On April the 20th and 2ist we had a tremendous storm. It seems to have blown with most violence at Kuangchi. No boats could move on the river, and even the powerful little steamer that runs from Wusueh to Kiukiang and back each day had to remain at its anchorage. The compound wall and part of the roof of the ion house were carried down by the
wrecked, and the fine pagoda between wi Not a few native houses were Wusueh' and Kuangobi was demolished. This ought to mean trouble to the State, for the pagoda was built years ago to prevent such trouble. The story is that there was " magistrate appointed to this district who understood geomancy, and on examining this hill he found out that) unless a pagoda were built there, there would arise in. Kaangchi some men who would be endowed with such extraordinary abilities that they might prove dangerous to the State. So the mandarin made a representation to the Throne, with the result that. this pagoda was hi It ever since been & hindrance tw the success of local scholars, and its destruction ought to sot them free to distinguish themselves Two or three persons are said to have been killed by the lightning during the storm and many trees were struck. I am informed that in this part of China it customary to fix a long bamboo pole into the coffin of a man who hys been killed by ight The pole projects out above the top of the grave- mound, The ides is that the decessed must have been very guilty to have been thus slain by the spirits of the spirits can Jock through road the guilt
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.