Peitaiho, June 9.
"Peitaiho? But surely it isn't safe to go there?" was said to us so often. that we felt ourselves to be quite brave adventurers when we set off from Shanghai last week.
On arrival at Chinwangtao we were boarded by the Chinese doctors of the Customs, who proceeded to give cholera inoculations to all those who had not had.the fore-thought to have them done before leaving Shanghai, The doctors were very pleasant and efficient, and a charming little Chinese nurse gave us our certificates, The charge was $1, While the Chinese passengers and crew were being inoculated, we interviewed Japanese official, and gave them particulars of our nationality, ages and past and future addresses—all quite simple. After that the Customs took an interest in our luggage, but it was quite a kindly one, and the formalities soon over.
It was 590 on the verandah the day we arrived here, rather an amazing change from Shanghai—but now it is 700 and brilliant blue skies, combined with a bracing sea breeze, make weather conditions ideal, Everything is so clean and fresh after Shanghai.
There seem to have been no changes since last year, and people who have been here for a month assure us that everything is as ever it was. Just to nake us feel quite at home; the hawkers, with baskets, peitaiho hats, laces, linens and dress materials of all kinds, were at our door-step on the day we arrived.
Food shops are all running as usual and the large stores from Tientsin "pen their branches here about June 15. The cinema is due to start on June 28, and we suppose the wee golf and bowling alleys will start then also. The roads have all been newly one, and houses, rickshaws and donkeys are all being furnished up or the season, The British troops from Tientsin are to be at the camp site between Chinwangtao and Petaiho, usually occupied by the American troops, I believe they take up their quarters there on June 13.
If things go on as they are now, Peitaiho certainly will deserve the title someone gave it, "The most peaceful spot in the Far East."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.