We had a good time of bookselling and work on the way, and in due time reached Hok'ou, i.e. "River Mouth" (}AJ J). We have slightly changed the name since our experience there, and call it Hok'u i.e.
What bitterness" (fiJ4#).
It all happened thus: at the earnest request of friends concerned, and in full Keeping with our own desire to be useful, we conducted a large evangelistic meeting at the Jesus Hall," previous to leaving for our boat, with the intention, of start at daybreak. The floor of the hall,—which isa pretty large one—is about half of it solid, and half composed of planking.
At the conclusion of the meeting, some few who wished to enquire further, and some of the Christians of the place, gathered round the table which was in the centre of the wooden half of the floor. All was perfect order, and we were quietly talking, when a crack was heard, and in an instant the whole floor yave way, and down we all went—table, lamp, benches, floor, blocks of stone, 22 men and 2 boys—all in one confused heap. It was an awful time, which we shall never forget, and the recollection of which even now makes us shudder. It seemed a long, long way to the bottom, and we had time, while falling to put our hands over our head, with the thought of protecting it; my cook had presence of mind enough to put his hands and knees over a child on whom he would otherwise have fallen, and would have crushed.
As soon as the writer had recovered sufficiently we picked ourselves up, disentangling ourselves as best we could from the rubbish, though one foot was still a prisoner. We then saw it was akind of deep cellar into which we had fallen, and with apparently no way out. To add to the difficulty of the situation, we were in almost total darkness, save for a native lamp burning dimly some distance off, at the back of the hall. Most pro lly, the large foreign lamp had been extinguished in its descent, or we should have been burnt alive in a stone cell, and that's all about it. The recollection of the danger sickens us. Had the floor given way at a later period, we should, sume of us at least, have been drowned, for this cellar is flooded when the river is high.
About the first thing I recall distineth was a boy's voice crying from underneath the debris: "0, Mr. Foreigner, I'm so frightened Dear little fellow, we picked him out as soon as possible. All was remarkably quiet; if there had been much struggling, far more serious injuries would have been sustained.
To be brief, however, a door of which we had not known was eventually opened, and those who were unable to walk were carried or helped upstairs. Some fifteen mall of the twenty-four who fell were hurt, the writer being fortunately the only foreigner. It was most advisable that a foreigner should go down, too, as the floor would have given way some time; the people could say nothing when the foreigner's injuries were perhaps the most severe—eonsisting of fractured knee, severely sprained (we fear broken) foot, and a wound mn the hand, with a general shaking up and almost a nervous collapse.
Tt was really very amusing, even in the midst of the trouble, and while we could not be sure if there were some still underneath the pile of stut who would not need or be profited by medical help—it was amusing to seo the strength of the ruling passion. As the poor fellows worked themselves free and tried to get up, the first equi of one would be: "Oh, where is my hat Others were calling out': Where ave my shoes?" and the writer could not get. thei to budge, though they were actually treading on others still underneath, and the way was opened for them to get out. At last we became desperate, and seizing a piece of wood, gave two or three of them admonitory cracks; this course prevailed with part, and the hasty cateulation we made of our own losses, amounting to about 20 timos that of any of theirs, moved the rest, Strange how even at such time the Chinese will stay to ranson (HRHB). We heard them arguing: "¢ Well, the foreigner has lost about $35, and he isn't bothering for his things now: we can leave those shoes till later on."
But on the whole all was marvelously quiet, and so far as we know, not a single Pourtiood, save one woman for her son.
son came in from the streets or neigh-
All the crippled and injured were remark ably patient and grateful. In fact, though you may smile, the writer is most thankful for the whole thing, and though his foot is Bound up as he writes, and he is not yet free of all the effects of the go-down, he believes the incident will be used for greatly dis) 7a agrees good, Finding there was nothing more serious and no fatalities, and. that, we had boon Drought into such close contact with the natives (what all missiouities desire), we were free to take as joyfully'as we could the spoiling of our goods: 'The writer's hat much resembled a black oval pancake 5 other garments were torn—much so; we won't say how much so. The loss' we regretted most was that of the kind present of a friend, and which our readers will remember as having been such an invalusble companion on previous tours—our cornet. It lies before us in a sad state as we write—to witness if we lie before it—
Buttered and bruised and broken sore—Poor cornet!—all too soon.
Alas, to think our faithful friend Cannot give forth one tune!
We wonder if our dear old schoolmaster would be reminded—at least of the rhythm—of one of the compositions he took such pains to teach us—' Mary Queen of Scots"—if he saw this? Hardly.
As to the moral derivable from the accident, for such a long tale ought to have useful ending, we hardly know what it would be. We would like to urge all who inhabit houses built in native style to be sure that there is sufficient support, more especially if many people will be congregating in some portion; also to use new wood in the building, and if on the river side, it might be worth while to replace doubtful beams that are liable to the action of water or damp. These are general reflections; wemightadd the advice, but that it, is superfluous, that when our readers wish to investigatecellardepths, they should always use the steps, as it is the most inconvenient method in the long run, though the most expeditious for the time, to tumble through the floor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.