Finally got my hands on the copy of "13 Days in China", a diary of an Indian soldier, Gadhadhar Singh, of Hindu Rajput caste, sent to China by Britain as a mercenary.
The diary begins with his account of General Edward Leach giving a briefing to Rajputs being sent to China.
It seems that Indians were well aware in those days that China was an ancient country.
Singh expresses his concern, he fears that what happened to Aryavarta [India], may also happen to China.
According to him, China losing the Sino-Japanese War exposed its weakness. (1894-95).
The Indian regiment arrives in Hong Kong. Description of the Hong Kong docks.
He left his shillings on the ship and only had rupees with him.
No Chinese local or govt official accepted the rupees.
In the end, he ended up meeting a few Parsis in Hong Kong, who gladly exchanged the rupees for dollars.
Hong Kong also was unaffected by turmoil in mainland.
The Indian contingent arrives in Tianjin.
Description of Tianjin being devastated by the Eight Nation Army.
He ends up sympathizing with the Chinese and talks of a "Hind-Cheen".
He meets with an Irish mercenary who offers him a lime drink and says that "You too are not an Englishman but are coming to wage war on Chinese", the Irishman then says that he should not sympathize with the Chinese because they don't deserve pity.
Japanese ferocity at Tianjin.
Singh explains the Japanese mentality.
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