86 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



travel by land as the country is extremely unsafe, 

 from the number of desperate characters who are on 

 the look-out for plunder, in order that they may spend 

 the festival with credit to themselves and comfort to 

 their families. At this time, notwithstanding "Wong 

 a Shui's power, four head of cattle were seized within 

 half a mile of his house, and driven away. It was 

 most ludicrous on this occasion to notice the fury 

 with which Thirty and Thirty-two seized their spears, 

 and rushed about, always within a few hundred yards 

 of the house, calling upon the robbers "the man- 

 faced, dog-hearted ts'aak " to show themselves. This 

 was precisely the last thing the robbers were likely to 

 do ; but it was grand to hear the denunciations of 

 Thirty-Two, and to see him rushing about shaking his 

 spear. His fat carcass had not got such wholesome 

 exercise for many a day. 



All I could do was to watcli my companion care- 

 fully, and send a messenger to Hong-Kong Avith a 

 letter to a medical man, asking for more medicine, 

 and for advice how to treat him. Wong Cheong Pak, 

 one of the emigration agents, was despatched on this 

 business ; but he soon came back from Shah-ee-choong, 

 saying he could not get a boat to take him further ; 

 but I packed him off again, with strict directions to 

 find his way to Hong-Kong either by land or sea ; but 

 at all events to find it, at all risks and at any expense. 



I shall not readily forget the night of the 7th Feb- 

 ruary, which was the turning-point of my companion's 



