1 242 
THROUGH ASIA 
whole days in their hospitable house. What a luxury to 
sleep in a well warmed room, and actually in a bed ! No 
need that night to cover myself with a heap of furs, to 
prevent myself from being frozen to death. It was not 
hard to think I was resting on a piece of Swedish soil in 
a far distant land. 
Missionary enterprise is carried on in Ning-sha with 
energy and success, d here was a community of thirty 
Christian Chinese, and Bible readings were held both 
morning and afternoon. The Evangelical Scriptuies 
written in Chinese characters were scattered broadcast, 
in the shape of fly-leaves, through the streets, and these 
had tempted many Chinese to the mission-house, in most 
cases no doubt simply to gratify their curiosity. Mr. 
Pilqvist rented a hall in one of the principal thorough- 
fares, and there held services, which passers-by used 
to stop and listen to. It was grand to watch Mr. 
Pilqvist preaching of an evening in his own house in the 
purest Chinese. The congregation were ranged on 
narrow benches in front of the table at which the 
missionary sat ; and preach he did, with such energy that 
the very walls shook at the thunder of his voice and the 
banging of his fist on the table. The Chinese sat like 
statues, hardly daring to breathe — no fear of them drop- 
ping off to sleep and not hearing what was said ! 
Mrs. Pilqvist told me she very seldom met a Chinese 
woman of twenty who was unmarried. They frequently 
marry at twelve or fifteen ; and even when they are tiny 
children they beg their parents to cramp their feet, and 
look forwarcl with eagerness to the time when it can be 
done. The)' know perfectly well that no youth will look 
at them unless they have tiny feet. The operation takes 
place as a rule when they are five or six years old. An 
incision is made in the foot between the big toe and its 
nearest neighbour. Then by sheer .strength of hand the 
four smaller toes are forced back underneath the foot, and 
there they are kept by strong bandages. The shoes are 
always made separately for each foot ; it is for this reason 
you never see ready-made shoes in the bootmakers’ shops 
