I have no apology to make for an excessive use of the first person singular, for it was my intention as I wrote that the reader should travel with me and see through my eyes the things he would like to see. It is not necessary, of course, to agree with my conclusions, which have no political or other bias, no animus toward those who have been responsible for the conduct of the war or who have directed the affairs of the nation in a time of stress. Where strong feeling on the Siberian situation is displayed, it springs from nothing else but a desire to see our nation acquit itself well in the eyes of Asia and the world. I am but a volunteer reporter, attempting, as I write a report, to inject editorial opinion. I spent several years in the Far East in our regular army and as a correspondent, in the period when our arms were making history on a small scale in the Philippines and China, so my viewpoint on Asia was not gained wholly during my stay in Siberia. And I believe it is time that we get a better understanding of Asia, and seek to have Asia understand us. I am indebted to Captain Donald Thompson, the noted Kansan war-photographer, for the illustrations in this book. FREDERICK F. MOORE. NEW YORK. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. EXILED TO SIBERIA 1 II. THE SECRET “GETAWAY” 5 III. JAPAN TO VLADIVOSTOK 16 IV. TOWARD KHABAROVSK 27 V. BOLSHEVISTS AND BATHS 37 VI. HETMAN OF THE USSURI 48 VII. FROM KHABAROVSK TO USHUMUN 64 VIII. ON THE BACK TRAIL 82 IX. A RED SWEATER AND THE GENERAL 93 X. OVER THE AMUR RIVER ON HORSEBACK 104 XI. THE MACHINE THAT SQUEAKED 114 XII. AN ARMY IMPRESARIO 121 XIII. AWAY TO TRANS-BAIKAL 130 XIV. THE CITY OF CONVICTS 150 XV. ATAMAN SEMENOFF 158 XVI. FAMINE IN CHITA 165 XVII. NEW YEAR WITH THE JAPANESE 172 XVIII. DIPLOMACY AND--MICE 186 XIX. NEW FRIENDS, PRISONS, AND OTHER THINGS 196 XX. THE SOBRANIA 206 XXI. POLITICS AND PRINKIPO 227 XXII. FAREWELL TO CHITA 237 XXIII. CHITA TO VLADIVOSTOK 247 XXIV. THE PEASANTS 258 XXV. FRENZIED FINANCE 280 XXVI. LEAVES FROM MY NOTE BOOK 293 XXVII. THE JOKER IN BOLSHEVISM 305