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to their unremitting exertions that we were enabled to traverse an exceedingly difficult country in the shortest possible space of time.
My relations with Messrs. Chien Kuang-hsi and Huang Tao-hsiung, the Peking delegates, Mr. Wang Nien-tsu, and the remaining military and civil officers despatched by the Kiangs Provincial Administration, were of the happiest nature, and our co-operation left nothing to be desired. The official recognition by His Majesty's Government of the courtesy extended to me would, I feel sure, be deeply appreciated, and would go far to cement the present goodwill of the officials and gentry of this province towards ourselves.
Provincial Anti-Opium Campaign.
The Kiangai Provincial Administration has dealt with the question of opium-poppy suppression in a thorough manner, and of the complete success of their measures there is no doubt. From 1914 to 1916 poppy cultivators in the country districts have been harried by officials, gentry, and soldiers. Oppressed, fined, imprisoned, their land confiscater, their homesteads burned, and their lives imperilled, opium growers have come to the conclusion that the Government was in earnest, and that the cultivation of the poppy was too costly and dangerous an undertaking. The complete eradication of opium-poppy would appear to have been accomplished in 1916, when the few remaining patches under cultivation in the province were torn up.
Opium-poppy suppression was first effectively taken in hand in 1914, when proclamations in popular language were posted throughout the length and breadth of the province, and the district magistrates, police, gentry, and militia strictly enjoined to make an end of all poppy in their neighbourhood. The ancient Chinese rule of mutual responsibility has been rigidly enforced in any districts, and many magistrates were degraded or removed from their posts for lack of vigilance in opium suppression. Inspectors were despatched twice yearly by the Provincial Administration, as also by the attendants of each circuit. in addition to constant inspection by special officers. The magistrates of each district were required by the civil governor to make personal inspection everywhere in the territory under their rule and report to Nanchang In the country places the local gentry were organised into auti-opium societies, each member of which was responsible for the surveillance of a given section of the countryside. Particular attention was paid to the hilly regions where inspectors sent by the provincial and local authorities have visited and revisited the most remote localities to ensure against any recrudescence of the poppy evil,
Proclamations threatening poppy growers with death, and offering rewards ranging from 50 to 500 dollars for information as to opium-growing localities, have been affixed everywhere in the country towns and villages. I have noted such proclamations in every district on our overland route. Before the poppy was finally exterminated persons defying the regulations were, in some instances, shot; in others their houses were burned and their land confiscated. In the Yu Tu district such heavy fines were inflicted by the former magistrates that the offenders were forced to sell their children,
Prior to our visit of inspection the farmers and country people in many districts all vegetables and plants that might be regarded as remotely resembling the opium-poppy. This in itelt is a sign that little opium-poppy has ever been cultivated in these districts, for no one who has ever seen an opium-poppy would be likely to mistake it for a plant of a different nature.
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Effect of Inspection on Gentry and Country People.
In each district visited the towns and villages were decorated with flags and bunters bearing the words "Welcome to the British Commissioner," the people lined the streets in holiday attire, and committees of welcome and entertainment met us long before we entered the streets. The educated classes appeared to regard my visit as a recognition by us that China was at last one with Great Britain and the Western Powers. Everywhere we experienced the greatest courtesy and kindness at the hands of the magistrates and gentry. The latter, indeed, vied with one another in their attentions and hospitality, and I was frequently touched by the pains they had taken to provide for my comfort. To them my visit has undoubtedly given much satisfaction, but I fear that the passage of our party was not so welcome to the farmers and country people. Apart from the exactions to which they were subjected by the officials under the plea of "entertainment expenses"-I know of at least one district, to which I did not proceed, where the people were penalised to the extent of 10,000 dollars on this
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The provision
account the services required of the countrymen were most irksome. of chair-bearers and porters for a party of over 200 persons is no easy matter in a remote agricultural district. To make up the requisite number of bearer's the officials were at times forced to impress the local tarmers, labourers, and artisans. It is true that the magistrates offered and paid a fair day's wage to each carrier, but the people were anxious to be at their work in the fields at this season, and they gave their services only under compulsion. To keep them from absconding at night guards, with fixed bayonets, wore sometimes placed over them, and I have seen hearers drop their loads in the daytime and bolt into the hills when the vigilance of their watchers relaxed for a moment, To take their places the nearest farmers were ruthlessly dragged from their oxen and ploughs and forced to carry for us. The start of our expedition each morning bore some resemblance to a slave gang getting under way. With curses, pushes, and occasional blows, the soldiers and police drove the motley crowd of tinkers, tailors, and farmers to their loads, and they in their turn, as they moved off, cursedi them and everyone in sight. No blame can, however, be attached to the officials, for our party had to move, and move quickly, and as no regular porters existed in these places they were compelled to take those that came first to hand.
That the country-folk should have suffered by reason of our visit is regrettable, but on the other hand it will, I think, be productive of good, for it is certain, and my opinion on this point is confirmed by missionaries in the interior, that our visit will prove a distinct deterrent on all future poppy cultivation in these districts. Rather than be subjected to the discomfort of a second joint investigation the country people will take such steps as will effectually debar their neighbours from growing opium- poppy hereafter.
With regard to myself the villagers and farmers, when convinced that I was not on press gang duty, welcomed me gladly in their homes both on the roads and among the bills.
People.
The people in the south and south-east of Kiangsi from Kan Hsien to Ningtu appear to be mainly of Hakka origin. Both men and women are vigorous well-grown specimens of humanity. Bound feet are practically unknown among the country women who work side by side with the men in the fields with the result that there is little poverty and beggars are almost non-existent. In disposition they are fierce and turbulent and of cleanly habits, in marked contrast to the Chinese proper. The latter are met ouce more at Ningtu. The revolution of 1911 appears to have had little effect upon the inhabitants in the interior of this province. The queue is universally worn and the ancient terms and forms of respect are in general employment, Here an official is still regarded as a superior being and no one dare "comme betwixt the wind and his nobility."
Clan Rule and Faction Fights.
The country in the south and south-east of the province is in the hands of powerful claus who quarrel with one another on the most trivial pretexts. In some localities pitched battles occur regularly once or twice a year, but as all the combatants are armed with primitive guns, spears, and swords the casualties on each side are usually limited. Repression by the magistrate is impossible, the score or so of indifferently armed police of whom he disposes are hopelessly outnumbered and he can only let matters take their course and content himself with the role of peacemaker after the affray.
Between Kan Hsien and Yü Tu our party was conveyed 5 miles off the proper road and nearly drowned when crossing a ferry by reason of the insistence of one of these clans. We had, it appeared, passed the previous night in the ancestral home of the opposite faction and nothing would satisfy the other clan but that I should lunch with them at their principal sent and the official was forced to comply with their wishes.
At Lai Ts'un a market town between Yü Tu and Ningtu a action fight between two branches of the local clan was in progress at the time we entered the district, but, on receiving information from our party by advance messenger that we were not a punitive expedition, the combatants, said to number from 1,000 to 2,000 on each side, very kindly agreed to a cessation of hostilities until we had passed through the district. This, they were good enough to state, was solely out of consideration for ny safety and comfort, but I incline to the belief that the modern rifles of our escort also turned the scale in favour of peace
The temporary trace did not, however, extend to the members on the wrong side of the clad. These were liable to lose their heads at sight if they ventured into the Lai Ta'un territory, and for this reason we found it difficult
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