with the latest type of magazine rifle, were driven off with a
loss of 400 killed, the allies losing only 6 killed and 48 wounded.

The retreat commenced on the afternoon of the 19th June, and it was
necessarily slow, as the junks could not be got along very fast, our men
not being accustomed to the craft, and the river shoals making the
passage in places difficult. The Chinese harassed and obstructed the
advance of the column on shore as much as possible, and villages _en
route_ had to be taken by the bayonet, and so persistent was the
resistance that on the 21st the column did not advance more than six
miles, and was brought to a dead stop at a place called Peitang, where
the enemy were in such a strong position that by the evening they had
not been dislodged from it.

It now appeared to be becoming doubtful whether the column, embarrassed
with the wounded, and with no reserves of ammunition, would succeed in
getting through to Tientsin; it was therefore determined, after a rest,
to make a night march, and, wearied with a continuous day's battle, the
column started again at one a.m. on the 22nd.

After it had gone about one and a half miles, the column was heavily
attacked from a village, but the bayonets of the marines soon cleared
this, not, however, without a serious loss. The junk which carried the
field-guns was sunk by a shot, and all but the Maxim guns lost.

This disaster was, however, destined to be retrieved in a very
unexpected manner. At four a.m. the force found itself opposite the
Imperial Chinese Armoury, near Hsiku; the allies were not at war with
the Imperial Government, by whom officially the Boxers were called
rebels, nevertheless the guns from the armoury opened fire upon them.
Major Johnstone, Royal Marines, with a party of bluejackets and marines,
crossed the river at a point where they were under cover of a village,
then, appearing suddenly with a cheer and with the sheen of glittering
bayonets, put the Chinese to flight, and captured two Krupp guns. At
the same time the Germans crossed over lower down, with similar results,
and the Armoury was taken. The Chinese, recovering from their panic,
made a determined attempt to retake the position by assault, under cover
of artillery fire, but were driven off with loss; but at the same time
the allies suffered severely also.

The force now settled down in the Armoury, which could easily be
defended and was well supplied with guns and ammunitio