We arrived at Huangchow at 2 a.m., and of course xt that hour could not enter the city, so all hands spent the night the Steamer Co.'s station house. Our mandarins started as soon as the gates were open, promising to send for slater on, the which they did about six o'clock.
We were taken first to one temple, a fine one, and then to another, a rare old tumble-down building with cotton growing in its courtyard ud looking as if no one ever came there. Here we were left for a considerable time wondering what was to be done with us next.
At length mandarin Li arrived, not to announce the escort ready and arrangements completed for our going forward, Bat to advise with us as what we had best.
He had been consulting with the authorities of the city, and they were of opinion that we had best go by native boat to a place some 50 li up the river called Wokungki, and there wait. till the 26th (Chinese moon), Sunday, when they would bring down' the bodies to We asked the reason for this change of programme, pointing out that the bodies might in such a case as well have been waited for in Hankow, and he said the reason was, they had already left Sungpu, and if we went there we would not find them. In proof of his statement that this was So, he produced a despatch which had just arrived from the Mach eng magistrate giving the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.