The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-11-27
CALDWELL GIRL
VISITS CENTRAL
CHINESE MECCA
Miss Celia Cowan writes
Fascinating Letter of
Her Trip in Oriental
Lands
By Celia Cowan

Here am at last, up on the Cold
en- Top" OF one OF China's most sacred
mountains, place to which | have
looked forward to coming for three
years. VIII you first come with me
on the journey from Chengtu and then
take a look at the many things to be
seen here'
/ got back to Chengtu from an
itinerating trip on June 80, tired and
dirty and hungry. | spent Sunday
getting cleaned up. fed and rested.
and Monday started in to pack for the
summers vacation-not such pack
ing as you do to go off on a vacation
for ! must take food. flour, sugar,
canned milk and all other canned
goods that might be needed, cooking
utensils, dishes. table linen, bedding.
cot etc. in fact everything that is
needed in keeping house except the
heavy furniture In addition | must
pack all my Chinese study books and
scholarship letter material for you see
there is no real vacation for a mission
ary-only change OF scene and at
mosphere. This stuff all be packed
in boxes weighing about so pounds
each two boxes TO be carried on the
shoulders OF the men carriers. | work
ed hard at this most distasteful task
for three days and on Thursday morn
ing went down to our little boat
lust Mrs. WI and l. Mrs. WI is to
be my teacher for the summer and
recover her lost enrgy in the noun
tain air Our boat was a small one,
about ten feet wide and forty feet
long. We put all that we did not need
TO use on the trip down in the bottom
OF the boat so just being two OF us we
had plenty OF room to sleep. eat. and
live. OF course we had to have a cook
to do our cooking which was done on
the boat as we slipped down the river
on the rapid current at times being |
tossed hither and thither as we sped |
over the rapids. | was almost fright
ened sometimes as this was my first |
trip on a house boat. but our little |
craft made all OF these rapids safely |
II was a beautiful trip-you cannot
20 anywhere in Szechwan withou,
having beautiful scenery. and we had
a quit. restful time. AT night we hung
up oiled sheets for curtains. our serv-
ants sleeping on one end OF the boat
and the boat men on the other for
protection against sneak thieves, for
the river boats must all anchor at
night at a good sized town for pro-
lection against robbers. That night
we Rad a heavy thunder storm and
the rain poured in everywhere through
the bamboo mating roof. The men
crowded into the boat and used every
pan available to catch the drips but
hey were not sufficient so Mrs. WI
md ! gathered our bedding around
rs and put up our parasols over us ,
Until the rain should cease. At last h
I stopped leaking through the roof :
md we were able to spread oiled +,
heets under our bedding. make our |
beds and go to sleep again. 9
The next morning dawned bright .
md clear and we had another beaut-
al day. reaching, Kiating, the end G
II our boat trip. about FIVE O'Clock. \
he men who were to carry us up the Il
mountain the next day soon came and !,
ook us and our baggage Ooads for O
$ mem up to the Canadian Girls 7
chool where we had our supper and ,
pent the night on the porch. there .,
eing no one at home. The next n
forming we were up at 40 and off Il
Or Shin kai 81 newly opened temple) T
II Mt Omei, trip OF l20 Ii. a long a,
ay 5 journey. We had breakfast and W
inner at inns on the road as is the II,
nstom IN travelling. A little rain n
lndered us somewhat but still we 70
'aohed our little house not far from AZ
lie temple before dark. Others who 70
ere there before us invited us for n.
upper but we had to walk half a mile m
SO over muddy, slippery and narrow so
'ihs so we did not appreciate the Ga
viiation as much as we should "a
he next day being Sunday we did in
tie but rest and go to the foreign q;
ureh service (foreign here meaning NJ
neriean. Canadian. English, etc.) Ie,
MS being big foreign summer re- "a
II. over 200 adults and many child w,
!. lovely little church has been an
IL and this was an inspiring service he
me who am so much alone in my an,
irict travels. a.
The next days were spent in getting nv
house ready for Miss Proctor and io
Chinese girls who came with her
y Izcchow. They arrived Sa,ur. Ne