Chap. X. 
BEGGARS. 
163 
came to me. I had not a single cash in my pocket, and, 
Sing-Hoo being far behind, I did not know what to do. 
I, however, closed my eyes, and feigned to be fast 
asleep. When they held out their baskets for alms I 
was of course sleeping most soundly. " Loi-ya, loi-ya,"* 
they bawled in my ear, and did their best to awake me ; 
but finding the tongue of no avail, they beat the sides of 
the chair with their hands, and at last got hold of my 
clothes. I have a great horror of being touched by 
a Chinese beggar, who is generally filthy beyond 
description. Starting up, I nearly capsized the chair, 
greatly to the annoyance of my bearers, who immediately 
forced the beggars to desist and to go away. When we 
reached the top of the pass I desired my bearers to put 
me down and to rest themselves. There was a pretty 
little house, or traveller's resting-place, just on the 
summit, from which I obtained an excellent view of the 
country. 
In the valley beyond me lay a small town, named 
Yuen-shan. At first sight it appears to be completely 
encircled by hills ; but this is not the case, for the 
mountain stream which I have just noticed passes the 
town, and winds round the hills on its way to Hokow. 
Descending the hill on our way to Yuen-shan I had 
another encounter with beggars, but having provided 
myself with a few cash I easily got rid of them. Many 
of them were lame and blind, but somehow or other all 
managed to get close to my chair. 
We now came to an archway erected over the road 
near the base of the hill. As I was passing through this 
* A term applied to a mandarin, or government officer. 
