Within twenty days of our visit to Blagovestchensk, that town was the scene of a massacre, the descriptions of which were received with horror throughout the civilized world. As we returned to St. Petersburg by way of America it was not until after this book was written that I succeeded in getting from eye-witnesses a reliable account of what actually took place. While we were at Blagovestchensk (we left on June 28, just four days before the first shot was fired) all its troops were being mobilized for China, and every boat except the post boat had been chartered to carry soldiers across the water. So little did General Gribsky and the police dream of danger near at hand that only one reserve battalion and one battery were left to guard the town. The rumour we had heard of a Chinese force stationed near Aigun was a true one.