CHINESE DISTANCES 27 



drowned and a missionary lady swept down the 

 road for over a mile. Fortunately she recovered. 



Distances are variable, though nominally fixed 

 by the li (three and one-third go to the mile), a 

 mysterious abstract as elastic as the conscience of 

 an opium-smoker. In addition, there are in certain 

 districts horrible inventions known as chia (ja) 

 li, or false li. These add eight to every ten ! 

 The answer to a repetition of the inquiry, 

 " How far ? " is consequently as irritating as 

 the everlasting " M'bali kidogo " of the native of 

 Africa. 



In July there is an abundance of fruit, though 

 the Chinaman, with the inherent perversity of his 

 race, prefers it raw and hard ; and the peaches 

 (sixteen a penny !), apricots, plums, and apples, 

 which coolies bore on baskets suspended on their 

 shoulders from swaying bamboos, were most of 

 them too unripe for a European palate. 



After some twenty li or so we halted for break- 

 fast in one of the many native villages. Mitang, 

 maize or millet soup, native bread and eggs, the 

 latter fifteen a penny, made a sufficiently good 

 repast. We took some tinned foods with us, but 

 hardly touched them until we had left China 

 behind us and were on our way home across 

 Central Asia. For native food is very plentiful, 

 though one has to get accustomed to it. Besides 

 fruit, vegetables are easily procured, and we were 

 rarely without cabbages, egg-plant, cucumber, or 

 some substitute. Tomatoes, however, are non- 

 existent. All the animals one sees are muzzled, 

 not because they are vicious, but for the protection 

 of the crops. Later on our journey we ate the 



