The Missionary and Peace Commission that left Peking on the 22nd of June reached Taiyuanfu on the 9th of July. Allalong the route the members of the party were the guests of the Government. Every pos sible arrangement was made for their safety and comfort—with one solitary exception, Huailu, The magistrate there tried the time-worn attitude of contempt, but finding his mistake he speedily made amends. No difficulty was encountered on the way and the people seemed as peaceable and pliable as ever. In every city the local officia)s and gentry received the party as public guests. The round of ceremony was as follows, and much the same at every place. At some considerable distance from the city outriders brought cards of welcome. A little further on the mounted police would be drawn up to salute in proper European style. Still nearer the city Tocal soldiers came to act as honorary escort. Next came the minor officials, and finally the highest official of the place, supported by his subordinates and the representative military, literati, and gentry, welcomed us in the name of the district The musicians would then strike up their tumultuous discords and amidst the din of trumpets, drums, and gongs we would enter the city led by the rit raff that usually precede the officia} chairs. In some public building, e.g., a college, rooms would be ready with carpets, curtains, cushions and the endless red drapings that denote an official reception. Visits would then follow from the officials and gentry. After our return calls a proper Chinese feast would be served by all the retinue told off to serve us. On leaving the place ceremonies similar to those observed on entering were gone through and we would mount our Jitters to doze on the effects of shark's fins or sea slugs till the next stage. Here we would have the same round of ceremonies, stay in the same kind of rooms, eat the same kind of food and listen to the same kind of talk—obsequious flattery and mild apologies—pro bone publica.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.