The food situation here is becoming daily more acute. No rice is coming up the river and prices. are going up. Ichang is trying to get 2,000 or 3,000 piculs from' Chenchow on account of shortage in that county. There is some rumour of hoarding, but nothing is" being done to ease the situation. Last year, with famine prices prevailing, there was much suffering, but prices are almost as high this year and coal and vegetables are higher still Several severe frosts have killed. nearly all the winter gardens, 60 that there is little to buy and that very high and inferior in quality.
The local magistrate is trying to stop gambling. Several young men connected with a tobacco firm here were caught playing mah jongg and were taken into. cow', These young men were asked why they were gambling and they very smartly replied that they were outsiders here om business and they had nothing else to do and so were gambling. He asked them What they thought he ought to do since he had put out proclamations, id they replied that he could suit ihis convenience. A fine was inflicted and paid, but, just as they were about to go, the official ask-them to sit a while. He said: "Now, I am trying to stop gambling here and want you to promise ae that you will not gamble again in this town." He added also: "If you hear or see me gambling, I shall be quite content to let you fine me" and the young men left, having promised that they would not gamble in Chenchow again. It is refreshing in these lawless days. to see even an attempt at reform.
There are still reports of brigandage and bandits in the country here. The writer was unable to visit the county of Nuchen because bandits had been holding up people on the roads, though they had been somewhat scattered by small bands of soldiers. One band paid a heavy toll in an engagement with a strong body of armed bandits on the Nuchen road. The bandits opened fire first and killed and wounded 20 men and then went into the hills. The city of Nuchen has become a public gambling centre. Gamblers from Canton and Kiangsi have opened several gambling dens and the town is wide open. It is a forwarding centre for opium into Canton and Kuangtung and there is disorder everywhere. The official is either helpless or is getting gain from the traffic.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.