246 Dr. AIilne's Accou7it of a Secret Association in China. 



3. Simmy, the water planet, / e. Mercury, to which the dominion of the 

 northern hemisphere is confided. 



4. Kin, the metal planet, i. e. Venus, to which the care of the west is 

 confided. 



5. Ho, the fire planet, i.e. Mars, to which the southern hemisphere is 

 assigned, 



N.B. The reasons (or some of the reasons) why these planets are placed 

 at the corners of this seal, may be, because they are the basis of Chinese 

 astrological science, and because they are considered the extreme points of 

 all created things. 



Explanation of the five Characters which are directly under the Planets. 



6. Hung, a flood or deluge of waters. One of the secret designations of 

 this fraternity is Hung Icea, literally, " the Jlood family ;" intended, perhaps, 

 to intimate the extent and effectiveness of their operations, that, as a flood, 

 they spread and carry every thing before them. 



7. Haou, a leader ; a chief or brave man. 



8. Han, the name of an ancient dynasty ; but, in certain connections, 

 signifying a bold and daring man, which is most probably the sense here. 



9. Ying, a hero. 



10. Kea, a stand ; but metaphorically used to denote a person of impor- 

 tance to the state, or to society, as we use tropes, and say, " such man is a 

 pillar," " the stay of his country." 



N.B. Though this be the ordinary meaning of these words, it is possible 

 that they may be used by the fraternity in a mystical and occult sense. 



Explanation of the other Cfiaracters within the same lines. 



11. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Ying, heung, hwuy, hh, twan,yuen, she. 

 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Heung, te,fun, kae, yih, show, she. 



" The hero band in full assembly meet ; 



" Each man a verse, to make the ode complete." 



This is a very probable sense of the words as they are placed, especially 

 as it is known to be a frequent practice of this fraternity to converse together 

 in poetry ; and in order to elude suspicion while in company with others, 



