But the new life can come from whence? From within or from
without?
Luchow, into which I was led just before noon on the fourth day out of
Chung-king, is the most populous and richest city on the Upper Yangtze.
Exceedingly clean for a Chinese city, possessing well-kept streets lined
with well-stocked emporiums, bearing every evidence of commercial
prosperity, it however lacks one thing. It has no hotel runners! I
arrived at midday, crossing the river in a leaky ferry boat, under a
blazing sun, my intention being to stop in the town at a tea-house to
take a refresher, and then complete a long day's march, farther than the
ordinary stage. But owing to some misunderstanding between the
_fu-song_, sent to shadow the foreigner on part of his journey, and my
boy, I was led through the busy city out into the open country before I
had had a drink. And when I remonstrated they led me back again to the
best inn, where I was told I should have to spend the night--there being
nothing else, then, to be said.
May I give a word of advice here to any reader contemplating a visit to
China under similar conditions? It is the custom of the mandarins to
send what is called a _fu-song_ (escort) for you; the escort comes from
the military, although their peculiar appearance may lead you to doubt
it.
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