Here we were served with tea, but presently a number of red robed high priests arrived to lead us to the audience, and we continued up the avenue to the doorway fronting ite extremity, Entering the vesta~ pule we were taken into an anteroom on the right from which we were bowed, through a yellow curtained entrance into a room entirely draped in yellow all and found ourselves in the presence of the living Buddha, Ho was seated en, a raised platform, behind a low table, covered with dishes of sweetmeats, and wore a loose robe of] gorgeous yellow silk brocade.
After each of us had passed be-tore him and presented the blue silken ceremonial scarf, which he and returned, we were given chairs facing the dais and were served by the monks in attendance with ten and dishes of rock sugar and raisins, while the official Interpreter, a slender figure, in Tong black'robe and wearing a grey felt hat and long heavy jade ear rings, stood at the side, with body bent forward and eyes on the floor. This man never straightened his body or lifted his eyes during the whole of the time he was in the presence, though the others in the room, who T afterwards learned were all priests of the highest rank, continued to stand erect.
Thad heard that his holiness wa: a practical sort of person who took '8 human interest in all that g on, though T was still surprised at what T saw. There was no sugges tion of the ascetic or religious devotee who spends most of his time in retired contemplation. Instead, the Buddha gives the impression of being a very wide-awake, and decidedly practical man, with fa bright eye, @ sharp intelligent face, and an angelic smile which he frequently uses. His eyes travelled quickly to the faces of each speaker; hhis own speech, while low in tone, rapid, and his whole altitude suggests vivacity, and a quick, keen intelligence, There was nothing of stiff formality. He merely chatted pleasantly, and with affable friend-Lines: of the little things associated with a newly made acquaintance, such as our names, nationatit!s. ete The Man from America Twas the only one who could not converse directly with the inter-prefer in fluent Chinese and s0, for some time must needs hold' my peace. But this very circumstance gave me a greater opportunity than T might, perhaps, otherwise, have had, as his holiness, with his kindly thoughtfulness, requested his inter-prefer to question "the man from America who had not yet spoken," and, with the nee of Mr. Doodha, T was able to get in wha! [wanted to say in. uninterrupted consecutive conversation. Each one of us had brought the customary Tittle gift and I first presented bim
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.