196
Loss of the Ship Kite.
J
APRIL,
took our height, the length of our hair, and noted every feature in an exact manner, and then made us write an account of the wreck of the Kite. In the evening I was taken to see the mandarin's wife and daughters, but although my appearance must have been wretch- ed in the extreme, they did not evince the least feeling towards me, but rather treated me as an object of scorn. This I felt the more, as I was enabled to make them understand, that I had lost both my husband and child in the wreck. We remained here two days and three nights, derided and taunted by all around us. On the morn- ing of Monday the 21st, they took the end of our chains and bade us follow them. They put our coats and quilts into small cages, just such as we should think a proper place to confine wild beasts,
in : mine was scarcely a yard high, a little more than of a yard long, and a little more than half a yard broad. The door opened from the top. Into these we were lifted, the chain around our necks being locked to the cover. They put a long piece of bamboo through the middle, a man took either end, and in this manner we were jolted from city to city to suffer insults from the rabble, the cries of whom were awful; but my God had not forsaken me, and even then, although a widow and in the hands of such bitter enemies, and expecting death at every moment, I could remember with delight, that Christ my Savior had said," I am the resurrection and the life, he that be- lieveth on me though he were dead yet shall he live." I need not tell you, my friend, how much I thought of my sweet and once happy home, and my fatherless child, and how fervently I prayed to that God of mercy, who had so wonderfully upheld me in all my sufferings, to bless her also. Death was nothing to me: I longed to be with my Savior to praise him for ever, and to meet again my affectionate hus- band and sweet child, who were more than life to me. Oh my dear friend! how often do my feelings at this and many other times of my suffering shame me, when I feel myself cold in my duty towards my Redeemer.
We again stopped at another city and were taken out of our cages, having heavy irons put on our legs, with a chain half a yard long. Mr. Witts and the boy had also irons on their wrists; although I saw mine, they did not put them on at that time. The former were car- ried on board one boat, and I myself put into another, and thus we proceeded two days and three nights on a canal, during which time I did not taste any food, as they would not permit me to get out of my little cage on any account, You may judge what my sufferings I believe it was Wednesday the 23d, that we arrived at Ning-
were.
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