CHAPTER VII.
SUIFU TO CHAOTONG, WITH SOME REMARKS ON THE PROVINCE OF YUNNAN--CHINESE PORTERS, POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS, AND BANKS.
I engaged three new men in Suifu, who undertook to take me to Chaotong, 290 miles, in thirteen days, special inducement being held out to them in the shape of a reward of one shilling each to do the journey in eleven days.

Their pay was to be seven shillings and threepence each, apart from the bonus, and of course they had to find themselves.

They brought me from the coolie-hong, where they were engaged, an agreement signed by the hong-master, which was to be returned to them in Chaotong, and remitted to their master as a receipt for my safe delivery.
Every condition detailed in the agreement they faithfully carried out, and they took me to Chaotong in ten days and a half, though the ordinary time is fourteen days.
One of the three was a convert, one of the six surviving converts made by the aggregate Inland Mission of Suifu in six years.

He was an excellent good fellow, rather dull of wits, but a credit to the Mission.
To him was intrusted the paying away of my money--he carried no load.
When he wanted money he was to show me his empty hands, and say "_Muta tsien! muta tsien!_" (I have no money! I have no money!).
I knew that perfect confidence could be placed in the convert, apart from the reason of his conversion, because he had a father living in Suifu.

Were he to rob me or do me a wrong and run away, we could arrest his father and have him detained in the yamen prison till his son returned.