FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



])rison at Ouisi. It was an undeserved good fortune that brought 

 him into relations with such charitable men. He tried to foist 

 upon us some of his own kindred, demanding a guarantee in 

 writing against any mishap that might befall them on the road, 

 and got from us a suitable answer. The missionaries suggested 

 that the heathens should enter into a written engagement, to be 

 cancelled if incapacitated by sickness or other accident. The 

 Tsedjrong folk then drew up a form of contract, i)ut couched in 

 impertinent terms, alluding to Father Dubernard as "the Tsekou 

 Chinaman," and filled with misspellings by the besse in order to 

 hide its authorship. We rejected the document, and it was after- 

 wards rewritten in conformity with our wishes. The men were 

 to have si.x taiils a month — high pay for these parts. Wc pro- 

 vided them with food, and each received two taels in advance to 

 leave at his home. The Christians requested that their wages 

 should be deferred until their return ; and, calculating the journey 

 at three months, we left a sum for them in the hands of the 

 P^athers, only to be redeemed on production ot a certificate from 

 us. This may be taken as an instance of the trust and re.spect 

 inspired by our countrymen in that region, when Christian and 

 heathen alike, rude but home-staying and timid by nature, were 

 willing to enter an unknown country of ill repute in our service 

 upon the simple bond of the blathers for our honesty. 



We have incurred a debt of gratitude to the French mission- 

 aries which we can never adequately requite, and I am fain here 

 once more to place on record my recognition and regard. With- 

 out their timely help we could never have brought to a success- 

 ful issue, nor even prosecuted further, our expedition into India. 



By the loth of September our arrangements were made, our 



.supplies collected, and money deposited. It took some time to 



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