An Australian in Japan.

Manawatu Herald, 1 September 1904, Page 2

An Australian in Japan.

. +- A little while ago (writes a correspondent in Japan) an Australian, well known to the writer, ran into a danger from which he only extricated himself by great readiness of resource. In company with some others he was watching the departure of a trainload of troops off to the front. The foreigners joined heartily in the “ banzais ” with which the departing warriors were sped by 200 or 300 of their comrades, who were waiting to entrain later in the morning. If the Australian had confined himself to showing his pro-Japanese sentiment by cheer* ingall would have been well, but his enthusiasm led him to commit the blazing indiscretion of frantically waving his handkerchief at the train. Almost immediately he was surrounded by furious “Tommies." One of them, who spoke English in a sort of a way, demanded an immediate explanation from the astounded Australian of his intimation by suggestion that the Japanese troops were likely to show the white flag. Realising that unless a satisfactory answer was forthwith given he might get into serious trouble, he replied that there was a lamentable misconception of his action. “This, 41 he declared with touching solemnity, indicating the handkerchief. “ represents the white flag which the Russians will soon be raising all over Manchuria. And this’’ (biting his hand until the blood ran, and tracing a gory ball in the centre of the handkerchief, so that it roughly resembled the national flag), “ represents the banner under which the gallant sons of Nip-., pon will march to victory. Banzai." The effect was electrical. In an instant the anger fled from the faces of the Tommies, and they lustily Banzai, and affectionately smote the foreigner on the back 'with an enthusiasm which made him wish that he was encased in chain armour. Truly a weird and incomprehensible people.