1827. 



PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 163 



very much to the discomfiture of our guide, and in chap. 

 spite of a great many remonstrances. He was a v . ^ 

 silent companion until we came to a path that went ^'y> 

 back to the beach, and there, politely stepping for- 

 ward, said it was the one that would take us where we 

 wished to go, and, touching our elbow, he would have 

 turned us into it had he not thought it rude ; but we 

 pursued our original path, followed by a crowd of 

 persons, who seemed to enjoy the discomfiture of our 

 companion, and laughed heartily as we came to every 

 track that crossed ours, each of which our officious 

 and polite conductor would have persuaded us to take, 

 as being far more agreeable than the other, and as 

 Ictiding to our destination. The mirth of the crowd 

 pretty well satisfied us there was no great danger in ad- 

 vancing, and we went on further than we should other- 

 wise have done ; but in a little time they began to drop 

 off, and we were at last left alone with the guide, who 

 really became alarmed. We had reached the foot of 

 the hill on which the capital is situated, and were 

 ascending to have a near view of the houses, when he 

 threw himself on his knees in evident alarm, bowed 

 his head to the dust, and embracing our knees im- 

 plored us to desist, assuring us that the mandarin 

 would take his head off if we did not. Some of the 

 officers who w^ent in another direction were told by 

 their guide that he would get bambooed if they did 

 not turn back, which is more probable than that the 

 heavy penalty apprehended by our companion should 

 be attached to so light a crime. 



To quiet the irritation of the poor old man, who 

 trembled violently, we ascended a hill some distance 

 to the left, which commanded an extensive view of 

 the country, and from whence we could survey the 



M 2 



