Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-19

ShanqhaI Aqain-Grand lanai E$cur-
/ n-Yokohama-The House on
the Bluff-Missionary Work with
| Pins.
| On the voyage from Tien-tsin to
| Shanghai, the ship touched at Taku
| and Chefu. which gave me an oppor-
| tunity Of meeting and bidding fare
| well to some of the best people / have
ever known, and whose friendship l
valued very highly. Mutual and sin
| cere, regrets were expressed at part
| ing and the many charming people l
| 1ave met in both these places l shall
always remember with infinite pleas
IRE.
Upon arriving at Shanghai 1 imme-
diately went to the hotel, and after
| securing accommodations went to pay
my respects to the consul general. |
found him with party just about
starting on an excursion through the
| Grand Canal in two houseboats, with
steam launch to tow them. After
| making myself known, and the usual
| compliments had passed, they urged
me to join the party. / said / would
| Re more than pleased to do so, but
| that it would require all of two hours
| Tor me to return to the motel and make
| the necessary preparations. They
said that didn't matter, they would
wait: and they waited and 1 went with
| them, and a jollier party never fioated
CT the Grand Canal than the party
that occupied those two households.
We were five days on the cruise, and l
can safely say that 1 learned more of
Chinese life in all its phases during
hose five days than in the three years
of my residence among that people,
and l do think that to a person inter-
ested in the history of China and the
Chinese a trip through the Grand
Canal is of itself worth a voyage to
the Orient. The arched bridges that
still remain over the canal are Won
6erful works of art, but those Destroy
ed during the TAPPING rebellion nave
reyer been repaired or rebuilt. as the
hand of the present Chinese race has
lost its cunning and is not equal to it.
The Grand Canal excursion was a
grand success from the beginning to
the end, and added another important
event to my life in China, and / shall
ever feel grateful to Consul General
Eenneday for his kindness and his
roble treatment of myself while
member of his party.
/ remained in Shanghai several days
and during that time l was kept very
busy accepting invitations to family
tiffins and public dinners from friends
whom | had met during my frequent
visits to the city from Tien-tsin, and
they were all charming beyond Ian
guage to express. The last of the Sc
ries was a gentleman's party, and at
the final winding up they escorted me
20 the ship that was soon to sail for
Yokohama After an offectionate
lesve-taking i retired to my state:-
room and when 1 awoke in the morn
irg the ship was well on her way to
Ter destination.
We had A. coal sup at Nagasaki. and
Il ere | made the acquaintance of Mr..
Birch, the United States consul, and
remained with him that night. and
we did have what might be called in
the higher walks of society "a high
cid time" and if there was any OBJ
ject of interest in that city that we
did not investigate it was on account
of the lateness of the hour and the
Place being closed. I left Mr.. Birch
after a delicious breakfast. thoroughly
convinced that he was worthy of the
position he so ably filled After leav-
iTg NH@asaki we sailed through the
1nlaud Sea in the night time, and the
numerous lights on the Japanese fish
ing boats were a wonderful and weird
sight. and it required slow and care-N
-ul navigation of the steamer to pre-
vent coming into contact with the
fishing boats. As for their getting out
CT the way of the steamer. such an
lFea never entered the neduS OF those
JaCanese fishermen.
We arrived at Yokohama on the
morning of the fifth day from Shang-
hai with eevrybody well and every
thing lovely. after one of the most en-
jcyable passages ever made between
two commercial centers. | love to lie
awake nights ana think about it.
Mr.. Clarence Greathouse having
been appointed consul general at Yo-
kohama since | left there three years
lefore and he being an old-time
friend of mine and a member Of the
Et hemian club. | went to call on him
soon after signing The hotel register.
On my way to the consulate l dropped
in at the Pacific Mail Steamship office
to inquire about the departure of the
steamer. received the desired infor-
] .ation, and was invited by Mr.Chan.l-
l." Howard to tiffin at his home Hav-
lrg known Mr.. Howard and his wife,
Nellie Hops the artist, in San Fran
cisco. | very gladi accepted the IN
vitation.~ and then weGded my way to
tn" consulate Of Consul General Great
house. We met as becometh oid-time.
friends after a long separation, and
after a VrrY lively conversation of
several minutes the consul inquired
where was my baggage / said, AT
the hotel" then. without consulting
IN" lie called his man and said to
rim:
Nov, you so to the hotel and tell