64 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



" the eye of cursing." It was in vain that we 

 filled them Avith pieces of wood, and pasted them 

 over with paper : that only served to create a more 

 hideous noise at night, and by no means to keep 

 out the damp chill wind which howled round our 

 tower. Then the lofty roof was simply composed 

 of tiles, which admitted more wind ; the boards below 

 were not particularly close ; and, altogether, a cage 

 could scarcely have been more airy. The Chinese 

 of the south never use fires for purposes of warmth, 

 though those of the north dine and sleep on stoves. 

 They meet the winter by putting on more coats, and 

 by sitting in close inner rooms without windows. 

 The cold we experienced in Kum-tow-lek was singu- 

 larly penetrating, and no amount of clothes we had to 

 heap on was sufficient protection. We sometimes 

 buried ourselves in blankets during the middle of 

 the day, and I got into the way of constantly Avear- 

 ing a Chinese hood of green cloth, which covered all 

 the head except from the lips to the eyes, and rose up 

 into a pyramidal peak aboA 7 e, which might have been 

 a disfigurement to the eyes of foreign devils, but was 

 a recommendation with the Celestials. At one time 

 Ave tried an earthen pot with a charcoal fire ; but that 

 only burned our knees, and the smoke was Avhirled 

 into our eyes. Our only real defence against the 

 cold Avas still colder water. Whenever I felt it get- 

 ting intolerable, I emptied half a bucket of water oA T er 

 myself, and then took a brisk walk, Avhich brought 



