15C and o/c. Cousin Caron Paulovich and her husband here for a visit. She and I worked on genealogy and DNA stuff while M and Len went got corn for supper. In PM we all went to the fair grounds for the RCMP musical ride. It is still very good.
Local kids here for supper, after they left the four of us hot tubbed then off to bed.

Day after day, mile after mile, sometimes tying up for the night at villages and towns, sometimes they simply put into the bank or to an island; the excitement of the beginning soon settled into monotony and they all looked forward to the occasional expedition to buy supplies.

  Hoy Chang’s estimate of how many days was quite accurate and under sail they pulled into the port of Guangzhou on the afternoon of the forty-fifth day. As they maneuvered through the busy waters Hoy Chang said.  “I have a cousin who lives over on the far side of the city, I think we should go there with the boat, he will be able to help you find a way to get to Hong Kong.”

  Two days later after saying good bye the family boarded a large junk that was transporting rice to the outer coast. It was almost a week before they docked in Hong Kong harbor.

  After finding accommodation in a hotel, Doctor Pearce proceeded to the British embassy to register their arrival and need for assistance.  A few daylight raids by Japanese aircraft had taken place just before their arrival and with the fear of more, they  found passage on a freighter bound for India.  Within two more days they were on the water once again.

Author’s comments

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he preceding chapters are what I have imagined might have happened and how the Pearce family may have escaped from China.  John and Jean both remembered the doors of the hospital being blown in and the impression it has left on me all these years is as vivid as if I had been there.