Part 24 (2/2)
Other a.s.sistants in this holocaust came up at this, and all of them chattered and stared, but I understood none of their remarks or exclamations. Left to myself, I rose to my feet, and stood there in the circle as if the victim of some usury game. To my requests for information they only replied in the j.a.panese language,--so far I could understand,--and then again the pa.s.s and badge proclaimed my ident.i.ty.
These relics were pa.s.sed from hand to hand, and I felt what perhaps a custodian of the Bank of England feels when he first sees a lump of uncoined gold pa.s.sing from hand to hand amongst privileged spectators to the door of the vault, and wonders whether the precious sample will return to him. Thus was my attention directed to my credentials. They did come back; and when the men had burned all the bodies and coffins they took me to the camp again.
Then I understood the scene I had witnessed. The j.a.panese habit is to burn the bodies of the dead after an engagement, for sanitary reasons.
The coffins are steeped in oil, and then burned in some remote place, after certain rites performed. I had wandered into this Gehenna, and had been rescued from the fire into which I had been so nearly cast.
When we returned to the camp my ident.i.ty was firmly established. My acquaintance, Hoko, the interpreter, was summoned, and he again const.i.tuted himself my guardian. Well it was that he did, for in twelve hours I was in a high fever. My brain had been overtaxed, and my body so reduced, that recovery seemed almost hopeless, as I afterwards was informed. But the attack was sharp and short. In less than two weeks I was on my legs again, tottering indeed, but useful, and my first question asked of the officer who spoke English was--
”Can I get away from Port Arthur?”
”Perhaps. We have not taken it yet.”
”Ah!” I said, ”then it is different from what you imagined?”
”No; we have been compelled to await the heavy guns.”
”When will they arrive?”
”They are expected immediately. When they are planted we shall a.s.sault the forts and seize the port.”
”Has there been fighting?”
”Yes; outposts and pickets have been engaged frequently.”
”Is that artillery now? I hear firing.”
”Yes; there is another attack developing. We do not fear.”
There was a pause, then I asked--
”What day is it, pray?”
”In your calendar it is the twentieth of November.”
”The twentieth! Then I have been here ill for thirteen days? How can I ever repay this kindness and care? Most heartily I thank you, sir, and”--
”But say no more, please. I am glad. Farewell.”
He hastened away, leaving me overwhelmed with grat.i.tude, and highly appreciative of the courtesy and kindness of the j.a.panese officers both of army and navy.
CHAPTER XVI
PORT ARTHUR--THE Ma.s.sACRE IN THE TOWN--RELEASE
When the j.a.panese officer had retired so modestly from my outburst of grat.i.tude, I made up my mind to see all I could of the affairs of the war, and to reach a place of safety. I soon found that I was premature in this, because, though an engagement was actually taking place then, I had no chance of seeing it. The afternoon was advancing, and, as a matter of fact, the fight lasted in all only a couple of hours altogether--chiefly a matter of artillery.
During the same evening, and part of the night, the rumbling of the heavy guns was audible. These had been actually dragged by bands of coolies across the hill-paths and tracks for two successive days and nights incessantly; and when these fellows, whose pay is infinitesimal, were regaled with little bags of rice and some fish rations, wrapped carefully in paper, they waited in the most disciplined manner patiently, until their turns came. Their dress was not uniform, but here again, I must say, the j.a.panese are wonderfully amenable to discipline in all services.
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