SIX WEEKS IN A TOWER. 77 



boy connected with this kiln, who seemed to carry 

 water all day, and to fork in grass all night, though 

 half an hour of the latter exercise was more than 

 sufficient for us at a time. The fire beneath a relay 

 of bricks was kept burning for three days, and then, 

 for as long a period, all the apertures were closed 

 with moist clay. The grass for the fire was gathered 

 on the hills by poor women and boys, who made 

 about a hundred cash per day by that work, or three 

 dollars (thirteen shillings) per month. They some- 

 times exclaimed "Eiya/" with a sigh, when they 

 found the weight of their bundle below their fond 

 expectation ; but, on the whole, they seemed wonder- 

 fully happy and full of fun, notwithstanding their 

 hard work and small pay. They laughed as much 

 in an hour as a philosopher would do in a year, and 

 chattered in a way to make one's heart glad and 

 grateful. 



One clear frosty morning towards the end of Jan- 

 uary, when the ground was covered with hoar-frost, 

 which soon disappeared before the sun, we started 

 for the village of P'eung-shan, or " Flat Mountain," 

 distant about ten miles. The country on the way 

 was barren but picturesque, with trees surrounding 

 the villages, and the views ending in mountains of 

 imposing form those on the south bearing the 

 poetic name of Tien-tau Shan, or " Mountains of the 

 Heavenly Head." The wais that we passed were in 

 ruins or burned down, showing that local warfare 



