Page:Ossendowski - From President to Prison.djvu/55

Rh and that torrential rains in the mountains had now brought the waters of some smaller streams up over the surrounding country. For some distance we travelled through this flooded territory, losing our way at times and miring at others in the bogs of this yellow, fecund soil. Kaoliang stubble, cornstalks, willow bushes and occasional oaks showed above the water here and there through the low fields; while on the more elevated places, where it was dry, much life was visible. Hares, seeking safety from the waters that had taken possession of their holes, fieldmice and, on one mound, red foxes hid in the bushes. Over the inundated lands snipe, pewits (Vanellus cristatus), wading birds (Actitis hypoleucus) and other species of gulls (Gallinago) flew in all directions, settling occasionally on the rocks or bushes that protruded from the water and then again commencing their restless flight.

After laborious, exhausting wading we came just at sunset to a chain of hillocks, where the road once more emerged upon dry land and where, at the edge of a small wood, we discovered a village of some fifty to sixty houses. It was Hsi La Ho, the place we were seeking. As we approached the village, we passed through extensive fields of the soya bean, and in the outskirts of the place we found the regulation long Chinese building in which the beans were pressed.

The headman of the village received us very hospitably and, after reading the Hu-chao of the Taotai, lodged us in a rather clean house and summoned a meeting of the dealers to discuss the question of delivering bean oil to Harbin. Soon I had signed an agreement with the inhabitants of the village and had arranged with the headman that he should conclude others with the neighbouring districts.