d. Chairs were awaiting us and we rode to the gate of the Sea
Palace. There we again entered the boats and proceeded across the lake,
a distance of about a mile. While crossing the lake Her Majesty noticed
a lot of lotus plants which were in full bloom. She said: "We are going
to stay at least three days here. I hope the weather will be fine, as
I should like to have some photographs taken in the open boats on the
lake. I have also another; good idea, and that is, I want to have one
taken as 'Kuan Yin' (Goddess of Mersy). The two chief eunuchs will be
dressed as attendants. The necessary gowns were made some time ago, and
I occasionally put them on. Whenever I have been angry, or worried over
anything, by dressing up as the Goddess of Mercy it helps me to calm
myself, and so play the part I represent. I can assure you that it does
help me a great deal, as it makes me remember that I am looked upon as
being all-merciful. By having a photograph taken of myself dressed in
this costume, I shall be able to see myself as I ought to be at all
times."

When we arrived at the private Palace the rain ceased. We walked to
her bedroom, although the ground was still in bad condition. One of
Her Majesty's peculiarities was a desire to go out in the rain and walk
about. She would not even use an umbrella unless it was raining very
heavily. The eunuchs always carried our umbrellas, but if Her Majesty
did not use her umbrella, of course we could not very well use ours. The
same thing applied in everything. If Her Majesty wanted to walk, we had
to walk also, and if she decided to ride in her chair, we had to get
into our chairs and ride as well. The only exception to this rule was
when Her Majesty, being tired walking, ordered her stool to rest on. We
were not allowed to sit in her presence, but had to stand all the time.
Her Majesty liked her Sea Palace better than her Palace in the Forbidden
City. It was far prettier, and had the effect of making her good
tempered.

Her Majesty ordered us to retire early that day, as we were all very
tired after the trip, and said that in the event of it being fine the
next day, she would have the proposed photographs taken. However, much
to Her Majesty's disappointment, it rained incessantly for the next
three days, so it was decided to stay a few days longer. On the last day
of our stay it cleared up sufficiently to enable the photographs to be
taken, after which we all returned to the Summer Palace