Mr. Davis's Extracts frmn the Peking Gazette. 407 



diligence in destroying the insects throughout those districts where they 

 exist, in order that the grain may not be injured by them. The Heen of 

 Yunn'-ching district, Ho-che-tsi?ig, who presented a confused report several 

 months after the locusts had already appeared, and who failed to erect, 

 according to established rule, stations for buying (or giving a reward for) 

 all the insects destroyed, has been guilty of culpable remissness. Let him 

 first be deprived of the ball on his cap, and let a Umited time be fixed 

 within which he must exterminate the insects. Should he again be guilty 

 of remissness he will be further punished. 



" Khin-tsze." 



XXVII. A grain Junk burnt by Lightning. 



7th moon, 5th day (30th July). 



" The Comptroller-general of the grain junks, Wei-yuen^heu, respectfully 

 presents this address to His Imperial Majesty. 



" The Commissioner of grain in Hoo-pih province has reported to me, 

 that the second fleet of grain junks from thence arrived on the 18th of the 

 5th moon at Yih-heen in Shan-tung, and stopped at the lock or flood-gate 

 called Tim-chwaTUclm untQ it should be opened. On the 19th, between • 

 seven and nine o'clock in the morning, a hurricane arose, accompanied by 

 thunder and lightning, when the vessel under the charge of Hticang-chung-ta 

 was struck by lightning on one of the masts, which ignited, and communi- 

 cated the fire quickly to the whole vessel. The grain junks ahead and 

 astern of the one on fire were immediately hauled off^, and saved by the 

 exertions of all those engaged ; but the violence of the wind and of the 

 flames baffled the attempts of those on board the burning junk, though 

 happily they all escaped without injury. The cargo of grain, amounting 

 to six hundred and twenty-one peculs (about forty tons), besides reeds, 

 mats, fir planks, and large bamboos, together with other goods, were all 

 consumed, nothing but the junk's bottom remaining. It was a distressing 

 object for the eyes ! Now it is proposed that the cargo of grain destroyed 

 be made good by the owner in successive annual instalments, and that the 

 other articles be brought again in the ensuing year. 



" In addition to the above report, it appears from the statement of the 



• See Plate XIII, No. 3. 



Vol. I. 3 H 



