Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book — John Shaqi
Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class BookLedyard, Mary Forman
General
Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book
Ledyard, Mary Forman
Chinese in literature
All day very good water, very much pleasure, all night good sleep by
bank of river placing Miengs on floor of Boats. Next day very happy till
noon then come very high winds, and much rough water, after long time
men begin loud shoutings, and take down high covers from overhead. "What
matter, What matter?" every body cry out, all fear some trouble come,
boatmen say - "Now come to rapids, very swift, very dangerous, many bad
rocks."
I well remember how many boats go to pieces on such rocks, so I hide my
head and see nothing, only shake with fear, only can hear screams, and
know some boat has already gone on the rocks.
Now our Captain began to shout to our men the awful shout - "Buy your
coffins," "Buy your coffins" and I know well that this means that we too
will soon be on the rocks. Then I could only pray to heaven that we be
not all drowned.
At last come one most awful crash, some girls catch hold of me and cry,
others make most awful screamings, and because the boat is fast filling
with water all try quickly to climb upon the rocks, only I am left in
Boat at last, and am much too afraid to move. Suddenly one Coolie lift
me by arm and throw me over on rocks with sacks of rice and baskets of
bedding.
Now we all very sure it is to die that we have come on this great river,
and so we wait.
Over us the sky shine in glory of sun set, nothing of this do we see,
only do we know of cold and great fear and of wetness, and pain most
miserable.
Where our other Boats, where our most dear Miss Sterling? We look up
river and down, some boats top-side, some bottomside, two boats on
rocks, like our own poor broken one. Now night comes swiftly, all grows
dark and we more and more afraid, every one say - "Now we die!" "Now we
die!" I alone think not so, but very sorrowful and cry in my heart, but
not with my lips.
Whole heart eat out with fear that our most precious Miss Sterling may
already be drowned, no body can to tell.
After long time we hear men calling loudly, one boat comes near to our
rocks in darkness, we could only see one little lantern like insect
flash.
"Who comes near our rocks?" we say, and through the black night comes
Miss Sterling's voice to us. O what joy. Quickly I run to edge of rocks
and hold out arms to her with heart beating loudly for gladness, all our
miserable lives will now be saved we know this of a truth.
In one breath Miss Sterling cry out "Are all safe, Is no one hurt here?"
and we say, "No one is hurt, only all so horribly afraid, so wet, and
cold."
At once Miss Sterling have Coolies make big fire on rocks, make all dry
and warm, get rice ready cooked then girls eat with long hair pins for
chopsticks like playing at feast when children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account