In parts of the road leading to Mohsi the traveller has to use a ladder to get up and down dangerous places and two priests from Danba had to make long detours to reach Tachienlu, So bad and dangerous was the road at one point that Pere Gratton thought of turning back to his flock at Danba. A long and rough climb, however, over the mountains brought them past the place where the river had washed away the road. The Danba trail is notorious, not only for its treacherous roads but for its precarious bridges. A couple of long planks are thrown across a yawning chasm with the wild turbulent river rushing below and on these the traveller risks his precious life; and as no attempt is made to attach the two planks together they sag considerably with the weight of each step upon them. The roads to Danba, Lenchi and Mohsi are in a bad condition and travellers who went out during the summer found it difficult getting past the dangerous bits, Miss Jean Stewart was injured by a landslide and two of her chairmen are still being treated in the Yachow hospital, Fortunately the mail courier experience on the frontier has made him both careful and judicious Under his wise guidance a happy course will no doubt be steered amidst the many rocks now appearing on the surface of what was once a quiet and peaceful sea. Anticipation is a statesman's greatest gift and bishops and archbishops demand a big share of it.
That a kind Providence is looking after these lonely Frenchmen away on the Tíbetan frontier there can be no.doubt. One day during the Conference when walking outside the east gate we saw cases and barrels arrive for the Mission. Having a purely Protestant outlook on life we imagined they must contain medicine for the Canadian Sisters at the south gate. Later we discovered they were light French wines all the way from France via southern China for the priests. That they should arrive when the conference was in session was simply wonderful as each pere on his return home would be able to take a supply with him. At one time it looked as if each returning Frenchman would have to drink his share of the consignment before he left Tachienlu as the Customs charged 40 cents per bottle entering the city and threatened to make the same charge going ow. A little friendly talk, however, and the situation was cleared up.
Captives Still Alive Another bit of important information that came out of the conference was the report that the Italian priest, Pere Pegoraro and the Spanish friar who was captured with him are still alive. The Italian has written to Bishop Valentin here telling of his safe arrival "somewhere" in northern China. They were captured at the Mohsi Leper Asylum in July 1935 by Chu Teh and his gang and apparently have been in their hands ever since. Pere Pegoraro wrote to say he was well and in good health but reported little more.
Those who have followed Chu
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.