248 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XVI. 
remainder and get rid of them as soon as possible. He 
informed me he had 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 received their wages, 
were now seated at a side -table in another room absorbed 
in the mysteries of gambling, 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 im- 
pression on me. They were evidently opium-smokers, 
from the sallow colour of their cheeks, probably gam- 
blers, 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 uninviting, 
I retired early to rest. Tired with the exertions 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 intention of robbing us, and per- 
