es Stedeford, who was sent out by the Connexion
to visit the whole of the mission fields, was able to come only so far
as Tong-ch'uan-fu, and was forced to return to Europe without having
seen any of the magnificent work among the Hua Miao.

After my manuscript went forward to my publishers, permission to travel
and protection were granted to British subjects again on the main road
leading up to the Yangtze Valley. The author was the first Britisher to
go from Tong-ch'uan-fu to Chao-t'ong-fu, and as I write, as late as the
middle of July, 1910, I am of the opinion that it is unwise to travel
over this road for a long time to come, unless it is absolutely
imperative to do so. At Kiang-ti I had considerable trouble in getting
a place to sleep, and I was glad when I had passed Tao-ueen.

At the invitation of missionaries working among them, I then spent some
months in residence and travel in Miaoland, and only regret that an
extended account of my experiences is not possible.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote N: July, 1910.]

[Footnote O: The local name for the Yangtze.]

[Footnote P: This Liu was a remarkable man, quite unlike the average
mandarin. He got the name of Liu Ma Pang, a disrespectful term, meaning
that he was fond of using the stick. On a journey towards Chao-t'ong,
some years ago, he went on ahead of his retinue of men and horses, and
arriving at an inn at Tong-ch'uan-fu, asked the _ta si fu_--the general
factotum--for the best room, and proceeded to walk into it. "No you
don't," yelled the _ta si fu_, "that's reserved for Liu Ma Pang, and
you're not to go in there." After some time Liu's men arrived, and
calling one or two, he said, "Take this man" (pointing to the surprised
_ta si fu_) "and give him a sound thrashing." He stood by and saw the
whacking administered, after which he said, "That's for speaking
disrespectfully of a mandarin." Then, "Give him a thousand cash,"
adding, "That's for knowing your business."

Some years ago Liu was the means of saving the life of the late Mr.
Litton (mentioned later in this book), at the time he was British Consul
at Tengyueh, when there was fighting down in the south of Yuen-nan with
the Wa's.--E.J.D.]

[Footnote Q: He was captured some months afterwards, I believe, at
Mengtsz.--E.J.D.]

CHAPTER X.

THE TRIBES OF NORTH-EAST YUeN-NAN, AND MISSION WORK AMONG THEM

Men who came through Yuen-nan twenty years ago wrote of its doctors and
its medicines, its pove