COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 285 



prisoners who are to be better fed are so at the ex- 

 pense of one of the other prisoners who may have 

 means of his own, or friends who supply those means, 

 so that he may obtain his release sooner. Some of 

 the prisoners were really very well fed. Whether 

 they contributed anything towards their own food 

 I could not learn. I was given rice with a little 

 cabbage, which, although small in quantity and not 

 nourishing, was far better than the millet. After 

 the millet was measured out, I was taken before the 

 mandarins and had to kneel, and underwent a great 

 deal of questioning, none of which I could, of course, 

 understand. I was then taken inside and given a 

 bowl of rice, which, as it was nearly the first food I 

 had had for thirty-six hours, was very acceptable. 

 My elbows were unpinioned to allow me to eat, and 

 my first lesson in chopsticks commenced. 



" There were about forty-eight prisoners in my 

 prison. Nineteen of these besides myself had chains 

 on, although not heavy like mine ; about fifteen by 

 length of imprisonment had had their chains taken 

 off and been promoted to better feeding all these 

 were the worst sort of criminals. The other prisoners 

 were in on suspicion and waiting for trial, or until 

 such time as they or their friends could pay a suffi- 

 cient bribe for their being released. 



"After my bowl of rice I was allowed into the 

 yard again until 3.30, when I had more rice. I was 

 again allowed into the yard an hour before we were 

 locked up for the night. The first two or three days 

 a great number of mandarins came to see me, some 



