irOTliS PROM MY DiAltY. 24? 



putting an elderly member of the crew in charge made a rapid run to Shanghai without further 

 incident. In a week's time the lowdah paid me a visit, came back to his old job, and was 

 with me for a long time afterwards. I do not advise such heroic treatment of anyone now- 

 a-days, and I certainly should not dream of doing anything so rash in this year of grace. 



ik * i^ 



In February, 1897, I was Mr. R. E. C. Fittock's guest on board his boat the Whale, and 

 it became very soon evident that our crew was not of the best. It was on Saturday, 

 27th February, that we were shooting nearMonksijowonthe way to the Zemingdong marshes 

 after snipe. As we were about to return to the boat from which we were distant probably 

 a couple of miles, the lowdah came up to us and told us that four of the coolies had gone 

 off on their own. The reason to me at the moment was not so obvious, but later I discovered 

 that Fittock earlier in the day had surprised the lowdah in the enjoyment of his opium pipe, 

 and had administered a rebuke unfortunately with his shooting boots on. An act that the 

 coolies resented. 



But to stop where we were, five miles from anywhere, was quite out of the question, 

 so Fittock and my boy and I, having no alternative, had to track the boat ourselves to 

 Nakong about 4 miles, where we arrived in the dark in a pitiless snow storm. The next 

 morning our coolies were found in pawn in a tea shop, having given such clothes as they 

 had as security for payment of their "hotel expenses." As the delinquents promised to 

 return to the boat and do their work properly we defrayed their bill, and things went on 

 pleasantly enough for a time. But during our absence on shore the delinquent coolies 

 made another bolt of it, so we had to lend a hand ourselves at the yuloh and take an 

 occasional turn at poling until we arrived at a sequestered " hamlet," whose occupants, two 

 men, for a consideration assisted us to get to Taitsin which we reached at 10 a.m. on 

 Monday. Here we sent the boy, clothed in his best and armed with our passport — which 

 by the way was an old one, quite out of date — and a flaming red visiting card to 

 interview the Captain of the native gunboat, vvhich was brave with bunting and proudly 

 lording it over the meaner craft. His Excellency promised us assistance and came on 

 board our boat half a dozen times to tell us that the coolies had not yet come, a fact of 

 which we were painfully aware, and each time to refresh himself with a four fingered dose 

 of Old Tom which he declared to be "number one whisky." Finally four natives, by 

 courtesy called coolies, worked the boat home. A complaint was lodged with the police on 

 our return who promised to find the absconding coolies. Officially they said that they "had 

 the matter in hand." And there presumably it is to this day. 



If one would know what pleasure is not let him, with a companion who has never 

 tracked before, try and pull a heavy boat along against a fresh breeze, on a slippery tow 



path, in the dark, in sleet and snow. 



* * * * 



In the autumn of 1894, Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Greig, two well known Foochow residents, 

 paid Shanghai a visit with the object of a shooting trip. I lent them my boat, the Liirlute, 

 and sent them on their way rejoicing up the Grand Canal. Things went well enough for a 

 day or two when heavy rain set in. As soon as the weather cleared up the visitors took 

 the field, and left instructions with the boy to get everything dry on board by their 

 return. The boy obeyed instructions and to accelerate matters made a charcoal fire in the 



