nly one Chinese couple, and to this day I doubt
if either the one or the other uttered a syllable where they should
have said, "I do." In my own case I think I must have said "I will"
in a feeble voice, for my wife when her turn came sung out "I will"
in a voice that startled herself and me, and made it ominous how
much _will_ she was going to have in the matter. Wishing you all
blessings,

'Believe me yours truly,
'JAMES GILMOUR.'

CHAPTER VI

'IN JOURNEYINGS OFTEN, IN PERILS OF RIVERS'

The year following the marriage, owing to the absence of Dr. Dudgeon on
furlough, was spent almost entirely in Peking. In his absence Mr.
Gilmour took charge of what may be called the unprofessional work of the
hospital, the purely medical superintendence being in the hands of Dr.
Bushell of the British Legation. He varied this work and the routine of
ordinary mission duties by an occasional trip to other centres where
fairs were being held, in the company of Mr. Murray, of the National
Bible Society of Scotland, for the purpose of selling Christian books.
There was often a very keen friendly rivalry as to which could sell the
most, and not unfrequently very large quantities of tracts and booklets
were thus put into circulation.

Early in 1875, with the object of enabling his colleagues and his
friends among the other missions which have centres in Peking the better
to realise what life in Mongolia was like, he set up his Mongol tent in
the compound, and invited them in companies of five or seven to partake
of a Mongol dinner, cooked in Mongol fashion, and served as on the
Plain. His diary records that five such entertainments were necessary,
the utmost limit of the tent accommodation being reached on each
occasion.

'The guests came,' we are told, 'at the appointed time, and the fire of
wood was lighted in the middle of the tent. While the guests sat around
on felt spread upon the ground, Gilmour proceeded to cook the millet and
the mutton which furnished the feast. When all was ready a blessing was
asked and the meal was eaten. On one occasion a reverend gentleman was
called on to ask the blessing, but declined, feeling apparently that
what he was expected to eat was not of such a quality that he could ask
a blessing on it. Gilmour used often to refer to this with much
amusement, though at