moon, while the sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu
temple, a pan with oil would have caught fire, through the want of care
on the part of the bonze, and that in a short time the flames would have
consumed the paper pasted on the windows.

Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions
were in general use, and these too proved a source of calamity so
ordained by fate (to consummate this decree).

With promptness (the fire) extended to two buildings, then enveloped
three, then dragged four (into ruin), and then spread to five houses,
until the whole street was in a blaze, resembling the flames of a
volcano. Though both the military and the people at once ran to the
rescue, the fire had already assumed a serious hold, so that it was
impossible for them to afford any effective assistance for its
suppression.

It blazed away straight through the night, before it was extinguished,
and consumed, there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses.
Anyhow, pitiful to relate, the Chen house, situated as it was next door
to the temple, was, at an early part of the evening, reduced to a heap
of tiles and bricks; and nothing but the lives of that couple and
several inmates of the family did not sustain any injuries.

Shih-yin was in despair, but all he could do was to stamp his feet and
heave deep sighs. After consulting with his wife, they betook themselves
to a farm of theirs, where they took up their quarters temporarily. But
as it happened that water had of late years been scarce, and no crops
been reaped, robbers and thieves had sprung up like bees, and though the
Government troops were bent upon their capture, it was anyhow difficult