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and she said that all the trunks and larger bags were on the wharf, from which she had had them well started until one officious coolie had come along and made all the men put down their loads until we had talked price and agreed to pay them six dollars to carry the stuff a couple hundred yards. She took the [[strikethrough]][[illegible]][[/strikethrough]] several small pieces she had into the train, and I went down to talk with the coolies. After considerable argument I finally agreed to pay them five dollars, and Carey, who had been watching, got up with relief and went up to the train. In the station we got the trunks weighed, paid our excess baggage, and I saw the coolies get the stuff on the train before I paid them. At last it seemed that our struggle to and from Kuling was over. 

This should not be interpreted as typical traveling in China. The fuss we had was quite unusual, more or less localized as to place, and of recent origin. The Nanking-Pukow crossing depends so much on the coolies that during this spring they have found their power to hold up passengers, and as there is no organization for handling baggage, and private coolies are sometimes forcibly always vocally discouraged, they manage to get away with it. There has been some anti-foreign feeling here, and sometimes the prices foreigners have been made to pay have been quite outrageous. As a manifestation of a new feeling of independence, group organization, and, perhaps, an improved standard of living with improved pay, there is something to be said for it; but the unorganized battle over prices at every point is wearing in the extreme. I should be delighted if someone would organize the service and make prices that would stick, even if a little high What the outcome of the present irregularities at Nanking and Kiukiang will be it is difficult to say. At present traveling is exceedingly unpleasant at these two places, easy as it is elsewhere, but after all it is only incidental in the trip while its social and economic importance may be great. 

Well, we had a little coffee, and the train started on time. With a whole third class compartment to ourselves wewere quite well established, which was a good thing, for Carey continued to be sick and nothing she could eat or drink was willing