We reached the spot without incident, and, to my delight, found the blacksmith still there and busy. On making inquiries, I found he was likely to remain for some days, which was good news. But when I began fixing my easel and putting up my water-colour board, he ceased work, and with all his following came to see what I was doing. Soon the whole village was round me, but all were polite and smiling. It was only natural curiosity that drew them. I was quite prepared for this, and had taken the precaution to bring a rope with me, which I fixed up on sticks, triangle-fashion ; and, sitting within this, I kept them all at a respectful distance.
Very soon the smith returned to his work and left me to mine, the usual loafers being divided between us. As that day went on and the work proceeded, I found that these visitors took an intelligent interest in the picture. They do not, as would the same class at home, come and look and pass on ; but they discuss with each other the merits of the work (my boy told me this), and in looking, put their hands up to their eyes, telescope fashion.
The weather for a time became very unsettled, with heavy thunderstorms and accompanying rains. The last day of my work at this place a terrific storm burst over us, and in haste. I closed up my things, put them against a neighbouring tree, and ran over to the temple ; but the rain fell in such torrents that in a few minutes the small stream was all over the road, and we had to race through it, rescue my things, and carry them to the temple, where we stood for perhaps half-an-hour, by which time not only the road but all the low ground round was deeply flooded. When the storm passed there was nothing for it but to mount and ride home through the water. Where but a little time before I had sat at work was now two feet of water, but the coolies had rolled up their nether garments, and the donkeys did not mind, so on we went ; where the track was in a hollow, it was very difficult to avoid the deep ruts which we could no longer see. Farther on, we found what ordinarily was a shallow brook now a tearing flood ; and the poor little animals had all they could do to keep on their feet. More than once I thought we should go down, but we got safely over ; and on the higher ground, just as we neared Pei-tai-ho, the track went along a sort of chasm, worn out by carts and water. I was ahead, and, hearing an exclamation, turned round to see pride humbled. My " boy " was on his back in the sloppy mud, and his donkey looking at him, as much as to say, " Why have you done that ? " But his national characteristic—cheerfulness—did not desert him ; he got up with a smile and assured me he was not hurt.
When I reached home I was told there had been a great waterspout burst that day just off Pei-tai-ho ; its course had been very close to where the Admiralty yacht was moored, on which Vice-Admiral Lambton had come up north. And about this time we heard of the disas trous typhoon which caused so much damage and loss of life at Hong Kong. The vessel on which friends of ours were coming up from Shanghai was luckily in shelter at Cheefoo, and their arrival was delayed, so that when they reached Chinwangtao the morning after the storm, there was no train to take them on to Pei-tai-ho till night ; they therefore decided to hire a couple of small junks to take them and their baggage to Pei-tai-ho. But, on arrival off that place, fresh difficulty arose ; there is no pier, and the sea being rough, their junks could not run into shore. No one knew they were
coming in that way ; so they sailed up and down all day, trying to attract attention. Late in the afternoon one of our party, with the aid of a telescope, made out there were foreigners on board, and got a fishing-boat to put off and land the weary and hungry travellers.
A beautiful spot much visited by Pei-tai-ho people is the Rock Temple, so called by Europeans because it is built on a rocky eminence crowned by some flat topped pine trees—which look as if they had been here for ever, so old, gnarled and twisted are they—and with the pretty little temple and tea-house snuggling in among the projecting rocks. It is not only a beautiful spot to visit and picnic on, in the fresh, fine air, but has delightful views all round. Away to the south is the sea; the Gulf of Pechili, while to the west stretches a fine panorama of softly undulating country, and a large river, the Lwan-ho, winding its way to the sea, with the Chang-lee Hills sharply defined beyond. To the east is more hilly country, and away past Rocky Point are the mountains at the back of Shan-hai-kwan, where the Great Wall ends at the sea. No wonder the missionaries and the merchants and officials thought Pei-tai-ho a good place to make holiday at, and rest their jaded energies after the indoor life in Tientsin and other large cities. I think I remarked that I lived at one house and slept at another ; and one night, after a heavy rainstorm, when I turned out to go to bed, I found that even with a lantern it was difficult to find my way. I had the choice of two roads—one by the shore, the longest, the other through the grounds of intervening houses and across some gulleys ; I chose the latter, and had got but a little way when out went the lantern, but I struggled on in the dark. I got into the first gully, thinking I knew the way, only to find myself up to the knees in water. I got out of that, and made up hill among some trees, and after plunging about for some time at last saw some lights ; and making for these over many obstacles, I got near enough to know the house. I was next door to my hosts ; but, a high wall intervening, I had to make a fresh start and go a long way round before I could reach my bed that night.
It is pleasant to walk along the sandy beach, in the evening, towards the west and see the sun setting gorgeously behind the Chang-lee Hills and reflecting in the quiet waters of the river, near which are some boats owned by a few fishermen, who camp on the shore for part of the year. The habitations of these men are of the roughest—bits of matting, canvas, &c., laid over bent canes, and tied down against the wind somewhat like a gipsy encampment at home ; rough-looking folk they are, but civil enough to the foreigners who buy fish from them.
Before we arrived at Pei-tai-ho there had been some nights' excitement at " The Cruet." A robber had attempted to break in, and had been frightened off only to return another night, when he was caught by the house-boy and coolies, and tied up to some post until the nearest mandarin could be brought, and the case tried there and then and punishment administered. When we came we therefore brought a pistol in case of further visits of this kind. However, this prompt capture and punishment had the happy effect of stopping such things, and our armament was not required.