rry my things as far as to Chang-gan, and ere sunrise we
were on the way. I walked on alone, leaving my servant to follow with
the men, who made frequent stoppages to rest; and on reaching a city
through which we had to pass, I waited for them in a tea-shop just
outside the North Gate. The coolies came on very slowly, and seemed
tired when they arrived. I soon found that they were both opium-smokers,
so that, although they had only carried a load that one strong man would
think nothing of taking three times the distance, they really seemed
wearied.

After some rice and tea and an hour's rest--including, I doubt not, a
smoke of the opium pipe--they were a little refreshed, and I proposed
moving on, that we might get to Chang-gan before the sun became too
powerful. My servant, however, had a friend in the city, and he desired
to spend the day there, and to go on next morning. But to this I
objected, wishing to reach Hai-ning that night if possible. . . . We
therefore set off, entered the North Gate, and had passed through about
a third of the city, when the coolies stopped to rest, and said they
should be unable to carry the burden on to Chang-gan. Finally, they
agreed to take it to the South Gate, where they were to be paid in
proportion to the distance they had carried it; and the servant
undertook to call other coolies and come along with them.

I walked on before as in the first instance, and the distance being only
about four miles, soon reached Chang-gan, and waited their arrival,
meanwhile engaging coolies for the rest of the journey to Hai-ning.
Having waited a long time, I began to wonder at the delay; and at length
it became too late to finish the journey to Hai-ning that night. I felt
somewhat annoyed; and but that my feet were blistered, and the afternoon
very hot, I should have gone back to meet them and urge them on. At last
I concluded that my servant must have gone to his friend's, and would
not appear until evening. But evening came, and still there was no sign
of them.

Feeling very uneasy, I began diligently to inquire whether they had been
seen. At last a man responded, "Are you a guest from Shih-mun-wan?" I
answered in the affirmative. "Are you going to Hai-ning?" "That is my
destination." "Then your things have gone on before you; for I was
sitting in a tea-shop when a coolie came in, took a cup of tea, and set
off for Hai-ning in a great hurry, saying that the bamboo box and bed he
carried, which