HANOI TO MONGTSE 



the duties. "If in three days my men don't learn how to work," 

 said he, with a significant gesture, " I take a board and touch them 

 up behind." The Chinese do not look far ahead; the present is 

 enough for them as long as they are well off. An incident occurred 

 here which was characteristic. Sao and a Cantonnese lad, 

 Francois' personal attendant, quarrelled, and the i\nnamite struck 

 the Chinese with a hatchet. I do not know which was in fault ; 

 but the interpreter, naturally taking the part of his compatriot, 

 without referring to us, straightway lodged a formal complaint. 

 The matter might have become complicated ; so we interposed, 

 and, putting Sao under temporary arrest, deposited a sum of 

 money with M. Guerin — one part for the care of the Chinese, and 

 the other as an indemnity. I may add that the servant, a true 

 Celestial, preferred the gain to the grievance. 



One of the chief difficulties of the traveller in China is that of 

 money. The coin must be carried in bulk. W'e intrusted our stock 

 of piastres to three jewellers, who melted them down at the rate of 

 a thousand a day. A powder thrown into the fused mass caused 

 the copper to separate, the silver was run into moulds, and we 

 received it in dainty ingots, pitted with small holes like a sponge, 

 and inscribed with Chinese characters. We sent a portion of our 

 meltings on to the care of the missionary at Tall-Fou. There is a 

 company formed for the transmission of money by post in the 

 provinces, with insurance against loss by robbery ; but unhappily 

 this was not in operation between Mongtse and Tali. We were 

 obliged to take a draft on Yiinnan-Sen, whence the mission would 

 forward to us. The first banker applied to refused the accommoda- 

 tion when he knew what was required. An order had been issued 

 by the Taotai against any aid to Europeans. I recognised once 

 more the habitual grace of the Chinese authorities. Luckily, another 



