One heard of Japanese spies being captured, but I never saw one taken. In fact, I saw but few Japanese in the town, except refugees in charge of a guard, but there was one at least who remained long and escaped without detection. There was also a Japanese _amah_ at large about the town for weeks; she wore Russian clothes of loud colour, and rather unusual fashion, but herself seemed not to attract attention; when last I spoke to her she said she was in the service of a Russian officer’s wife. As a check upon the admittance or sojourn of undesirable persons the passport system is useless, even in a fortress town such as Port Arthur, where the regulations are strictly enforced. Otherwise I had been discovered and notified to leave the town forthwith. Simply by living quietly and unostentatiously, moving hither and thither unobtrusively, and keeping quiet, I was allowed every liberty within the town limits. It was impossible to photograph; the mere possession of a camera, if known, would have led to inquiry and arrest--and Russian officers even were arrested for being found with a camera in hand in the street. It was not easy to use binoculars, for no sooner were they levelled at a ship in the harbour, than some sentry would inquire of you what it was attracted your attention. Nor was it so difficult to get news--of an unimportant kind--or to get that news away. Several ships left for Chifu; the German cruiser _Hansa_ called to take away German subjects, and women of all nationalities, who wished to leave; one passenger train left almost every day, and was never without passengers--or letters and dispatches. At the very outset I was informed curtly by the telegraph clerk that the cable to Chifu was cut--a statement I had then no reason to doubt. A week or so later, messages for Russia were accepted by the railway company, and for Manchuria at the town office, but neither was of use to me.