Husngp'i, Febroary 23. got back last evening from a six dass' tour through Eastern Hupeh with bicycle. As it was the first occasion on which a bicycle has been seen ip those parts; you may guess that the excitement along the route was pretty keen. How the buxom women and children tumbled out of their houses ax if they were on fire, and how the agriculta shi mien" as they called it, is not easily described. Three times buffaloes tethered to trees, snap their cords in their anxiety to get away and the dogs barked vigorously but with wise caution did not advance too near. Once while T was trying t0 dismount gracefully on s high bank, two feet wide or less, because it got too rough to ride further, the bicycle slipped down into the rice-field, the front wheel and handle bars being buried in the water in which I found roy self standing half-way up to [my knees.
Several different names were given the machine, but "fengch'e"—wind carriage, was generally used, others calling "hsiench'e," "yangch'e"and "kangch'e. One or two informed their friends thet the handle bars were entirely silver, while I inwardly commented that I wished they were. Many inquired how far in would travel in " day, to which I answered two or three hundred & according to the condition of the roads; some said it would go quicker than a train and others said it was a train!
At each village where there was a flat threshing-floor the people begged me to ride it round and round for. their admiration, while the lads and children shouted and the men said "quicker foreign sir" repeatedly. I think I mended three punctures. Once the tyre went off with a pop and the slit was an inch long, but I managed to repair it satisfactorily and changed the back inner tyre into the front wheel as the outer cover of the back wheel was somewhat damaged. To the towns the crowds were considerable and I often found myself the centre of imposing processions and had to humour them with performances outside the walls for the benefit of hundreds of onlookers. Needless to say crowds pushed into the houses when I was tertained to feasts, Never before had. such week of feasting or knew the Chinese to be so extremely kind and hospitable as during those six days. I think I must have sat down to pearly twenty feasts during the week and got used to them that before the end there was no bowl that I could not. partake of with relish and delight and felt proud of my accomplishments with the chopsticks. Between times, while waiting for the main spread, auxili bowls were brought me of five pores. eggs or chicked and pork or ground, rice balls fried crisp—brown in oil and served with dark brown cane sugar. At two places the local official enter-, ined us, giving me the seat of honour with " red cloth placed over the chi One of these gentlemen took us to his Gower garden some distance frow his house, the trees of camells were in bud and there wore dwarfed pine and fir trees and other shrubs.
Tumediately on wy visiting © wny., house bot /fresh-made tes was brough and after every teal, in the place serviettes, a bow! of steaming water and cloth to wash face and bands was placed before the guests. The dining and, sitting-room of the large Chinese houses was of the anal uneven earth floor, and struck me, on turning into them from the sunny streets, as being very cold and I was glad to put my overcoat In all we traversed 210, Heincheo being the most. flourish, ing town visited. The railway from AAsboi, province is expected to come, rough here and join the Peking-Hankow line at Hsiyangcheo in Honan. The work of the London Mission has, been established here for nine years.
It was " pleasure to ride the bicycle through the paths, of this sandy. soil plain, between healthy-looking crops of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.