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round, and is about a yard in diameter. At last we entered into a better looking sort of a house, and found only two women in it. One ran away, but the other stopped and asked me politely to take some tea. So we asked for some water and when I told her our Saviour's religion said that whoever gave a cup of cold water to one of Christ's disciples would not lose their reward. She said "yes I know that, I know your holy book I am a Christian and have received the holy washing ceremony." I am a disciple, and scholar of Mr Winness: every Sunday he teaches me, and tells me all the holy doctrines." She gave us some pretty flowers out of her garden, and we went on very much gratified with this little event. Between one and two we returned home, and found the others had returned long before.
The people of the village had assembled, and made a fierce noise outside, and presently the elders came up into the parlour to settle the dispute. They made a long palaver, five of them, about the new part added to the Mission house. On the opposite hill was a tomb, and the corner of the new part of the house had been built about a foot and a half too high, so that it was higher than the tomb, and that when people stood on the tomb, they could just see the top of the house, above them. Now this was a serious matter they said: for the descendants of the man in the tomb, had one of them very sick, entirely through that corner of the house being so high; and while the peace of the ancestors was disturbed, the whole family would all suffer sickness and death. Fancy five old grey bearded Chinamen talking such superstitious nonsense.
I have since heard that soon afterwards they came again, and demanded 100 dollars as the compensation for the injury done to the family. And at last agreed to take 10 dollars, and let the house remain, (and of course cause the death and sickness of the family)!! This is about all their religion is worth. Religion with them is merely a custom, and a dead letter. About 3 o'clock we started and bade goodbye to our hospitable German friends, and pushed on for the river. No incidents worthy of note occurred, except shooting two birds as they flew over head and which my man secured, and I had them for dinner next day at home.
We got on board our ship, which had been able to come up the river and discharge its cargo, about sun-down, and after a while got