Under the tunnelled gateway we dismounted. The water simply poured from us, and formed in pools on the stone flags where we stood. We found ourselves in a damp crowd of jostling, grinning Chinamen, who were cheerfully wringing the moisture from their thin cotton garments or laughing at the plight of others caught in the storm and racing for shelter through the ropes of rain. Coolies, carts, ponies, mules, and camels were all huddled together under the archway. Jests and mirth resounded on every side; for the Celestial is generally a veritable Mark Tapley under circumstances that would depress or irritate the more impatient European. We waited for an hour beside our shivering ponies for the deluge to cease; then, seeing little prospect of it, we mounted again and rode on into the city. But short as was the time the rain had lasted, the streets were already almost flooded. The ditch‐like sides were half filled with rushing, muddy torrents; and in crossing one of the principal roads the water rose up to our saddle‐girths in the side channels. In one place my pony was nearly carried off his feet and I feared that I would be obliged to swim for it. From the shelter of the verandahs of the houses along the streets crowds of Chinese laughed at our miserable plight, as our small steeds splashed through the pools and their riders sat huddled up in misery under the pitiless rain. With heartfelt gratitude we reached at last the welcome shelter of Chong Wong Foo. So ended our visit to the famous Summer Palace, which is once more in the possession of its former owner. The courts that echoed to the ring of artillery horses’ hoofs, the rumble of our gun‐wheels, the deep laughter of the British soldier, or the shriller voices of his sepoy comrades, are now trodden only by silent‐footed Celestials. The white man is no more a welcome guest. [Footnote 6: Japan.] CHAPTER VII A TRIP TO SHANHAIKWAN The railways throughout North China and Manchuria were originally constructed chiefly by British capital; and England had consequently priority of claim upon them. The line from Pekin runs first to the sea at Tong‐ku, at the mouth of the Peiho River, thence branching off northward along the coast to Newchwang, the treaty port of Manchuria. Its continuation passes southward from Newchwang to Port Arthur. At the beginning of the campaign in North China it was seized by the Russians and held by them until diplomatic pressure loosened their grasp. Instead of restoring it direct to the British, they handed over to the Germans the railway as far north as Shanhaikwan, a town on the coast where the famous Great Wall of China ends in the sea; but they retained in their own possession that portion between Shanhaikwan and Newchwang. The Germans then held on to the remainder until they were eventually restored to the British.