80 EXTORTION. 



really believe is the truth. Strangers arriving 

 are beset by these pug-nosed, pig's-eyed fol- 

 lowers of the mandarins, and find they are abso- 

 lutely forced to comply with their demands, ex- 

 cept they choose to be bullied and severely beaten 

 by a multitude, which has often taken place when 

 resistance has been made to their demands. 

 Why, if the governor has the power, does he not 

 overthrow the chop-house into the sea, and by 

 such active measures put a stop to the tax alto- 

 gether ? It is certainly disagreeable, after a 

 long voyage, with ladies under your charge, to 

 be bullied by these scoundrels, very probably 

 some Portuguese soldiers and residents looking 

 on at the same time without offering any as- 

 sistance. It is not demanded of strangers at 

 Canton : why, therefore, is it at Macao ? A de- 

 mand also is made separately for ladies landing ; 

 and should a refusal take place, the unfortunate 

 Chinese boatmen are squeezed, to satisfy the 

 cupidity of the mandarins, or the ladies insulted. 

 Passengers and goods landing in European boats 

 are exempt from this imposition, as well as on 

 embarking ; so that the tax is confined to Eu- 

 ropeans embarking or arriving in Chinese boats. 



