etables_. _Remarks on roads and railways_. _The real Opening of
China_. _How the foreigner will win the confidence of the Chinese_.
_Distances and their variability_. _Calculations uprooted_. _Author in a
dilemma_. _The scenery_. _Hard going_. _A wayside toilet, and some
embarrassment_. _Filth inseparable from Chinese humanity_. _About
Chinese inns_. _Typewriter causes some fun_. _Soldiers guard my
doorway_. _Man's own "inner room."_ _One hundred and forty li in a day_.
_Grandeur and solitude_. _Wisdom of traveling alone_. _Coolie nearly
cuts his toe off_. _Street scene at Puerh-tu_. _The "dying" coolie_. _A
manacled prisoner_. _Entertained by mandarins_. _How plans do not work
out_.

He who would make most abundant excuses for the Chinese could not say
that he is simple in his speech.

That speech is the chief revelation of the mind, the first visible form
that it takes, is undoubtedly true: as the thought, so the speech.
All social relations with us have their roots in mutual trust, and this
trust is maintained by each man's sincerity of thought and speech.
Apparently not so in China. There is so much craft, so much diplomacy,
so much subtle legerdemain that, if he chooses, the Chinese may give you
no end of trouble to inform yourself on the simplest subject. The
Chinese, like so many cavillers and calumniators, all glib of tongue,
who know better than any nation on earth how to turn voice and pen to
account, have taken the utmost advantage of extended means of
circulating thought, with the result that an Englishman such as myself,
even were I a deep scholar of their language, would have the greatest
difficulty in getting at the truth about their own affairs.

As I was going out of Sui-fu my caravan and myself were delayed by some
fellow, who held the attention of my men for a full quarter of an hour.
I listened, understanding nothing. After another five minutes, by which
time the conversation had assumed what I considered dangerous
proportions, having the safety of my boy at heart, I asked--

"T'ong, what is it?"

"Half a sec.," he replied (having learnt this phrase from the gunboat
men down the river). He did not, however, take his eyes from the man
with whom he was holding the conversation. He then dived into my
food-basket, wrenched off the top of a tin, and pulled therefrom two
beautifully-marked live pigeons, which flapped their wings helplessly to
get away, and resumed the conversation. Talk waxed furiou