I 200 
THROUGH ASIA 
whilst we waited in the darkness outside the gate. At 
the end of an hour and a half the messensfer came back, 
to say that the gate should be opened for us — in the 
morning! There was no help for it. We were obliged 
to seek out the nearest village, and there after consider- 
able difficulty we succeeded in obtaining shelter. 
I was hardly dressed next morning when I was sur- 
prised in our wretched deng (guest-house) by the visit 
of two Englishmen, the Rev. Mr. Ridley and the Rev. 
Mr. Hunter. Both were members of the China Inland 
Mission, and wore the Chinese attire, even to the pigtail, 
so that it was merely their features that betrayed they 
belonged to the white race. Mr. Ridley came to invite 
me to his house; and until November 30th he and his 
wife entertained me with the most generous hospitality, 
surrounding me with every species of European comfort. 
1 felt quite awkward at having to sleep in an ordinary 
bed with mattresses and sheets ; and I felt it not less 
awkward to sit on an ordinary chair, and like ordinary 
folk eat with knife and fork, for I had been accustomed 
to recline in my furs in my tent, and eat out of the rice 
dish as it stood on the lloor. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ridley, and the two assistant missionaries, 
Mr. Hunter and Mr. Hall, had fitted up a Chinese house, 
with a large square courtyard, in a snug and comfortable 
fashion ; and they had won the warmest sympathies of 
the population of the town through the unsparing and 
devoted assistance they rendered during the Dungan 
revolt, when they organized and managed a hospital for 
the benefit of the wounded Chinese soldiers. This dis- 
interested zeal and labour had no doubt paved the way 
to success in their evangelizing efforts. On the Sunday 
morning 1 heard Christian hymns sung in unison by a 
congregation of Chinese to the accompaniment of a 
harmonium. 
I owe the greatest debt of gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. 
Ridley, not only for their kindness and generous hospi- 
tality, but also for the many great and valuable services 
they rendered me. 
