Db. Milne's Account of a Secret Association in China. 241 



its machinations were not entiiely defeated till about the eighth year of the 

 said Emperor's reign, when the chiefs were seized and put to death ; and it 

 was (in the usual bombast of Chinese reports) officially stated to his majesty, 

 " that there was not so much as one member of that rebellious fraternity left 

 under the wide extent of the heavens." The fact, however, was just the 

 contrary, for they still existed, and operated, though more secretly ; and it 

 is said, that a few years after they assumed the name of the " Triad Society," 

 in order to cover their purposes. But the name, by which they chiefly dis- 

 tinguish themselves, is * Hung kea, i. e. the " Flood Family." 



There are other associations formed both in China and in the Chinese 

 colonies that are settled abroad, as the t T'heen how hwuy, i.e. the " Queen 

 of Heaven's Company, or Society ;" called also, the X Neang ma hwuy, or 

 " Her Ladyship's Society ;" meaning the " queen of heaven, the mother 

 and nurse of all things." These associations are rather for commercial and 

 idolatrous purposes, than for the overthrow of social order ; though it is said, 

 that the members of the " Queen of Heaven's Society," settled in Bengal and 

 other parts, unite in house-breaking, 8cc. 



Secondly, Object. 



The object of this society at first does not appear to have been peculiarly 

 hurtful ; but, as numbers increased, the object degenerated from mere mutual 

 assistance, to theft, robbery, the overthrow of regular government, and an 

 aim at political power. In foreign colonies, the objects of this association 

 are plunder, and mutual defence. The idle, gambling, opium-smoking 

 Chinese (particularly of the lower classes), frequently belong to this frater- 

 nity. What they obtain by theft or plunder is divided in shares, according 

 to the rank which the members hold in the society. They engage to defend 

 each other against attacks from police officers ; to hide each others crimes ; 

 to assist detected members to make their escape from the hands of justice. 

 A Chinese tailor in Malacca, named Tsaou foo, who committed murder, in 

 the close of 1818, shortly after the transfer of the colony, and made his 

 escape from the hands of justice, was a chief man in this society ; and, it is 

 believed, had a considerable number of persons under his direction, both on 



See plate, No. 5. -f See plate, No. G. X See plate. No. 7, 



