22 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. II. 
to examine my clothes, another would peep into my 
pockets, while several others were examining my speci- 
mens. The general opinion seemed to be that I was a 
medical man, and in a very short time I was surrounded 
with invalids of all classes and ages, begging assistance 
and advice. The number of persons who are diseased 
in a Chinese village is really astonishing. Many of 
them are nearly blind, and a much greater number, in 
this part of the country at least, were affected with 
cutaneous diseases of the most loathsome description, 
originating probably in their peculiar diet and dirty 
habits. 
I was one day travelling amongst the hills in the 
interior of the island in places where I suppose no 
Englishman had ever been before. The day was fine, 
and the whole of the agricultural labourers were at work 
in the fields. When they first saw me they seemed 
much excited, and from their gestures and language I 
was almost inclined to think them hostile. From every 
hill and valley they cried " Wyloe-Fokei," or "Wyloe- 
san-pan-Fokei,'' that is, ''Be off to your boat, friend;'' 
but on former occasions I had always found that the 
best plan was to put a bold face on the matter and walk 
in amongst them, and then try to get them into good 
humour. In this instance the plan succeeded admirably : 
we were in a few minutes excellent friends ; the boys 
were running in all directions gathering plants for my 
specimen-box, and the old men were offering me their 
bamboo-pipes to smoke. As I got a little nearer to the 
village, however, their suspicions seemed to return, and 
they evidently would have been better pleased, had I 
