Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology of Hainan. 81 



distant from the city. On the 14th, having induced the Go- 

 vernor to send a miUtary officer with me, I started on a trip to 

 the mountains. We embarked close to the city in a flat-bot- 

 tomed boat with our chairs and bearers, and pushed up the 

 river to Kewchow, where we landed, and travelled across coun- 

 try to Shuy-wei-sze, a trading-station between spurs of the moun- 

 tain chain. From Shuy-wei-sze we made for Tai-ping-sze, right 

 among the mountains, in the district of Ting-gan. This was a 

 wonderful place for forest-birds, abounding in lofty trees, clear 

 of jungle and undergrowth. From this T pushed up to Ling- 

 mun (or "Gate of the Mountains"), a place of barter between the 

 Chinese and the independent tribes ; but here most of the timber 

 had bten cut away, and I found it of less interest for natural- 

 history purposes than the woody spots on a lower level. The 

 Lieutenant commanding at Tai-ping-sze accompanied me to 

 Ling-mun and back. He was most assiduous in his attentions, 

 following me about in my rambles among the woods with hot 

 tea, cakes, and pipe, and a stool to sit upon ! As the weather 

 was fearfully hot in this mountain-locked neighbourhood, the 

 mandarin's attentions were thankfully received. The autho- 

 rities at both Shuy-wei-sze and Tai-ping-sze had received orders 

 from the Taotai to receive me well ; and on my arrival at each 

 place the police w^ere drawn up in double line at the entrance to 

 the town, supported by large crowds of the people, and, as I 

 was carried through in my travelling chair to the temple ap- 

 pointed for my reception, the police fell on one knee, a salute of 

 three guns was fired, and the mandarins, in their ornamented 

 official robes, presented themselves to welcome me in a travel- 

 stained shooting turn-out with a gun on my shoulder. Their 

 first idea of a British official must have been a strange one ; but 

 when I explained to them that I was as much interested in the 

 wild animals of the island as in any other of its products, they 

 did their best to aid me, though they never ceased to regard me 

 as a queer customer, and could not to the last understand why I 

 should trouble myself about birds and beasts, and to what use 

 I could turn their skins. I am afraid they looked upon me as 

 slightly wrong in the head. Nevertheless they did not cease 

 their attentions, and gave me wliat information I sought. The 



N. S. VOL. VI. G 



