gathered upon the entrance of the Boxers into Peking, and attempt to defend their lives and those of their families as best they might.
As the Austrians had been driven out of their legation before any of the others had yielded, and as their compound overlooked and commanded the inspectorate-general compound, however, that place had become untenable by June 20, and Sir Robert Hart reluctantly retired with all his staff and their families to a building allotted to them in the British legation.
This building is situated just within the main gate of the legation, north of and adjoining the gate-house, and consists of three fair-sized and three small rooms, with an out-house kitchen.
Into this narrow accommodation the following staff were obliged to crowd themselves: Sir Robert Hart, inspector-general; Mr. Robert E. Bredon, deputy inspector-general, his wife and daughter, Miss Juliet Bredon; Mr. A. T. Piry, commissioner, his wife, governess, and four children; Mr. J. R. Brazier, his wife and two children; Mr. C. H. Brewit-Taylor and wife; Mr. C. H. Oliver, sister, and two children; Mr. S. M. Russell and wife, and Mr. C. B. Mears and wife, besides the following single gentlemen: Messrs. P. von Rautenfeld, J. H. Macoun, J. W. Richardson, E. Wagner, E. von Strauch, N. Konoraloff, B. L. Simpson, H. P. Destelan, H. Bismarck, U. F. Wintour, J. H. Smyth, J. W. H. Ferguson, L. Sandercock, A. G. Bethell, L. de Luca, C. L. Lauru, R. B. de Courcy, C. O. M. Diehr, W. S. Dupree, E. E. Encamacao, J. de Pinna, P. J. Oreglia, and S. Sugi.
As it was simply impossible for all these people to sleep within such narrow quarters, Messrs. Brazier and Brewit-Taylor and their families secured rooms with some friends at other houses. The remainder all messed together, excepting Mr. Bredon’s family, in which were included Messrs. B. L. Simpson and C. L. Lauru. The single men slept in blankets on the narrow brick veranda when not on duty at one of the many posts.
With the exception of Sir Robert Hart, whose advanced age prevented his doing military duty, and Mr. R. E. Bredon and Mr. C. H. Oliver, all the others regularly enrolled themselves as a volunteer corps known as the customs volunteers, and did most excellent, arduous, and effective work.