The chief dimeuity 1 experienced on this section was in finding my way amid the maze of roads that ran across the plain in every dlreetion. Every five minutes we tied to slop and ask the way, only to go wrong again at the next fork of she road." As a result, it took us nearly six hours to do the 40 miles from Huaksien to Kalchow, where T found Accommodation at the hospitable Catholic Mission, Kalchow,. now called Puyang, must have been an. Important city in ancient times: the small modern town lies huddled together in the middle of a vat amply spice that is enclosed huge walls, the highest T have seen anywhere in China, On the following morning we continued up the highway to Tamingtu where I'called at the Catholic. Mis-slon to enquire about the rest of the route. The kind-hearted fathers Joaded me up with food and drink for the Journey and tried to cheer me up by assuring me that T should be "very content" with the road, that it was in every way excellent. and that T should have no di@iculty in making Hochien that night, about 200 miles ahead. 1 think it must have been many months since they were over it, for I was not at content with that road, nor did we reach Hochien. This Tamingfu highway about which so much fuss was made when it was opened hardly year ago is a snare and a delusion. Tt was the worst motor road I war fon. At first sight it looks a really first-class motor highway: running straight es a dle for miles, in places broad enough for four cars. to ass abreast, and bordered with trees, But it has only an unmetalled (mud) surface which is already in a hopeless condition. One moment you were running on a perfectly smooth Where you were, you were floundering about in deep ruts or through loose 'To make things worse the' country carts have been allowed to cross the road wherever they like, so. that every few hundred yards one had to pull"up and go dead slow over the deep ruts that they have cut in. the road. In addition to the diMeultles caused by the road, the ear was now, for the frst time, beginning to shovr signs of wear and tear, specially of the last few days; the radiator was cing badly and we had to stop every 30 miles or so to All it. We, therefore, never made Hochier rk, and had to stop at a small village about 20 miles this side, The Last Day's Run We started off early next moming the last lap, The country through Which the whole of this road runs, the great. plain of North' China, is very uninteresting, he any pictur es que scenery which we possed through' about neon, being the lake istrict between Tientsin and Paoting-fu which we crossed by a series of about half a dozen bridges. A Tittle beyond here we came toa most unusual sight: real slid signpost standing at the junction of four roads, with "carefully marked. sign-boards ointing in each direction; it was the only one T saw en the whole. of my trip, We took the west road to Chochow on the Peiping-Hankow line, when I Wwas once more in familiar surround ings. "From here on the road becomes belter, and about five we reached the Marco Polo bridge across the Hun River, Here I turned away from the main road to strike across country to my house outside Peiping, and was already picturing myself' driving' triumph up to the door, when, 23 usual the Unexpected happened," the very last thing. that would have entered my mind, when considering all. the dimeulties "and troubles I ight meet with on my trip. For the first and only time during all there weeks I lost my way, on a road I have been over st least half a dozen times and instead of driving nickly home, wandered for nearly halt on hour' with ever-increasing ire over the countryside, until Tstruck the right road, T reached my place a little before six on the afternoon of June 6, have {ng lett "Shanghai on April 9' and having completed, recording to my speedometer, almost exody 500 miles, In view of the gathering war clouds: jin North China, the Nanking branch Jof the Chinese 'Red Cross Society calling for, volunteers, who will be sent to the North after 2 period of intensive training." Directors and. [supervisors of the society in Nanking met in an extraordinary meeting. the Jother day when definite plans for' out: organizing rescue corps were mapped
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.