Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/182

126 I asked. But just as I had put this important question, one of my Ch'ung-k'ing escort broke into the conversation with some extremely animated remarks. I stopped in my inquiries to gather this fresh flood of light which was being thrown upon the question. After waiting patiently while his remarks were being poured forth, I demanded a translation. "He says, sir," declared Joe with unruffled seriousness, "that it is an extraordinary thing that the gas should be invisible so long as it is in the pipe, and that it should then become fire immediately on leaving the mouth of the pipe!" After this illuminating assertion I paid no further attention to the puerilities of my followers. The interruption, however, had distracted the attention of my informant, and in reply to my question he answered vaguely and in round numbers that there were altogether in the district upwards of 10,000 wells, with an annual output of 20,000,000 or 30,000,000 catties. The cost of the salt on the spot was, he said, about 13 or 14 cash a catty, plus a Government tax