and on to the hien city of Haou-fung (or Shaou-foong) where we slept at the Kwanti mew (Temple) out side. Distance travelled 74 le.—Course good, N. 11 miles—E. 22.
April 11th—From Haoufung to the Maichee Ferry,—three miles beyond the town, where we took boat at 8 p. m. and a little before mid-night started for Hoochow, which was reached at 11 of the following day. There we remained till Monday morning, the Doctor then leaving me by boat for Kan Poo, on his return to Ningpo. From Haou-fung to Maichee Ferry the distance travelled was 85 le. Course good N. 17 miles—E. 20.
While in the boats, four days from Hoochow to Shanghae, sometimes sailing at 5 or 6 knots an hour, tugging at 5, or skulling at 2 knots—latterly through a continued series of winding creeks, it was not possible to fix the courses and distance with anything like correctness, and I have therefore not attempted it.*
As it is my intention to publish fuller particulars in the shape of a hand-book to the whole land travel, two-thirds of which was through districts never before traversed by Europeans in their usual costume, at all events during the remembrance of "the oldest inhabitant," we found the people as kind as it is possible to conceive. A nod or a smile was, instantly returned, and a salute promptly responded to in a spirit indicating respect and appreciation of the compliment. Certainly, if prejudice does exist against foreigners in these regions, it was not exhibited towards us; and there appears to me no reason to doubt but similar excursions could be extended in perfect safety to the most western parts of the empire.
If I might judge from a little incident in the district of Ningkwoh (Anwhuy) where one of our bearers struck the native guide for leading us over a tiresome path, I should say but little sympathy exists between the people of the several provinces. Complaint being made by the guide to one of his countrymen who came up with us on their return from a pilgrimage to the Eastern Teen-muh, the words used by them were—"How dare you, Chekiang men, to come into our province, and strike one of its people on the Emperor's high way? Were it not for our regard to the foreigners you accompany, we would take you all to the nearest authority, and there get you a hearty bambooing" I mention this circumstance the tone of the admonition implying more than is here expressed, because I think it tends to show that with our quarrel with the Cantonese the people of other provinces will not care a jot;—and that unless the Chinese Government initiate it, (their means being required for the attempt to subdue a rebellion in which, in spirit, all participate) the war need not, of necessity, be
* My companion having remarked at starting that the latitudes and longitudes of the different cities in our route weie variously stated by different authorities, I was particular in noting our course with all the pains in my powers, so as to check to half a degree at least. The rate of walking was fixing at an average to ten le [a little over 3 miles] per hour.—W. T.
