My friend, by the way, could not ride till two days before this, but having done from twenty-five to thirty miles each day, now felt quite equal to anything on horseback. It was a case of " needs must," which, after all, generally finds an Englishman ready.
How peaceful and calm it all seemed when they had gone. The night not moonlight, but yet not dark, with twinkling stars overhead, how quiet and serene it was I My thoughts were with my work, and the anxiety to be fit for it next day worried me far more than the wretched theft of my dollars. I lay in my chair on the deck, in the warm night air, thinking of all the quiet beauty. The fireflies buzzed round, the great flying-beetles were trying to get in at my curtained windows to the light. Mos quitoes came at me with a hum. In a swamp near by the frogs croaked intermittently. The bull-frog would start the concert with his deep croak ; another and another would join in, until the air was full of their noise. Then it would all stop just as suddenly, and for a few moments peace reigned. Then the scissor - grinders would start their shrill note. No lack of life here. By-and-by I turned in, and, amidst this peaceful noise, went to sleep. But in the small hours I was roused by loud shouting. I lay for some moments to collect my thoughts, then remembered that this would be my coolies. They had returned to rest while others continued the search. Early morning brought in the others, and a note from my friend to the effect that the Consul and the police were coming out to see me that day. I groaned as I thought of my work on the lake, but had to give in.
I went ashore for a stroll after breakfast, and not far off came on a typical country scene—water-buffaloes at work in the rice-fields preparing the flooded land for the seed. " Ah I " I thought, " I need not waste time," and determined to get a drawing of this. Back to my boat I went for materials, and instructed the boy that, when Consul gentlemen came, he was to bring them to where I was at work.
I had some trouble in persuading the man with the buffalo to go on with work. He wanted to stop and come and watch me ; but ultimately my coolie got him to understand, and, when I wanted him to stop his steed at a certain spot, a few coppers prevailed. After having posed for me, he came to see the result, and was im mensely amused, and soon gathered all the other workers to the spot to see what this queer foreigner had done ; and with this crowd round, the Consul found me, and my friend returned from his night hunt. We went to the boat, had tiffin and a discussion of the robbery ; and in discussion and talk it ended. I never saw my coolie or my silver dollars again. One result of this robbery was that I had to send to Shanghai for some more silver, which with copper is the only money recognised in the country districts, notes being viewed with suspicion ; moreover, it was difficult to get change for more than a dollar or two. For some days I had to borrow from my boy and the lawdah. But such exciting incidents are happily rare, and in this delightful spot I spent some weeks and completed several pictures.