282 REMINISCENCES OF 



two rings they fastened round them, to which were 

 attached two chains which were passed through the 

 chain that descended from my neck, allowing my feet 

 six inches from each other. We felt now we were 

 to be separated, and it appeared to me the greatest 

 trial I had yet gone through — probably the last time 

 we should ever meet, or I should see any one with 

 whom I could converse. A hasty good-bye, and we 

 were led away in different directions. 



" After passing through one or two courtyards 

 and passages, I was taken into a court rather larger 

 than the others, on one side of which was a barn- 

 like building, through the grated windows of which 

 streamed a flood of light. The jailers who conducted 

 me gave three heavy bangs at the door, calling out at 

 the same time. The door was instantly thrown open, 

 and I found myself in a long room full of Chinese, 

 nearly all of them half naked, and some in the most 

 awful state of wretchedness and disease — upwards of 

 fifty altogether, and about nineteen were in chains 

 like myself, but lighter ones. They all pressed round 

 me ; the jailers now again searched me, but only 

 found a small prayer-book which had escaped their 

 attention in the first search. It being necessary to 

 put irons on my wrists, they had to undo the cords 

 that bound them behind my back. This was an 

 immense relief, although one hand was nearly black 

 from the circulation being so long stopped. I had 

 little sensation in it. Fortunately I had a ring on 

 one of the fingers of that hand, and they rubbed until 

 sufficient circulation had been produced to enable 



