CHAPTER VII

Sir Thomas Wade demands his passports--Retires to man-of-war off Tien-tsin--Interviews with Li-Hung-Chang--Convention of Che-Foo--Description of Ichang on the Yang-tse--The Manchester of Western China--Pak-hoï and its harbour--A magnificent pagoda--Ceremony of opening the port to foreign trade--New Year's _féte_ at Pak-hoï--The game of Morra--Description of Wenchow--Temples and pagodas turned into inns--Wahn and its native officials--Dislike of mandarins, etc., to missionaries--Beautiful surroundings of the town--An eclipse of the moon expected--The eclipse does not keep time--Excitement of the people--The dragon attacks the moon at last--Threatening message from the Emperor to the astronomers--Two astronomers beheaded in B.C. 2155--Reasons for importance attached to eclipses in China 135