The sights to be seen in the large harbor of the Japanese sea-port interested Gilbert greatly. Strange craft were floating there,--curiously carved junks with their huge, awkward sails, broad merchantmen, and _cascoes_ filled with fruits and fish and other commodities, all offered for sale to whoever might buy. Not far from the transport lay the British torpedo-boat destroyer _Whiting_, having on board a number of veteran soldiers from Ladysmith, South Africa, men who had gone all through the terrible campaign against the Boers. Russian, French, German, and Italian warships were also in evidence; and the number of national flags floating there were a spectacle in themselves. “We have struck the Allies at last,” was Captain Banner’s comment. “I have already counted ten different flags, not to mention the banners belonging to the Japanese shipping.” “Or the Banner we are carrying,” put in Major Morris, by way of a joke. “Don’t, major! That pun on my name is old enough to vote,” answered the captain of Company A. “Then it is time it was buried,” said the major, promptly. “I’ll never pun on your name again.” And he never did. All the soldiers were anxious for news from shore; and this was not long in coming, in the shape of newspapers, letters, and cablegrams. “General Chaffee has left San Francisco with the first American troops for China, on the transport _Grant_,” said one of the captains, spreading the news. “He is coming direct to Nagasaki; and he will be followed by four or five thousand other men, from Cuba, New York, and elsewhere.” The _Grant_ carried the Sixth United States Cavalry, eight hundred strong, and about three hundred sailors and marines. The news from the front was most conflicting. Admiral Seymour, in command of the expedition which had gone to the relief of Pekin, was rumored to be somewhere beyond Tien-Tsin, and surrounded by the enemy. The foreign quarter of Tien-Tsin had been bombarded by the Boxers and Chinese government troops for over a week after the taking of the Taku forts, and the sufferings of the Americans and others had been almost beyond belief. During the bombardment, women and children had been shut up in Gordon Hall, and shot and shell had rained down on all sides. At this time there was an American circus in the city; and the men of the show took up rifles, buckled on cartridge belts, and went to the walls with the few troops in the place, to hold the enemy in check. The relief of Tien-Tsin was largely due to the efforts of one man to get word of what was going on to the allied powers having warships and soldiers in the Gulf of Pechili. When the bombardment of the foreign quarter of the city was at its height, nine men from the various legations took a boat and started for Taku for help. This boat was attacked by the Chinese; and those in it had to run the craft ashore and take to the bushes and woods, in order to escape with their lives.