early a year old, however, we began to
notice a marked change in the demeanour of the townsfolk, both towards
us and the Mission. Ugly rumours reached us of riots in other cities,
and cruelties the very mention of which was enough to fill one with
horror. There was an epidemic of disease among the natives, caused by
their own dirt and ignorance of the common laws of health, and many of
their priests had spread the report that it had been introduced by the
foreigners for the purpose of reducing their numbers, and thus
enabling the British to conquer their country, and that all true
patriots must rise and destroy the source of the evil. This dangerous
doctrine spread rapidly, and the news filled me with the greatest
uneasiness. I hesitated long whether I ought to take my wife and
children to the coast, but I decided that the danger among the
strangers whom we should be forced to encounter on our long journey
was even greater than that of remaining in the place where we had
cured many sick people and could certainly count upon obtaining help
from at least a few of them.

"I shall never forget one spring morning, now sixteen years ago. The
town seemed quiet, and our fears had been somewhat lulled to rest. I
had finished my work in the hospital, and went into our garden, where
my wife was sitting sewing beside our three little ones as they played
with their nurse under a blossoming tree. I stood for a moment
watching the pretty picture they made, the three little rosy English
faces in contrast to Lao-ya's almond eyes and smooth black tresses,
the gay background of flowers, the pagodas of the temple in the city
beyond standing out against the brilliant blue sky, and the bright
sunshine which shone on my wife's fair hair and the children's flaxen
heads and turned them all to gold. Well might the scene live in my
memory; it was the last time I was ever to see them thus!

"I had just received an urgent message to attend a mandarin who lived
many miles up in the hills, and who now lay seriously ill and had
expressed a wish to see me. Everything appeared so tranquil that I
thought I might safely leave the Mission for a short period, and I
made preparations to set off at once, taking a few necessary
instruments and drugs with me.

"I was able to relieve my patient, and was about to start for home
when to my anger and surprise I found that I was practically a
prisoner. No violence was offered me, but for several days I was
confi