Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/444

 The agitators were taken by surprise, and the crowd in the streets and about the courthouse, at first was not very large, but it steadily increased, and the streets about the building were soon thronged with an angry mob, but no attempts at interference were made, as the crowd was held back from the courthouse by the armed guards.

Arrived in the court room Judge Greene explained to the Chinamen that while the poeple wished them to go, they were, under law, entitled to remain if they wished to do so, and they would be protected in doing so. Each Chinaman was then asked by name, whether he wished to go or remain, and all but sixteen of the eighty-five declared they wished to go. This closed the inquiry and the party was escorted back to the ship by the sheriff's guard. The trip was made without serious incident, and when the dock was reached all that wished to do so went on board, their fare having been paid by subscription, but when 196 had been received, Capt. Alexander announced that he could not legally take any more. This left about 100 on the dock, whose fares had been collected and who wished to go. After considerable discussion it was agreed that they should be taken by the next steamer, but as this would not sail for several days, and as the Chinamen could not be held on the dock meantime, it was resolved to escort them back to the quarters from which they had been driven on the day previous.

This was certain to be both a difficult and dangerous undertaking. The sheriff had only the Home Guards, a small company numbering not more than forty men, and a smaller company of cadets from the university to assist him, but putting the guards in advance and the cadets in the rear, with the trembling celestials between them, the return march was begun up Main Street toward First Avenue. The