166 TRAVELLERS' TALES 



The missionary thought it might be as well to 

 start at the beginning and enquired his visitor's 

 name. 



The latter flung himself into a chair and re- 

 garded his interlocutor with an expression which 

 intended to convey wonder at the ignorance of 

 so distinguished a guest's proximity and pride at 

 the announcement he was about to make. 



" Do you mean to say, sir," he began im- 

 pressively, "that you do not know the author of 

 ' A Yankee in Yak-land,' ' Yaps from the Yang- 

 tse,' and ' Hell how to avoid it ' ? " " You see 

 before you," he went on, "one who has stood on 

 the last brick of the Great Wall of China. On 

 that brick, sir, I was photographed as a rep-re- 

 sentative of our great and glorious country hold- 

 ing at arm's length * Old Glory.' Then, sir (still 

 accentuating all the unimportant syllables), I took 

 that brick and with my own hands I hurled it 

 in-to the Yaller River so that no other feet but 

 mine should ever po-llute its surface." 



He then proposed himself as a visitor for some 

 days, informed his host that he would thank him 

 for a concise report of the industries, population, 

 geography and customs of the surrounding district, 

 and was at last seen brandishing an enormous 

 revolver at the terrified carter who was to travel 

 with him for the next stage. Mr. Christie, who, I 

 should perhaps add, was not a participator in any 

 of the foregoing events, had had several unpleasant 

 experiences during his long residence in China. 



Once he was attacked by robbers near the great 

 monastery of Labrang. They dashed out of a 

 hollow where they had lain in concealment, 



