I

My first trip through the Upper P'oon-Yu district is over. Every letter has been delivered, and all the money safely handed over. I am grateful to God that He made this possible, and also made the journey a very pleasant one.

We engaged a Ts'ung-fa boat, the only kind that manages up to Yan-woh market town at this time of the year. [Ts'ung-fa is a district bordering on P'oon-Yu to the north-east. It embraces the upper reaches of the river, so boats plying between it and Canton are of very shallow draft.—A. D.] We paid Idol 30c (2s 6d) a day which was the very cheapest obtainable. In the choice of the boat, as, indeed, in all things, God's guiding hand was evident. Many times did the words run in my mind: "To guide our feet into the way of peace." Our boatman had been in the employ of Mr Pearce and Mr Wells (L.M.S.), and thus understood just what was needed. He is an honest, homely man, and we got on well together. He had his wife, a daughter and little child, with a partner.

My outfit consisted of two cotton wadded quilts, two blankets and a pillow—carried page 6 in a large basket. Then I got a food hamper, and in it stored 5lb of bread, jam, tinned meat, butter, milk, three dozen eggs, biscuits, oatmeal, coffee, tea, salt, sugar, two cups and saucers, two small plates, two large do, one bowl, with knives, forks, and spoons. Also teapot, foot-stove and charcoal, lamp and oil, besides a few small things which I forget.

For breakfast William Chan and I had porridge together, followed by an egg and some fruit, with a cup of tea or coffee. We ate Chinese dinner, cooked by our captain's wife—she is a good cook, and we fared well. For tea Willie had rice again, while 1 had tinned meat with some bread and butter. We took jars of water with us, but after we got up about Ah-woo (Crow Lake) village the river water was quite good enough after boiling. We kept a good stock of fruit on hand, replenishing at Ko-t'ong and some other place.

We started on Monday morning, December 30, and returned on Saturday evening, January 4. Whe weather was beautiful throughout—just rather warm about noon and with a touch of frost in the evening air.

Monday.—Sailed in small boat from Fati College to P'oon-t'ong, where we got on the larger boat. As tide and wind were adverse we moved slowly, and at sunset—5 o'clock—found ourselves about half a mile below Nam-kong (South River).

Tuesday.—Started at 6 a.m. We soon passed Nam-kong, and then William and page 7 I got out and walked along the bank into Ko-t'ong (High Pond) market. It was market day, and we walked right through one of its two streets and back the other. We went through and back twice and through again, and were everywhere treated with respect and friendliness. Of course there was the cry of "Fan-kwai" (foreign devil) occasionally, but with no bitterness. Many were the remarks about my height—"Ho ko ke" (very tall) being continually heard. I think I owed something to the contrast between Mr Chan and myself. Several times William or I remonstrated in a quiet way with small groups for calling the foreigner "kwai," and they seemed to appreciate the reasonableness of our rebuke. We sat down just outside the town to wait for our boat, and quite a crowd gathered. A wedding was being celebrated in a house near, and the whole party came over to examine the foreigner. They asked all sorts of questions, felt my clothes, and seemed much interested in my boots; but were most orderly and inoffensive. Their greatest surprise was at my being able to understand what they said. Again and again I was asked: "How long have you been in China?" When I told them they exclaimed, "Only three weeks, and you know our language!" The townspeople say that a foreigner is a very rare sight in Ko-t'ong, and I suppose I am the first specimen that a great many of the folk had seen. This is evidently by far the best market town in Upper P'oon-Yu district—such crowds page 8 of people and seemingly brisk business. There must have been some hundreds of buffaloes in the market, and quite a number of ponies also.

Here we met several men who showed a trembling desire to bring up from their boot-soles the English they had learned in other lands. I understood them much bettor when they talked Chinese. One man had been gardening in Wellington. Just as we were returning to the boat at the north end of the town 1 saw a Chinese in foreign dress hurrying past, and pulled him up to ask where he got his clothes. I was surprised to see him shake hands with Mr Chan, in whose garden at Forbury he had worked. He told us that "Golden Purpose" (formerly of King street, Dunedin) was just then in the town, and ran off to find him. We returned to our boat, but they did not come.

Appearances may have deceived me, but I think a good work is possible in Ko-t'ong, if entered on very carefully. [The Americans opened a preaching station here some time ago, but were forced to close owing to the antipathy of the townsfolk. It is they whose good will must be gained. On market day quite a number of returned emigrants are about, whose open friendliness more than off-sets the enmity of the residents. One shop in the town is owned by three returned Otago men, which may count for something in getting a footing here.—A. D.]

About 1.30 p.m. we left Ko-t'ong, and

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about 4 o'clock neared P'ong-woo (Mussel Lake). It was interesting to see on the river bank a building with which—thanks to your camera—I was already acquainted—the High School. We landed and went for a walk into the town. There were some bad characters who were inclined to be rowdy; but we met some who had been in the colonies, and had a good look at the place. As we were going back to our boat a man said in English, "Good day." He used to work in Maori Gully, and knows James Shum and others there. He asked for a younger brother named "Third-lad," but I could not find his name in my book.

Quito a crowd followed us to the boat, some of them talking very excitedly about the "Fan kwai." After tea and reading and prayer together as usual, a small boat came alongside with some women and a man. One is the wife of "Five Duties," who was working on the Lammerlaw Mountains, out from Serpentine. She was very glad to hear that I knew where he was. Their visit was welcome after some black looks ashore.

Wednesday, January 1, 1902.—It was strange to be the only one about who thought anything of New Year's Day. Above P'ong-woo we passed over several weirs built to turn the stream into channels to work the bamboo water wheels [like the Spanish noria.—A. D.] for lifting the water and irrigating the adjacent fields. We went right up to Ko-Tsang market page 12 town, and after dinner went ashore. On the steamer between Wellington and Sydney I had met a Ko-Tsang man returning from Greymouth, so I went to the town and asked for him. He had just the day before gone out to Canton city; but we were most kindly received by his friends, and one of his brothers volunteered to guide us to Ai-kong (Dwarf Hill).

But I must break off here, and give you later a full account of the rest of the journey. Tomorrow morning (D.V.) we start about 6.30 a.m. by steam launch for the Tsang-shing district.

House accommodation cannot be had in Canton, except at exorbitant rates, and the sooner we find a home for our mission work outside the city the better. Yet I hardly think it would be wise for me to go right out into the country until I know a little more. More anon.