Chap. VI. 



A SMOKY COTTAGE. 



97 



as they were so poor. I tried not to be outdone in 

 politeness, and we were soon on the best possible 

 terms. 



The table was soon spread with our evening meal, 

 and, chopsticks in hand, we went to work and did 

 ample justice to the fare set before us. Shortly 

 afterwards, the Chinese being early in their habits, 

 we retired to rest. 



Next morning the rain was falling in torrents, so 

 that it was impossible to stir out of doors. In these 

 circumstances a Chinese cottage is a most uncomfort- 

 able place of confinement. Four families resided in 

 the building in which I was now located — two in the 

 lower and two in the upper story. Each of these 

 families had a separate kitchen, and, as there were no 

 chimneys, the smoke had to make its escape through 

 the doors, windows, and roof of the house. The 

 natives were accustomed to this, and did not greatly 

 mind it, but to me it was almost insupportable. The 

 smoke got into my eyes and almost drove me mad 

 with pain. Go where I would it was all the same, 

 for the house was quite full of it. I quite dreaded 

 the approach of meal -time, when all the fires were 

 lighted. There was no remedy, however, except 

 going out into the heavy rain, so that I was obliged 

 to suffer as patiently as I could. 



On the evening of the second day my coolie and 

 the good old dwarf arrived with my luggage, and 

 told Wang some wonderful stories about the narrow 

 escapes they had had from his friends the boatmen. 

 The coolie said he had been so much alarmed that 



H 



