Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-15
MISS HARRIET SMITH WRITES
VIVLDL Y OF WESTERN CHINA
Richmond Woman Enters Interior
OF Oriental Country for Y. w.
&. a. Work.

4 "a Vivid pictures OF scenes. pcoDl,
and ,cuStonl1 encountered by Miss
Harriet NJ. Smith on her journey into
Western China, where she went las;
spring. 10 organize Young Women's
Christian Association work, are
given In 4 letter received from he!
At association headquarters in Rich
i1ohd.
y The letter was written from Chang
III, Ssechwan Province. China. in
June. and has just arrived in Rich
mond, addressed TO the south At
tantic field committee.
MiSe,Smiuh left Richmond early in
the S3pting for the orient. where
her spcoiaI mission is the establish
ling OF the Y. w. &. y. IN Western
Z China Previous TO her departure
she spoke in the interest OF the
tion IN various cities OF the state
AT this time she was enjoying Il
years furloush after spending ten
years in China as a student sccro-
ttary at Shanghai. Her appointment
Ito this present undertaking by the
foreign department OF the national
board of the y. w. &. \. was COM
spiiment TO her ability and to her
gpast success in foreign activities OF
the organization.
81 Delightful Tale OF Adventure.
Ter lttttr, Wnlch mas prtn on IFS
Tourney to Richmond since last
June. Is a delightful tale OF advcn-
lure. The beauties OF the IangtEc
River and the DcriiS Of its rapids
of travelling over the great road
are seen the rice fields and Hills
of this section of the dragon couu-
try. The letter WAS written an
which Tibctan. snow-capS CLEAN IN
the distance like silver na!s In the
roof OF the world" In the noun
tains- Miss Smith is attending u lam
tho languasc OF the people among
whom she has chosen 10 live
The following excerpts from her
letter describe part OF = long Jour
hood reaches around the wo-ld:
In the first place. There We're thc
/. Eorgcs and the rapids. Thoy be-
and all Sunday afternoon I've sailed
Is at noon We rccelcd in beauty. You
know the ;antaiizing thrill OF =
winding road in the hills. Well. when
ana the hills are great mountains.
bathed In sunshine. the excitement
and beauty ot it fairly hurts Every
4 turn brought brcathlesS surprises.
now pyramid mountain side, cul-
tivatcd on all its green slope with
Erow!nS grain ana fr.Sh-plowed
heluS; now a distant temple. crowned
peak. now a prccariOusly cliuEiuE
Village, half hidden i'm trees When
we came 10 anchor for the night IN
the shadow Of a noun:ain-crdd
curved. at Sunsct--wc were all Clad
of few hours of darkness. when
there was nothing 10 lac seen
During that afternoon. We had a
few premonitory thrills watChir. the
old, crippled pilot direct tho boats
course from side TO side of the wor-
&ricd river around the hidden rocks
and shadows, which At lower water
MOULD have been dangerous rapids.
We began also\o glory in the throb
sisted the strong current so steadily
but these were only prophecies OF
the next days run.
On Deck All Day.
"All day yesterday, until We an
choTed for the night. about $50 i'm
the afternoon, We We're all on deck.
with tiNed attcntion-nxccpt Cor a
snatehed breakfast and a hurried
luncheon. Having PASSED only tin.
FIRST. OF the four famous Eorges on
i sunday, we passed the other three
yesterday and one after the other
Sthe great rapids. Today and ,omor
frow there SIN remain few noisy.
lrapids. but only one more 10 com
spare with those we saw Yesterday
1T is useless 10 describe rapiGs-,hry
are not so much a fact as a feel
ing TO the traveller on a steamer
To the poor Truckers" who Crnwl
along the fac. OF IN. towering r1trs
.aHd. strain and pull hauling great
junks over the rapids, am sure