Arizona republican., 1911-02-03
A CHINESE JOURNEY
Rice Boat and Sedan chair-Ths Viii
lase lnn-kucheng's Welcome


MARY Ninde Gamewell in lions Her
add.
After three days We left Yenping
i'm rice boat. the usual cargo OF rice
being left behind In order to accom-
modate us. We had three oarsmen
one Of them so stupid with opium he
was Of little service. our junk seem
ed palace i'm size and comfort COM
pared TO this small transport. Laying
on the bottom OF the boat several rugs
and sofa pillows. We seated ourselves
on them, with our backs against one
side and our feet braced against the
other II was necessary TO sit very
quietly In order to balance the boat
properly while shooting the rapids. and
as the day wore on our cramped posi-
ton became almost uncomfortable At
| five o'clock. TO our infinite relief, We
reached Kirkakao IL had taken us just
/ eight hours to cover a distance that re-
quired nearly four days IN going up the
| river. We stepped on shore and found
sedan-chairs and coolies awaiting us.
with kind notes from DIR. and Mrs. T.
| III. Coole. welcoming us to Kucheng.
But IL was impossible Ia start out on
twenty four-mile ride over the noun
tains into the interior till the next
morning. so the question arose where
to spend the night We decided To GO
up into the village and look at the inn.
We climbed the sand hill and a flight
OF uneven stone steps TO the street
This thoroughfare was so narrow We
could almost reach across IL with our
outstretched arms. II was partly en-
closed overhead and paved with cob
blestones. wet and slippery from the
water constantly spilled out OF over
flowing buckets carried 20 and fro The
curious people gathered about ms. i'm
pending our progress In front and
pressing upon us from behind At last
We reached the inn and entered a big
room open To the street. with a black
dirt floor. Cinnamon in ragged blue
cotton garments were talking in groups
in loud, strident voices The air was
full OF smoke from an earthen stove
IN one corner where a begrimed cook
was frying some greasy cakes. We
passed through 10 a small court be-
You'd Here a number of men We're
loungins with long,. metal tobacco pipes
In their mouths. A woman having the
tiniest of bound feet and half dozen
silver pins sticking out OF her hair like
porcupine quilts showed us two cell
Ike rooms opening from the court
Each had for its sole furnishing n
wooden Chinese bed. covered with
dirty, much-worn bamboo mat. From
one Of them a small window opened
into dark alley. The novice gave a
nasty glance around and exclaimed:
''Oh, do let us go back and sleep In
the boat Anything will be better than
this. The others readily agreed. but
could not forbear adding: You know
You were so eager 20 snjoy the ex-
perience OF sleeping In Chinese
inn"
AS soon as we went on board the
boat. we began LAYING out the food
Tor supper. Tor we were tired and
hungry We put piece OF oiled
paper on the floor and spread our
tablecloth over IT, Instantly a child |
from the crowd around us of a curl
Gus and investigating turn OF mind
stepped on IL with dirty bare feet To- |
see how IL felt. We "shooed" the lit
tie fellow off. finished our prepara-1
lions and then with what appetite
was left us tried to eat. But IL was
rather hard work in. view of the
nature OF our Chinese audience and
their close proximity At last dark |
ness came on. and we disposed our
selves as comfortably as we could
for the night. We sent our crew
away. hut the old opium smoker in
sisted on returning. curled himself nm |
In the bow. and RECALLED us with the
sickening sweet fumes OF his drug
till dawn. This. with the frequent
beating of a drum from a nearby
temple. drove sleep from our eyes. so
that we were glad TO rise. eat a hur-
ried breakfast. and set forth on our
journey.
The delight OF the fresh morning
air. the beauty of the scenery. and
the easy swinging motion of the
| chairs. soon made us forget our
fatigue. Up and up the mountain We
went. only to descend and climb
again. A stream. sometimes widen
ing into little river. flowed noisiIy
past us in the valley most of the
way. As the day advanced we real
lied we should not reach Kucheng
before dark. and began to wonder IL
our one lantern would light the path
way for all our coolies. for IL was
narrow one and misstep might be
fatal. Our WEAKNESS returned. and
we looked forward with longing to
the end of our ride. Suddenly. about
five O'clock. we were startled by the
sound OF fire-crackers. Looking I'm.
| at the head of the mountain pass
before us. we saw a sight that thrill
ed our hearts and brought the tears
10 our eyes. There stood DIR. and
Mrs. Coole smiling us welcome, and
behind them was ranged long dou-