THE GREAT PARK OF THE EASTERN TOMBS 259 



But we were of more interest to the audience than the 

 drama itself, and in an instant a score of men and women 

 had surrounded us. They were all good-natured but 

 frankly curious. Finally an old man joined the crowd. 

 "Why," said he, "there are two foreigners!" Immedi- 

 ately the hum of voices ceased, for Age was speaking. 

 "They've got foreign clothes," he exclaimed; "and what 

 funny hats ! It is true that foreign hats are much big- 

 ger than Chinese caps, and they cost a lot more, too! 

 See that gun the tall one is carrying! He could shoot 

 those pigeons over there as easily as not — all of them 

 with one shot — probably he will in a minute." 



The old man continued the lecture until we strolled 

 back to the inn. Undoubtedly he is still discussing us, 

 for there is little to talk about in a Chinese village, ex- 

 cept crops and weather and local gossip. 



We reached the Eastern Tombs in the late afternoon 

 of the same day. Emerging from a rocky gateway on 

 the summit of a hill, we had the whole panorama of the 

 Tung Ling spread out before us. It was like a vast 

 green sea where wave after wave of splendid forests 

 rolled away to the blue haze of distant mountains. 



The islands in this forest-ocean were the yellow-roofed 

 tombs, which gave back the sun in a thousand points of 

 golden light. After the monotonous brown of the bare 

 north China hills, the vivid green of the trees was as 

 refreshing as finding an unknown oasis in a sandy des- 

 ert. To the right was the picturesque village of Ma- 

 lin-yii, the residence of Duke Chou. 



From the wide veranda of the charming temple which 



