FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



him by a sash. He was announced as a "brave," — euphemistic for 

 brigand, I imagine. As we set out, we noticed by the side of the 

 path two posts with cross arms, joined by a chain of bamboo links, 

 on the off arm a rough wooden bow, on the near one a sword ; sup- 

 posed to represent armed men guarding the village from sickness. 



During the day we passed through the extensive village of 

 Feoumoto. The inhabitants were Lamasjen, also called Petsen, 

 with a dialect similar to the Minchia. Opposite, on the left bank, 

 we perceived the little town of Yiim-pan-kai, whose white houses 

 and grey-gabled roofs bespoke it Chinese. Although connected 

 with Feoumoto by a cord bridge, we preferred to keep the river 

 between us. 



At daybreak we discovered that two of Roux's valises, left 

 uncorded near his tent, were gone. The thieves had also relieved 

 Chantzeu's successor of a packet of opium, and — a far more 

 serious loss- — had abstracted from close by his head the theodolite. 

 We found its case at a little distance. The "Doctor" was in 

 despair. It was not the value of the instrument we regretted, 

 but the impossibility of continuing his astronomical and magnetic 

 observations. Our suspicions pointed to the villagers, who were 

 prowling round the camp during the night. We summoned the 

 headman, and promised him a reward if the things were restored, 

 and threatened him with a complaint to Li-kiang In the contrary 

 event. The inhabitants, meanwhile, remained placidly seated on 

 a hillock watching us. In the afternoon we resolved to go in 

 person to the village of Tchen-ki-oue. We went armed, and took 

 with us Joseph and Fa. The chief replied, with some justice, 

 that our arrival on the previous evening had not been formally 

 notified to him, and that, in consequence, he had been unable to 

 take precautions to guard us against robbers, with which the 



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