Of course when we did land, I was $20 short, exactly the cost of one boat, but as the boatmen were in league with him I told them where to get it, so finally the bounder got away with a mere $5. At the first missionary station I was able to sell 2 cheque enough to last me to Sian In the end it turned out for the best that we landed at this man's private port, for his commanding officer. who had just ordered all smoking to cease, was anxious to conciliate, ex-podited my progress and helped at our crossing of the last river. the Sha.
Furthermore we found that had we landed only fifteen li to the north, the Pukka Central Government troops there would have refused permission to proceed, as Gen. Wei Li-huang was enforcing the Government order to stop all foreigners from crossing over into free China near the war slimy ooze.
Transferred to smaller boats. (the guerillas were here and took the money) and, hearing that Chenchow bad been retaken by the Chinese, we made in that direction, being skated and lifted bodily boat and all through liquid mud, before making dry land. Here a "worldlywiseman" took us to on "easy" crossing of the Hsieh River (five li wide) where his friends relieved us of $110. Then ten li from Chenchow, we learned that the Japanese had retaken that place, coming down the Yellow river from Kaifeng in light motor craft.
Troubles with Shanghai Cheques All foreigners had left. This was a great disappointment, as I had been counting on getting some money there. With an account in Shangh i: was impossible to sell cheques in Kweiteh, where F.R.B. is changed into Central Government and one gains 45 per cent. but now I hadn't enough to cross the 45 li stretch of the Yellow River floods. By living on the savings of our kind carters we gained the banks; incidentally getting away from one bandit nest by a little judicious and gratuitous medicine. In this region. every man goes armed, for his hand is against every other man, villages are fighting villages. We were kicked out of one at midnight because the neighbours were about to attack or the Government troops or the Reds or most of all the merchants who are smuggling every conceivable commodity into free China, specially oil, soap, paper, bicycles and cigarettes.
Due to a broken axle. and the argument with bandits we arrived at the zones, Other missionaries were held for weeks, and what was worse their carters were smuggling heroin through and, of course. cuted, if were caught. There reason for was s just after we passed. another Mr, Danielson, was shot that vicinity while free China with his family.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.