h we piled our baggage; for we had no
faith at all that the sanctity of the place would deter robbers, if
robbers there were in the vicinity.

As we have mentioned, the little Miao was dedicated to the divinity of
the Yellow River. The idol, seated on a pedestal of grey brick, was
hideous, as all those idols are that you ordinarily see in Chinese
pagodas. From a broad, flat, red face, rose two great staring eyes, like
eggs stuck into orbits, the smaller end projecting. Thick eyebrows,
instead of describing a horizontal line, began at the bottom of each ear,
and met in the middle of the forehead, so as to form an obtuse angle.
The idol had on its head a marine shell, and brandished, with a menacing
air, a sword like a scythe. This Pou-sa had, right and left, two
attendants, each putting out its tongue, and apparently making faces at
it.

Just as we were lying down, a man approached us, holding in one hand a
small paper lantern. He opened the grating which led to the interior of
the Miao, prostrated himself thrice, burned incense in the censers, and
lighted a small lamp at the feet of the idol. This personage was not a
bonze. His hair, hanging in a tress, and his blue garments, showed him
to be a layman. When he had finished his idolatrous ceremonies, he came
to us. "I will leave the door open," said he; "you'll sleep more
comfortably inside than in the portico." "Thanks," replied we; "shut the
door, however; for we shall do very well where we are. Why have you been
burning incense? Who is the idol of this place?" "It is the spirit of
the Hoang-Ho, who inhabits this Miao. I have burned incense before him,
in order that our fishing may be productive, and that our boats may float
without danger." "The words you utter," cried Samdadchiemba, insolently,
"are mere _hou-choue_ (stuff and nonsense). How did it happen, that the
other day when the inundation took place, the Miao was flooded, and your
Pou-sa was covered with mud?" To this sudden apostrophe the pagan
churchwarden made no answer, but took to his heels. We were much
surprised at this proceeding; but the explanation came next morning.

We stretched ourselves on our goat-skins once more, and endeavoured to
sleep, but sleep came slowly and but for a brief period. Placed between
marshes and the river, we felt throughout the night a piercing cold,
which seemed to transfix us to the very marrow. The sky was pure and
serene, and in the morning we saw th