The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-07-26
A VISIT TO HA,TANe.
Bv Mary Ninde Gamewell.

Don't think of going to Haitang!"
urges solicitous friends. "The trip is
bad enough for q man, but a woman
should never attempt it except in
case of absolute necessity" Then fol
lowed narrowing tales Of the hard.
ships experienced by those who had
crossed the thirty-five miles of treach-
erous sea between the mainland and
the island. My determination to go,
however, strengthened with each ad-
verse argument presented.
IF our two brave missionaries are
willing to isolate themselves and live
at Haitang the year around" ! reas-
oned, ut is a pity if I cannot risk
something to make one visit to them
For three days we waited at Ngu-
cheng, on the eastern coast OF the
province of Fukien, for good weather,
but at last the sun rose in clear sky
and every condition seemed favorable.
The captain OF the diminutive junk on
which we were to embark. sent word
we must be on board at nine o'clock,
though it was eleven before the tide
had risen sufficiently to float our little
craft. Hope ran high with us, and we
fully expected to reach our destlna-
ton by two or three O'Clock in the az
ternoon. Our sedan chairs, in which
we had been carried to the shore,
were dashed to the sides OF the boat,
and as they afforded a protection from
the sun. as we'll as the chilling wlnd,
we crept into them and remained
there most of the day.
We had not gone more than two or
three miles from the shore when the
wind died down, and we found our
selves becalmed. Later, by lacking,
some progress was made, but at four
O'Clock we were only half way to the
island. The tide was going out SO
RAPIDLY that the sailors had to anchor
and wait for its return at seven
o'clock. Our lunch had been con-
sumed before noon and We were raw
enously hungry. AS We were not very
far from land, the man OF the party
managed to get ashore and walked two
miles to a village, where he bought
some coarse rice. This was cooked
for us on the junk over small wood
fire and then-oh, shades OF our lorm-
err fastidious selyes!-We ate 1t greed
ily out of the bowls and with the chop
sticks belonging to that Chinese crew!
But life on the mission field is great
leyeler, and furnishing man or Wo-
man is not disposed to be disturbed
by trifies.
At last our patched sails We're again
unfurled. and catching what breeze
there was we continued our journey.
The new moon shed a faint light on
the water, enabling the helmsman TO
see his course. Again and again the
wind died down utterly. and then on
the still night air rose the weird shrlll
cry of the boatmen, calling to it to
come back. We dozed at intervals,
but our cramped position and the
uangs of hunger did not admit OF
much restful slumber.l 1t was not till
one o'clock in the morning that we
finally reached port, and were carried
ashore on the backs OF the sailors and
set down on the wet sand of Haitang.
boy was sent ahead to the mission
house to arouse the gatekeeper and
give notice of our arrival. The Chi
nese presiding elder, with several 9TH
ers carrying lanterns. soon came down
to meet us and guide us up the hill, on
ton of which our property is located.
In the semi-darkness slipped into a
crumbling grave, for like most OF the
hillsides in southern China, this one
was honey-combed with them, but l
was easily pulled out and no damage
done. Miss Glassburner and Miss An
keny, who had been looking for us all
day. gave US the heartiest kind OF a