Dr. Milne's Jccount of a Secret Association i?i China. Qi.J 



one man takes but a line, or half a Jine, which by itself is utterly unintel- 

 ligible to persons not initiated, but which, being understood by a brother 

 member, is responded to by him in another line or half a line, and, by thus 

 passing on through several persons, an ode may be completed, though not 

 perceived by any but the parties themselves. 



25, 26, 27. Kee te tuy. These three words are inexplicable in the order 

 in which they stand. Kee signifies to tie, to bind, and often used to signify 

 the formation of a secret association. Te (if we be right in the character) 

 signifies a brother, or younger brother, and the sense thus far would be— 

 " to form a brotherhood." Tuy, is a pair of any thing, or two things equal 

 to each other. But it is probable that these words have a reference to other 

 words on the seal, the connection of which seems difficult to discover. 



Explanation of Words within thefrst octangular lines. 



28, 29, 30, 31. Heiing te tung chin, 

 32, 33, 34, 35. Kb yen haou tow ; 

 36, 37, 38, 39. Kaou k'efun pae ; 

 40, 41, 42, 43. Wan koo yen chuen. 



Which may be thus rendered :— 



The Brethren all in battle join, 

 Each ready with a chosen sign ; 

 An ancient brook with parting streams, 

 Still flowing down from long-past times. 



In support of this version it might be urged, that the fraternity have 

 certain secret signs or marks, by which they make their ideas known to each 

 other, and in the tumult which they excite, these signs are made use of to 

 encourage each other in the work of destruction ; and that they consider 

 their society as of very ancient origin, and as spreading through the world 

 from age to age. 



But the words may be read in lines of eight or seven syllables, and might 

 begin at the 32d, thus :— 



Ko yew haou tow kaou k'e fun, 

 Kaou kc fun pae wan koo yew. 



N.B. This last line shifts back to 3G for its first syllable. 



