between the same dates. =Defence of Legations.=--On Sunday, June 10th, 1900, the Summer Legation at the Hills was burnt down, and from that time onward no one dared leave the city, while inside the Europeans lived in constant fear of the Chinese inhabitants, for within the very walls the German Minister actually took prisoner a fully dressed and armed Boxer. The Boxers and Imperial troops attacked the city again and again, until it became necessary for the Europeans and their servants to take refuge in the various Legations, and then on June 20th the siege began in earnest. Eighteen officers and 389 men, assisted by 100 volunteers, formed the combined force, and they had with them four guns of uncertain quality. It has been said by Dr. Morrison that the Japanese had only 100 rounds of ammunition per man, the Italians 120, the Russians 145, and the rest at most 300 rounds per man. On the first day the Austrians, for some unexplained reason, abandoned their Legation, and thus weakened the general defence by leaving a corner of the square open to the enemy. Then the Belgian Legation was burnt, and on the morning of June 22nd the Americans, Austrians, Germans, Italians, Russians, and Japanese began to retire on the British Legation, but the masterly activity of Sir Claude MacDonald induced the French and Austrians to return to the French Legation, and the others to resume their posts, thus preventing a catastrophe. The fear of fire was ever present with the besieged, for again and again buildings were ignited, and but for the well-organised fire committee would have helped the investing Boxers to make short work of the defence. Meanwhile the enemy vigorously attacked the Legations, and bombarded the city until a somewhat peaceable period ensued during an armistice which, however, hardly raised the hopes of the besieged, for news had reached them that the European powers believed them to have been massacred. On August 10th the spirits of the defenders were greatly raised by the receipt of messages from the relief force, and the knowledge gained that the Japanese and American troops had defeated the enemy near Pei Ts'ang on the 5th, and had occupied Yang Ts'un next day, while the allied forces of America, Britain, and Russia were marching on from that place, and hoped to reach Pekin by the 13th or 14th. This news was conveyed in a letter from the Japanese Colonel Shiba, and it was indeed prophetic, for at 2 o'clock on August 14th the Sikhs marched on to the lawn of the British Legation, followed by General Gaselee and his staff, and then, the work of clearing the enemy out of the environs having been completed by the Sikhs, the relief of the Legations was effected.