The great increase in the likin to back the share of the Indemmity demanded from Yunnan has annoyed the traders. is quits amusing to read of efforts being made to abolish likin, The Central Government may do as it likes, the Provincial Government is bound to levy increased taxes, and if likin were nominally abolished to-morrow something else would be substituted, 'The 'Shui' (9) isa tax which merchants hate almost as much as the likin, and if one were abolished the other would with a little celestial manipulation do the work of two. There are constant efforts made to evade the payment of these taxes. During the wax insect season the tax collectors have a bad time, Year after year efforts were made to tax these loads of insects. The carriers went in bands, and fights with the officials were. of frequent occurrence. At last the officials gave in and a proclamation was issued that no imposts would be collected on "insects." Now the traders declare that this covers the return journey as well and refuse to pay on the cloth and other things they bring back. This year thousands of carriers crossed the river which flows from Laowat'an into the Yangtze turned to their homes by a back rather than pass the likin. The officials on the back way " were powerless in the matter. When will China have free internal trade?
A Real " Missionary Hardship."
How little Western writers understand the chinese! Who h: ad and rejoiced Dissertati Roast is Ttis not eve chance of being lamb' fascinating story worked out in real life. In the beginning of this Chinese year L passed through a busy market village where the people kept riy pigs A month after a tiger was killed in the neighbourhood. Imuediately following, in the middle the night, a tire Uroke out in the market village and destroyed the whole place. The natives connected the killing of the tiger with the fire. When next I passed that way the scene of desolation was heartrending, A complete destruction of the whole village! Tt was comforting to be told that' no lives had been lost, but most of the pigs had been roasted, especially those too fat_to run quickly. Rowst pigs! Burning Houses! Lamb's story in real life! "Quite naturally T remarked that some folk must have had a splendid meal of roast pork in those days. To my surprise the natives asked with disgust jlendid meal! Who would e: that stinking smoky stut?" The palate of the Chinaman absolutely rejects smoky roast p All that magnificent Epieuj-scription culminating in the one "crackling "—a delusion, a yarn, a T gloated over that yarn when a boy and grew excited as the story went from nother. Nw to find the pin smoke, An experlence of this kind, Mr. Editor, is surely areal Missionary Hardship."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.