TOWING CAMELS ACROSS RIVER. 227 



there to be robbed ; upon this the Chinese general 

 contented himself лvith what he had taken and ab- 

 stained from any further inspection. 



In the meanwhile the camels had not been 

 brought across the River, the excuse being that the 

 wind was too high and would endanger their being 

 drowned. At last, after renewed remonstrances, the 

 mandarin gave orders to ferry them over ; but as 

 they could not be placed on the boat owing to its 

 high sides, ropes were tied to their heads, and in 

 this way they were towed through the river, which 

 is 1,400 feet Avide, and has a rapid current. This 

 bath certainly did not improve them, as these 

 creatures have a strong aversion to water. 



As soon as the camels had been brouo^ht over, I 

 asked for my passport, but was told that the man- 

 darin was asleep and that I might wait till next 

 day. Out of all patience at this delay, I sent a mes- 

 senger to say that if my passport were not returned 

 we would go without it, but should prefer our com- 

 plaints at Peking at such treatment. 



I do not know in what words the message was 

 delivered to the mandarin ; but a quarter of an hour 

 later an official appeared, escorted by ten soldiers, 

 with orders from the mandarin to write another list 

 of all our articles, and not to suffer us to depart with- 

 out a passport. This time they only wrote down 

 the number of our boxes, leathern trunks, and bags ; 

 the soldiers remained under the pretence of preserv- 

 ing these articles from the thieves, but really to 

 guard us. 



03 



