Coming on deck at nine o'clock, I found that we were anchored in a little deep-set bay; the morning was glorious, and the blue sea, with its darker smudges here and there caused by cloud shadows, was breaking upon the fangs of the entrance to the bay in high feathers of spray, like white ostrich plumes, and around three sides of us were the heaped-up, rugged hills.

From the top of the bill, the view is grand. Many little rocky islands are dotted about, upthrust through the sea, with their line of breakers at the base, like white lace petti- coats swisbing around their feet.

In returning to the little sandy inlet, where the ship's boat landed and delivered us, we had to pass through a Chinese village, which hangs on, as it were, by its eyebrows to the face of the hill. Here we found the inhabitants hard at work upon their staple industry-manufactur- mg smells-and apparently trade was flourishing with them. My first introduction to the village was made as I suddenly came round a corner and ran into a line of fish hanging up on a string in the sun, in front of a large smell factory. The fact that these fish were left unguarded, in a country where theft is con- sidered an accomplishment, at first surprised me greatly, till I realized that if any one took the stuff away the owner, in the house near by, would immediately become aware of its absence on account of the change in the atmosphere.

As we had just left the summit of the hill, entering this village was like receiving a blow in the face with a pillow stuffed with pollution just as one was leaving Paradise. A little faither along we encountered the local Stock Exchange for Stinks, and were obliged to flee, so that I cannot tell you any more about the village.

After this experience I can understand why the Chinese do not use scent. There isn't any strong enough.

We had a glorious swim from the ship's gang- way upon our return. No one can appreciate clean sea water and hills more than a Shang- hailander at the end of the summer.

Training for the Autumn Race Meeting has started, and the first batch of griffins is here. They are a particularly nasty tempered lot, and bite, kick, buck, and scratch. At least one can buck better than an American bronebo, for he sent his rider half way to heaven the other morning. The rider (or rather tried-to-rider) turned two complete somersaults before return- mg to earth. I do not believe any broncho- buster would have kept with that pony when he put up the performance referred to, yet it is quite on the cards that he will be as quiet 88 a sheep for the remainder of his life, for the China pony is like the Chinaman-directly you have made up your mind what he is going to do he alters his tactics.

It is surprising that so few of these wonderful little animals are exported, for a handier, more useful all-round mount cannot be imagined.

They carry a man weighing 150 lb. a mile in 2.06 minutes When trained, which, considering they acale on an average thirteen hands, and coat so little, may be considered remarkable, for it is only after a pony has proved his pace that his price advances-which is a matter of gambling. Their immunity from sicichess and faults is remarkable.

The Chinese, with characteristic business acumen, do not send a pony stallion or mare away from the breeding districts; and the fact that they do not take them off the grass until they are at least four years old probably accounts for the absence of foot trotibles and lameness amongst them.

They are, generally speaking, as game as a bantam, and though it would be absurd to com- pare them with an English, or, to go still farther, an Irish hunter, if we exiles had to do without the plucky little China pony half our sport would disappear. To us he is as invaluable as a grey- hound to a farmer in the Peterborough country at home; and you know what that means. Mention of the China ponies reeMis the fact that they have been worked upon polar expedi- tions. Yet they are 4successfully used here for polo at a temperature of 990 in the shade-and damp at that! They are transported from Man- churia by sea, and in some cases driven overland.

Now that there is a claimant to the dis- covery of the North Pole, I expect we shall find several others. We have at least one in Shanghai, who asserts that he was there years ago, but that as he has no proofs he did not claim the honour. As a matter of fact he has already earned such a reputation' by his paralys- mg lies, that he evidently knew it would be useless his putting forward any claim.

As he pathetically remarked, it is only a truth- ful man who can lie with any prospect of success. Now that people can see for them- selves that it is possible to discover the Pole, lie has decided to tell the truth, and own up to having been there himself.

This man is well known here, and is a member of a certain club affected by mercantile marine officers, which should be, in. itself, a sufficient guarantee of his integrity. It appears that he reached the Pole in the company of two Esquirnaux (as against the other explorers' one), and that he claims the territory so discovered in the name of the Shanghai Municipal Council. As a matter of fact, it is quite useless for America, or any other nation, to try to support a claim against our Council, for the Americans are children at diplomacy in comparison with the Chinese, and the Chinese even cannot hold their own with our City Fathers. Our man is await- ins the published statements of both explorers, for he has some information which he claims will utterly confound either of them, unless they strictly adhere to the truth. In any case he is convinced that they cannot deny his priority of right.

I feel that, whatever the truth of Dr. Cook's story, be is entitled to our regard, for his name will thunder down the ages as either the greatest explorer or the greatest liar that ever lived, and, whichever may turn otit to be the truth, he is a man of mark. Both Christopher Columbus and Ananias are prominent names in history, yet it is worthy of note that Ananias has' hit the popular fancy even more than C. Columbus, Esq.

Your affectionate son,
JIM

All content is copyright unless otherwise indicated