Chap. XVII. INN AT POUCHING-HIEN. 289 



done so, but that they intended to remain in the same 

 inn with ourselves for the night. 



A hot dinner was at length placed upon the table. 

 Rough and unpalatable as this would have appeared 

 in other circumstances, I was now so accustomed to 

 the Chinese style of living, that what was placed 

 before me seemed tempting enough, and I believe I 

 did full justice to it. My chair-bearers, having re- 

 ceived their wages, were now seated at a side-table 

 in another room absorbed in the mysteries of gam- 

 bling, and Sing-Hoo was quietly smoking his pipe 

 with the landlord. A number of other travellers were 

 also loitering about, some of whom had an appearance 

 which did not produce a favourable impression on 

 me. They were evidently opium-smokers, from the 

 sallow colour of their cheeks, probably gamblers, and 

 altogether such characters as one would rather avoid 

 than be on intimate terms with. 



It still continued to rain heavily, and as all out of 

 doors seemed dark and dismal, and all within unin- 

 viting, I retired early to rest. Tired with the ex- 

 ertions of the day, I was soon fast asleep in spite of 

 my suspicious inn and strange companions. It might 

 have been about midnight when I was awakened by 

 the sounds of angry voices, and amongst them I could 

 distinguish those of my chair-bearers and Sing-Hoo. 

 I jumped up with strong suspicions that something 

 serious was about to happen to us. The noise still 

 increased, and, from the scuffle which reached my 

 ears, I feared they were seizing my servant with the in- 

 tention of robbing us, and perhaps of taking our lives, 



V 



