o
medicines with me.

The mother, however, brought pen and paper, urging, "You can at least
write a prescription, which will do no harm, if it does no good."

But this also I declined to do, and requested to be shown my bed. I was
conducted to a very miserable room on the ground-floor, where, on some
boards raised upon two stools, I passed the night, without bed or
pillow, save my umbrella and shoe, and without any mosquito netting. Ten
or eleven other lodgers were sleeping in the same room, so I could not
take anything off, for fear of its being stolen; but I was, I found, by
no means too warm as midnight came on.

_August 5th._

As may be supposed, I arose but little rested or refreshed, and felt
very far from well. I had to wait a long time ere breakfast was
obtainable, and then there was another delay before I could get change
for the only dollar I had with me, in consequence of its being chipped
in one or two places. More than three hundred cash also were deducted
from its price on this account, which was a serious loss to me in my
trying position.

I then sought throughout the town for tidings of my servant and coolies,
as I thought it possible that they might have arrived later, or have
come on in the morning. The town is large, long, and straggling, being
nearly two miles from one end to the other, so this occupied some time.
I gained no information, however; and, footsore and weary, set out for
Hai-ning in the full heat of the day. The journey--about eight
miles--took me a long time; but a halfway village afforded a
resting-place and a cup of tea, both of which I gladly availed myself
of. When about to leave again, a heavy shower of rain came on, and the
delay thus occasioned enabled me to speak a little to the people about
the truths of the Gospel.

The afternoon was far spent before I approached the northern suburb of
Hai-ning, where I commenced inquiries, but could hear no tidings of my
servant or things. I was told that outside the East Gate I should be
more likely to hear of them, as it was there the sea-junks called. I
therefore proceeded thither, and sought for them outside the Little East
Gate, but in vain. Very weary, I sat down in a tea-shop to rest; and
while there a number of persons from one of the mandarin's offices came
in, and made inquiries as to who I was, where I had come from, etc. On
learning the object of my search, one of the me