When You Were Absent

13

He afterwards went back for his shirt. He said it could be cut up for clothes for the children as it was good material.

He also cached a big bag of rice which had been abandoned.

An Eurasian doctor had sent Mrs. Clift several bags of rice and she had generously shared with us. We would not believe in the surrender. We had been repeatedly told we would not surrender, but fight street by street. We were also told by radio every day that the situation remained unchanged. The power station was latterly put out of action. There were no telephones or radios, but the news sheet was still printed and the news here was the same. The following day we saw the Japanese flag flying from the Peak. There was a group of Canadian soldiers across the street and I went over to them to talk to them. They seemed as much at a loss to know the news as we were. They said there had been a threat of poison gas, and to save the Chinese population, we had surrendered. Since then I have heard so many theories that I have ceased to wonder. The roads now began to be filled with streams of Japanese soldiers and lorries. There were a great number of soldiers mounted on ponies. The Chinese looters also began to fill the streets. From our window we could watch them at work at the new science building of the University. Some of the Japanese gendarmes allowed looting, and some were very strict and shot the looters. The looters themselves took the risk. We watched them bring out beautiful polished furniture and smash it up with great stones for fire wood. We also saw them running away with expensive scientific instruments. There were continual shots. We were frequently visited by Japanese soldiers on tours of inspection. There were a few things about our house I wished to save from looters and Ma Lien Ching, Ah Ng, Clyde, Celene and I went out. The Felix Villas road, apart

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