"January 12th.—In the afternoon we addressed the people on shore, opposite our boats; also in one of the streets, and in a tea-shop, books being distributed on each occasion. In the evening we went out as usual to speak in the tea-shops; but determined to go to the opposite end of the town (it was a straggling place, nearly two English miles long), in order to afford those who lived there a better opportunity of meeting with us. As Mr. Burns and I were accustomed to talk together in Chinese, this conclusion was known to those in the boats.
"After we had proceeded a short distance on our way, we changed our minds and went, instead, to the usual tea-shop, thinking that persons might have gone there on purpose to meet us. But this was not the case; and we did not find such serious hearers as we had done on previous occasions. On this account, Mr. Burns proposed leaving earlier than usual, and we did so; telling Dzien and Kway-hwo that they might remain a little longer. On our way back to the boats we gave away a few books; but, singularly enough, we were left to return alone,—no one going with us, as is generally the case. Instead of being a clear night, as it was when we left the boats, we found that it had become intensely dark. On our way we met the boatman, whose manner seemed very strange; and, without giving us any explanation, he blew out our lantern candle. We relighted the lantern, telling him he was not to put it out again; when, to our surprise, he took the candle out and threw it into the canal. He then walked down on a low wall jutting to the water's edge, and looked into the water.
"Not knowing what was the matter with him, I ran forward to hold him, fearful lest he was going to drown himself; but to my great relief he came back. In answer to our repeated enquiries, he told us not to speak, for some bad men were seeking to destroy the boats, and they had moved them off to avoid this. He then led us to the place where one of them was lying. Before long, Dzien and Kway-hwo came, and got safely on board; and soon after we were joined by the teacher Sung, and the boat moved off.
"The cause of all this disturbance was then explained:—A man, professing to be the constable, had come to the boats in our absence, with a written demand for ten dollars and a quantity of opium. He stated that there were more than fifty country people (salt smugglers) awaiting our reply in an adjoining tea-shop; that if we gave them what they wanted, and three hundred cash to pay for their tea, we might remain in peace; but if not, they would come at once and destroy our boats. Sung told them that we could not comply with their demand; for not doing any trade, but only preaching and distributing books, we had not an atom of opium; and that our money was nearly expended; a fact of which he was aware (as far as I was concerned), as I had been saying to them that I should have to return to Shanghai for supplies early next week. The man, however, told him plainly that he did not believe him; and Sung had no alternative but to seek us, desiring the man to await our reply. Not knowing that we had changed our plan, he sought us in the wrong direction, and, of course, in vain.
"In the meantime the boatmen succeeded in moving off. They were very much alarmed; and had had such a proof but a few days before of what these men dare do in open day-light, that they had no desire to see what they would do by night. They had moved off, therefore, and separated, one going to one place, and the other to another; that if one boat should be injured, the other might afford us a refuge. It was after this that we so providentially met the boatman, and were led on board. As Sung repassed the place where the boats had been lying, he saw between ten and twenty men among the trees, and heard them enquiring where the boats had gone to, but no one knew. Fortunately, they sought in vain.
"Moving to the west, the two boats joined, and rowed together for some time. It was already late; and to travel by night in that part 01 the country was not the way to avoid danger from evil men; so the question came, what was to be done? This we left for the