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public use, I astonished my guests with a musical-box, galvanic 

 battery, and sleight-of-hand tricks. 



269. The musical-box seemed to please them very much, and 

 several attempts were made to feel the teeth on the barrel, when 

 I opened the glass cover to give a better idea of the rapidity with 

 which the fly-wheel revolved. The galvanic shocks, however, 

 had rather an intimidating effect, especially when I put on extra 

 power for the benefit of a young fellow, who pluckily came forward 

 to show that he was proof against the influence of the ndt ; a couple of 

 shocks soon made him cry peccavi, and I was asked never again to 

 use it. They begged that on no account I open the box for 

 fear of the ndt escaping and doing them some bodily injury. 

 I made no attempt to remove the delusion, as I thought perhaps it 

 might rather have a beneficial effect than otherwise. Next came 

 the legerdemain part of the performance ; this crowned my fame, 

 and the crowd prostrated themselves at my feet : had I been so 

 disposed, I might have even eclipsed Erigham Young in vice, for 

 both mothers and fathers were anxious to present me with a 

 daughter as a votive offering, and gain my blessing in return ; 

 the former offer I declined, but their latter desire I bountifully 

 contributed to. Another and very important part of the entertain- 

 ment had now to be seen to — the circulation of liquor. There was 

 some difficulty in meeting the demand, for although the whole of 

 the liquor that had been presented me had been carefully stored up 

 for this occasion, yet there was not sufficient for more than a third 

 of the party ; the deficiency had therefore to be made up after a 

 prescription of my own, consisting of twice the quantity in water 

 of their own brew, beer six bottles, brandy one, gin one, spirits of 

 wine one, painkiller one, and one of essence of ginger. The combi- 

 nation proved a success, and the Tswabwas pronounced it excellent, 

 and asked for a few bottles to take away with them. The poorer of 

 the party were arranged in line ; and dinner, consisting of boiled rice 

 and pork curry, served out to them on plaintain leaves : the 

 Tswabwas and their relations were seated separately on mats, and 

 allowed plates to feed off ; with this the entertainment ended. 



270. I now visited the hpoongyee ; he expressed delight at my safe 

 return, and after a long conversation about the mountaineers, and 

 the probability of the re-opening of the old trade route to Western 

 China from here, he desired Yan Sing to ask me to call again 

 later on in the evening. I went over about 11 p.m., and found him 

 seated alone counting his beads. He cautioned me to be very care- 

 ful after leaving this, saying he had received information that there 

 were a party of Kakhyens determined on revenge, for having been 

 fired at by the late Mr. Graham, and that it was just as likely as not, 



