The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-28

looked around for my captain and
crew. All had disappeared save a
small boy who was playing with dog.
What was to be done?
1t was growing late; there were
many boats plying to and fro. carrying
gaudily clad passengers. On the shore
itinerant merchants thronged to the
town to sell their wares, and farmers
wended their way to the market place
to dispose of their produce.
/ began to lose patience.
go, seek your master and tell him
to come at once" I said to the little
ship-boy.
He leaped to the strand, and capered
away, to do my bidding, followed by
his canine comrade.
After another interval, the lao-pang
appeared upon the scene. But he was
alone.
Where are your crew." demanded
sternly, do you expect me to wait
for you all day?'
''Ah, the foreigners have nothing to
do" he sighed, ''yet they are always
in such a hurry! Pardon me; I will
go in search of my men,"
Several hours passed ere the mem
bers of the very limited crew were at
last assembled on the boat. 1t was
one o'clock in the afternoon when we
finally weighed anchor and our voyage
began.
The principal river of Kiang-Si is
called the Kung-Kiang. It was on this
busy stream that I now found myself
afloat. Coolies almost nude, ran along
the bank towing the craft, as horses
tow the canal boats in western coun-
tries. With this method of locomo-
ton, our progress was, indeed, far
from rapid. By evening we had tray-
eled about thirteen miles.
This slow voyaging has, neVerthe-
less, it's advantages. There is abund-
ance of time to observe the scenery,
and to see everything that happens
on the river or along the shore.
'You will have leisure to count
every tree on both banks of the river"
one of my colleagues had humorously
told me, as parted from him.
The Kung-Kiang is not a beautiful
river, nor do its Windings present at
tractive prospects. The hills that ex-
tend in parallel lines along it's course
are barren and sparsely wooded. Moth
ing like grove is to be seen for
many miles. Occasionally rocky
peak towers above the surrounding
heights like a formidable fortress.
Thither, in fact, in times of insurrec-
ton and war, villagers who do not
wish to be implicated in the troubles,
retire to escape massacre.
AS the voyager gazes up at some
such mountain fastness, and catches
sight, perhaps, of tiny hut in the
crevice of rock, he marvels how the
refugees who inhabited, or possibly
still inhabit it, ever managed to climb
to crag that seems almost hanging
in the air.
Very slowly, it is true, but yet sure
ly, my boat assembled the Kung-Kiang.
Along a part of it's course, this river
is extremely shallow and narrow. AS
it enters an extensive plain, it widens
and, at the other end of the valley,
there looms up an imposing mass of
dark stone.
Pointing this out to me, my lao
pang said, with a satisfaction in which
cordially sympathized:
"Yonder are the Notifications of
Ngan-Yen. Our voyage is nearly at an
end"
We arrived in due time and, almost
Immediately, discovered that my first
entrance into the town was not to be
incognito. Ny parishioners filed down
to the landing to receive me with much
| ceremony. The men we're attired in
their gala robes; and each held fan
in one hand and an umbrella in the
other. The children carried little ban
ners attached to long bamboo stalks.
l was welcomed with respectful
solemnity, and gaily caparisoned
donkey was led forward for me to
ride The wise animal, for a marvel,
stood motionless while mounted, and
| appeared to understand the gravity OF
the situation.
Anon, the procession started toward
the mission station.
All" l mentally soliloquized, "this
is my Palm Sunday. Am l also tc
know in this place something of the
trials and sufferings of Passion
| Week."
My Christians, proud and happy tt
have given me a pleasant surprise
marched onward in digniied silence
The donkey continued to behave with
a docility that was beyond all praise
thus affording me an opportunity to
observe to advantage the throngs Of
pagans who pressed forward to behold
1.-The foreigner" With all my heart
prayed that God would lead all these
poor natives to the truth.
At last we reached the chapel
Sprang from nv Steed Datted his nec[