208 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XIII. 
I heard nothing except the heavy rain pattering on the 
roof of our room. Shortly afterwards, however, a shght 
noise below attracted my attention, and my eye naturally 
turned to the trap-door. What was my surprise to see 
it slowly open and the head of a man make its appear- 
ance in the room where we were I I scarcely knew how 
to act, but at last determined to lie still and watch his 
motions, and to be ready if necessary to defend myself 
as well as I could. Gradually a man's figure appeared, 
and entering the room he began to grope about, mut- 
tering some indistinct words. This awoke Sing-Hoo, 
who jumped out of bed in a great fright and called 
out to me to get up. " The rain is coming through the 
roof of the house into our bed,'' said the man, whom we 
immediately recognised to be the poor old priest. We 
now breathed freely and had a good laugh at our being 
so alarmed. The old man, after putting some mats 
above the place through which the rain was coming in, 
descended the stairs to his own room. " Shut down the 
door," said Sing-Hoo to him as he went out. " It is 
much better up,'' said the old priest, "it is much 
cooler : don't be afraid, there is nothing to harm you 
amongst these mountains." Sing-Hoo did not contradict 
him, but, when he was gone, got up and quietly shut 
down the door. Nothing else disturbed our slumbers 
during the night. 
These old people had not the slightest idea that I was 
a foreigner ; but I was subjected to some inconvenience 
through my servant informing them that I was a man- 
darin from Tartary. Sometimes, when I was in my 
room, the country people who w^ere passing, and who 
