HANOI TO MONGTSE 



" tchaotiou " (Chinese o.d.v.). We were offered a vintage dating 

 from 1S70, and brought from the capital. The general insisted 

 on drinking healths with each of us in turn, without heel-taps. 

 His children — a large-eyed little girl of an Indian type of face, 

 and a boy with a fine fur-embroidered cap — came in to see us, 

 and made the round of the table, bowing- before each guest. Our 

 host appeared very fond of them, which is common enough in 

 China ; but he had an exceptionally frank manner towards 

 foreigners — a disposition I have remarked among Chinese Mussul- 

 mans very different from that of their Buddhist fellow-countrymen. 

 The missionaries rarely have to complain of persecution at the 

 hands of the Houi-houi or the Houe-dzeu, as the disciples of 

 Mahomet are called in China. So far from attacking the Christians, 

 they sometimes even support them ; but they never become con- 

 verts. "You have a God," they say to our priests; "so have we: 

 we both have a book ; let us be friends." 



The general did not speak to us on religion. He came to 

 see us at the consulate on foot with a small retinue, which for a 

 mandarin showed a very unusual freedom from formality. He 

 was interested in our firearms, and inquired their cost ; and 

 hearing us express some wish, sent us milk and native cigars as 

 a present. I think if I had never had to do with any Chinese 

 but Ma I should have formed a different opinion of his com- 

 patriots. 



Besides the consular and missionary staff, we found very 

 agreeable society at the custom-house. The superintendent was 

 an American, Mr. Carl, a connection of Sir Robert Hart, and 

 well qualified to give me interesting commercial statistics. The 

 greater part of the merchandise is of English origin, and 

 comes from Canton by Pese. The trade returns give a total 



