2o6 Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



seductive spot for a bath, which I was prompt to utilize. A 

 small but silent crowd collected on the bank, and I was un- 

 disturbed by any rude remark, and, after dressing, sat down 

 on the bank to admire the scenery. An old gentleman 

 offered me his pipe, and descanted on the dangers of the 

 river, now flowing so tranquilly at our feet, when swollen by 

 the autumn floods. A walk back to the city along the river- 

 bank, now on a well-turfed sandbank, now scrairibling with 

 the aid of rock-cut steps over a jutting promontory, ended a 

 pleasant outing, and produced an appetite for the some- 

 what insipid dishes of an ordinary native dinner. 



Mine host appeared early on the morning of April 25th 

 with his little daughter, whom he had brought down to the 

 hong from his home in the upper town to see a Taoist show, 

 which was to pass our door, in the street of the AVhite 

 Elephant. She was a little chetive thing of ten years, but 

 from her size looking much younger, and so pale that I asked 

 her father whether there was anything the matter with her. 

 He said, " No ; but that she was suffering from her feet,'' as 

 all growing girls upon whom this frightful practice is 

 imposed necessarily must do. Hers were bandaged up 

 until they looked more like those of a doll than the feet of 

 a human being, and the poor child never attempted to walk 

 without holding on to some one's hand, and was always 

 carried up and down the flights of steps which led from one 

 courtyard to the other. My host, like other Chinamen with 

 whom I have conversed on the subject, agreed that it was a 

 pity for the children that such a custom existed ; but that 

 when they were grown up, should their feet have been left 

 alone, no one would regret the fact more bitterly than the 

 girls themselves. In short, it is the fashion ; and any family 

 setting their faces against it would be socially ostracized, 

 and would be debarred from all decent matches for its 



