Page:China's spiritual need and claims.djvu/93

Rh my feet been blistered and the day very hot, should have gone back to meet them and urge them on. I then thought that my servant must have gone to his friend's, and would not come till evening. But evening came, and no appearance of them.

"I began to feel very uneasy, and enquired everywhere if they had been seen. At last a person said, 'Are you a guest from Shih-mun-wan?' I answered in the affirmative. 'Are you going to Hai-ning?' 'Yes.' 'Then your things have gone on before you; for I was sitting in a tea-shop when a coolie came in, took a cup of tea, and set off for Hai-ning in a great hurry, saying the bamboo box and bed he carried, which were like what you describe yours to be, were from Shih-mun-wan, and he had to carry them to Hai-ning to-night, when he was to be paid at the rate of ten cash a pound.' From this I concluded my goods were before me: but it was impossible to follow them at once, for I was too tired to walk, and moreover it was already dark.

"Under these circumstances, all I could do was to seek a lodging for the night. This I found no easy matter. I raised my heart to and asked Him to help me. Then, walking to the further end of the town, where I thought the tidings of there being a foreigner in the place might not have spread, I looked out for a lodging-house. I soon found one, and went in, hoping that I might pass Unquestioned, as it was already dark. Asking the bill of fare, I was told that cold rice (which proved to be more than 'rather burnt'), and snakes fried in lamp-oil, were all that could be had. Not wishing any question to be raised as to my nationality, I was compelled to order some, and tried to make a meal, but with little success. While so engaged, I said to the landlord, 'I suppose I can. spend the night here:' to which he replied in the affirmative.

"Bringing out his book, he said, 'In these unsettled times we are required by the authorities to keep a record of our lodgers: may I ask your respected family name?' I replied, 'My unworthy family name is Tai.' 'And your honourable name?' 'My humble name is Yuô-kôh (James). 'What an extraordinary name! I never heard it before. How do you write it?' I told him; and added, 'It is a common name where I come from.' 'And may I ask whence you come, and whither you are going?' 'I am journeying from Shanghai to Ningpo, by way of Hang-chau.' 'What may be your honourable profession?' 'I heal the sick.' 'Oh! you are a physician,' the landlord remarked, and to my intense relief closed the book.

"His wife, however, took up the conversation. 'You are a physician, are you?' said she; 'I am glad of that, for I have a daughter afflicted with leprosy. If you will cure her, you shall have your supper and bed for nothing.' I was curious enough to enquire here what my supper and bed were to cost, if paid for; and to my amusement found they were to be about 1¼d. of our money! Being unable to benefit the girl, I declined to prescribe for her, saying that leprosy was a very intractable disease, and that I had no medicines with me. The mother brought pen and paper, saying, 'You can at least write a prescription, which will do no harm, if it does no good.' This also I declined to do, and requested to be shewn my bed.

"I was conducted to a very miserable room on the ground floor, where, on some boards raised on two stools, I passed the night, without bed or pillow, save my umbrella and shoe, and without any mosquito curtains. There were sleeping in the same room ten or eleven other lodgers, so I could not take anything off, for fear of its being stolen: but I found I was by no means too warm as midnight came on.

"August 5th.— As may be supposed, I arose but little rested or refreshed, and felt very unwell. I had to wait a long time ere I could get my breakfast, and then there was another delay before I could get the only dollar I had in my pocket changed, from its having one or two chops on it. More than 300 cash were deducted from its price, which was a serious loss in my present position. I then sought through the town for tidings of my servant and coolies, as I thought it most likely, if the report I had heard last night of their passing was not correct, that they would have arrived