INSPECTION OF BOAT 151 
During the night the cries of the unfortunate people 
whose houses were flooded could be heard imploring 
assistance, but none could be rendered. Hundreds of 
boats and sampans were dashed to atoms in the roaring 
flood of the river, and the loss of life was appalling. 
Large junks broke adrift, and some were not got under 
control until they had been drifted 800 li down the 
river. 
During my absence I found that the most extra- 
ordinary stories had circulated among the natives as to 
the object of my journey. Some said that I was kid- 
napping children and making medicine out of their 
eyes for my photographic apparatus. It was impossible, 
they said, for anybody to take such pictures without. 
Other reports said that I was catching and killing 
snakes so large that it required five men to carry them. 
Then, again, the old story was revived, that I had an 
infernal machine in the boat, and was only waiting for - 
a favourable opportunity to utterly destroy the city. 
All these things had been reported to the Tao-tai, but of 
course he knew far better than to pay any attention to 
them; still, the rumours were so persistent that he 
felt. bound, as a matter of form, to personally inspect 
the boat again, after having done which he did all in 
his power to reassure the people that no evil thing was 
in the boat, and that no danger was to be apprehended. 
