The San Francisco call., 1904-04-10
CHAPTER VI.

THE TEMPLE OF CHING-LING-
Wun Chow Bay is a basin measuring
about two miles both in width and
length. On three sides it is bounded by
the mainland which ends in a prom
ontory OF tutting rock On the fourth
or south side a mountain of an island
rises three hundred feet from the sea-
The harbOr entrance is a narrow inlet
between the promOntory or the main
land and the eastern extremity of Lynx
Island Several picturesque rocky fig
ures stand out of the water in the in
let as If to mark the mainland's an
cient boundary line-the sentinels OF
Lynx Island, a nightmare to captains
inward bound. On the western shore
of the bay was the small native village,
and around the western end of Lynx
Island on the little neck Of water di-
viding it from the mainland, was a ia
panese village; for this was an open
port and a regular landing place for
japanese steamers plying between Ma
gasaki and northern Chinese ports
One of these steamers was lying at
anchor in the harbor Of Wun Chow,
surrounded by sampans. Another was
Just clearing the harbor as we entered
the village, the black trail of its smoke
lying along the horizon, making the
sentinels of Lynx Island look like di-
minutive smoking volcanoes.
But my eyes passed quickly from the
merchantmen and rested long ON lit
tie white speck on the blue waters-the
yacht Dulcette of the Russian man-Of-
war Uric, which was stationed at Tsi-
The little craft lay floating near the
precipitOus side of Lynx Island, evil
IDENTIFY as near shore as possible, and I
- confess my spirits rose as / watched it
rise on the swell of the sea. Then my
eyes ran from it to the shore, dis
tance of two hundred feet-how could
we bridge that leap?
From theehore looked up the steep
side of the mountain, and my heart
sank within me, for it seemed a we'll
nigh impossible course down which to
bring a burden in the dark Of night.
The mountain side was serrated with
great ribs of rock extending from end
to end Here and there the dark ra
vines seemed, from my standpoint on
the beach at the village, more impass-
able, even, than the rugged face Of the
mountain side. Our burden, !. doubted
not, would weigh no less than six or
eight hundred pounds and l knew that
the Temple of Ching-ling $50 it was
called locally) was on the summit Of
the island, though 1 could see no trace
of it.
Two courses were open to US; diff
cult (if not impossible) climb down the
side Of the mountain, or long round
about trip along the summit, down the
descending western slope to the japan
ese village, then through Wun Chow
to the shore Of the bay. Secrecy would
demand that the former course be
adopted if it was within the range Of
possibility.
AsI have said, was unable to bring
myself to act on my suspicious Of Col
onel Yon Ii. have stated them in the
order in which they arose, to show
what. must have been my perturbed
mental condition when I arrived on the
ground In proper order it will be seen
whether or not acted rightly.
Once in Wun Chow, Colonel Ii ad-
yised me to take my Cossacks to the
Japanese village, where we could find
mere comfortable accommodations at
Japanese inns, while he and his men
remained in Wun Chow. 1t is needless
to say 1 went with great misgivings.
for I had resolved not to let the man
out of my sight, unless necessary to
prevent raising his suspicious of my
doubt But now, at the outset, / was
compelled to choose between my fears
and Colonel Ii, and, brought to the
poiut which / could not evade with
out discomfort and embarrassment, /
assented without betraying shadow OF
distrust. He promised to follow quickly
after me and pilot me to the temple on
the island for a preliminary survey OF
the ground.
In fact I had not finished my late
tiffin when he came gathering up with
| fresh horses, and we were off. Fording
the narrow inlet which at low tide was
not more than two feet deep, we gained
the mountain and began ascending the
narrow, stony path
Once on Lynx Island, felt new in
terest in our mission. Added to this
freshening zeal, Colonel Ii was instant
ly full cf much necessary information
The monastery of Ching-linS had been
raised to the rank at the time or the
I Queens death. This exaltation in rank
made necessary number of alterations
in the temple, a larger and more elab-
crate service, and a greater number of
priests, the number Of the latter being
doubled from twenty-five to fifty.
, 1 commented, to myself, that the
additional force was undoubtedly a
soldierly set of men and well armed
and priests, Colonel Ii further in
formed me that none of all this retinue
knew the nature of the treasure they
. were guarding, save the three high
! priests, but that all knew that when
! the monastery was made of first rank
a precious gift was laid within the al
tar, appropriate to its exalted position