At times it was necessary to tread sideways, so narrow was the path, and brimming paddyfields awaited the luckless wight who should lose his equilibrium. Many a time, so uninviting was the path ahead, that a detour was deemed advisable and the narrow strip of turf dividing field from field was chosen as affording a firmer foothold even if it did mean thrice the distance.
To one's other woes was added a fall which tore one's mackintosh and plastered it with red slime and another fall from which one rose with a broken stick to his umbrella, Still more inconvenient was it when the bottom layer of the sole of one boot came loose at the toe and went flapping except when one walked on one's heel or tied the sole on with straw which kept working loose.
Home_ was not reached that night. Bedraggled and _bespattered we hailed a wretched inn as a haven of rest at the end of one day's tramp of 50 li. Feet were bathed and dry at last. imbedded in a.pei-yo, in the folds of which one fell asleep dreaming of the care legs and sandals in which one would have to trudge the next day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.