I confess that at the moment I had a sudden misgiving that some impediment was to be put in the way of my journey.
But it was nothing more than a telegram from Mr.Jensen in Yunnan, telling me of the decision of the Chinese Government to continue the telegraph to the frontier of Burma.

The telegram was written by the Chinese operator in Yungchang in a neat round hand, without any error of spelling; it had come to Yungchang after my departure, and had been courteously forwarded by the Chinese manager.

The soldier who brought it had made a hurried march of thirty-eight miles before overtaking me, and deserved a reward.

I motioned Laotseng, my cash-bearer, to give him a present, and he meanly counted out 25 cash, and was about to give them, when I ostentatiously increased the amount to 100 cash.

The soldier was delighted; the onlookers were charmed with this exhibition of Western munificence.