From Shanghai to Anhui by Fae Ove Own Kaihuangtsih, An., Dee. 15.
Reaching Shanghai on our return from furlough on November 18, and having passports and other business to attend to, we were not ready to Teave before' the Pukow-Tientsin Railway was taken over for the transportation of Chang Tso-li troops, and neither the Shanghai Commercial Bank nor the Express Go, would take responsibility for baggage. So we resolved to travel one of the old ways, with we were familiar before the rai way was built, Accordingly we left Shanghai by steamer on the morning of December 1 for Wahu, whence took the steam Taunch for chow fu, We found there was a bar in' the Chao Lake that the Taurrch could not eros, and we had to engage a native boat to take us the last 70 li At Luchowfa I engaged three barrows and three carriers for our luggage, and a chair for my wife. There were to have been two men with each barrow, a puller as well 38a pusher, and §20 had been paid to the "hang" on this understand ing. But perhaps the days are past when one could rest assured that such a bargain would be serupulouseat ried out. I had been given to understand that the man with whom T negotiated would be one of the party, and would see to the carrying out of details. But when! we set out on the morning of the 9th instant, we found that he was not one of the party, that there were no pullers, and I had not been informed as to' payments made to the men, or what each was receive on the way and on arrival.
lost half a day while hunted for the man, in order to get these points straightened out, and the first doy found us only 12 Ni or four miles from the city gate.
'A Bad Stretch 'The second day, the 10th instant, the barrows took' several hours to get through a very bad stretch of Toad about one and a half miles in extent, which had frozen and was thawing; the wheels sunk to axles, and the mud rolled ike moist snow. The chart bear-who move paid only half as much for trip as the barrows, and who were able to go more than twice as fast upon such roads, were getting impatient, so it seemed best that my wife should go on ahead in her chair and with the carriers, while I came at a slower pace with the barrows. And the second day ended with me 40 from the city gate, and my wife in the large town of Wushai iao, Five Mountain Temple, 20 li farther on.
On the morning of the 11th I was early on the road; half way to Washanmiao I began to hear of trouble that had broken out, there during the night. A little farther men and pullers refused to move step farther, so I went forward alone to investigate. I met the country people in crowds returning with their produce which they had been taking to market, not having been permitted to go on the street, The firing was at times heavy and appeared to be directed to and from some point in the town, for T heard the whiz-z-z of very few bullets passing over the country. my wife was no doubt in the town Twas anxious to know how things were, and to Join her if possible.
T approached the outskirts, and when I saw the soldiers taking notice fof me I held up both my card in one to indicate that wished to enter into communication, but they waved me away. Turning back I observed a company in a field and signalled them, and was called to come. T quickly made my Way to them, presented my card to the corporal in charge, who assured me that a foreign lady had arrived the evening before and was no doubt still in the town, and that would be able to arrange for to enter after he should be called in himself. With this, assurance I
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.