ought up in the Woman's School and who was qualified to
be a "Bible Woman" or native Christian teacher. It was whispered that she
had actually met her betrothed on several occasions, but on their wedding
day no trace of recognition was visible, and the marriage was performed
with all the punctilious Chinese observances compatible with a Christian
ceremony.

Precedent required of this little bride, although she might have been
radiantly happy at heart, and undoubtedly was, to appear tearful and
shrinking and as she was escorted up the aisle by her bridesmaid one might
have thought she was being led to slaughter. White is not becoming to the
Chinese and besides it is a sign of mourning, so she had chosen pink for
her wedding gown and had a brilliant pink veil over her carefully oiled
hair.

After the ceremony the bride and bridegroom proceeded downstairs to the
joyous strain of the wedding march, but with nothing joyous in their
demeanor--in fact they appeared like two wooden images at the reception and
endured for over an hour the stares and loud criticism of the guests. He
assumed during the ordeal a look of bored indifference while the little
bride sat with her head bowed on her breast, apparently terror stricken.
But once she raised her face and I saw a merry twinkle in her shining black
eyes that made me realize that perhaps it wasn't all quite so frightful as
she would have us believe. I often wonder what sort of a life she is
leading in her far away Chinese courtyard.

CHAPTER IX

VOYAGING TO YUeN-NAN

We had a busy week in Hongkong outfitting for our trip to Yuen-nan. Hongkong
is one of the best cities in the Orient in which to purchase supplies of
almost any kind, for not only is the selection excellent, but the best
English goods can be had for prices very little in excess of those in
London itself.

The system which we used in our commissary was that of the unit food box
which has been adopted by most large expeditions. The boxes were packed to
weigh seventy pounds each and contained all the necessary staple supplies
for three persons for one week; thus only one box needed to be opened at a
time, and, moreover, if the party separated for a few days a single box
could be taken without the necessity of repacking and with the assurance
that sufficient food would be available.

Our supplies consisted largely of flour, butter, sugar, coffee, milk,
bacon, and marmalade, and but little tinned meat, veg