358 VOYAGE OF THE ' ALCESTE.' 1845. 



shore, the herds were driven into the interior. They 

 must certainly have a law relative to the admission of 

 strangers into their towns ; and it seems highly probable 

 that some power exists at Quelpart, as at Loo-Choo, by 

 which they are enabled, under due caution, to entertain 

 and facilitate the operations of visitors, according to cir- 

 cumstances. On one occasion, I obtained permission to 

 cut down some Pine trees for spars, but after the third 

 was felled and embarked, the authorities withdrew their 

 consent ; not from any fear of the consequences, but 

 because one old man chose to embrace the tree, con- 

 demned to the axe, terming it his " child": doubtless his 

 private property. 



One other point, noticed by us, does not coincide with 

 the observations in the 'Voyage of the 'Alceste'. We 

 found the Chinese written characters understood every- 

 where by the heads of villages, military Chiefs, and civi- 

 lians, and frequently when a boat landed, the Officer has 

 been shown a paper in that character, which, when 

 brought to the interpreter, appeared simply to enquire, 

 " what is your business ? " Two large sheets containing 

 letters, each an inch square, in Chinese characters, came 

 off with the Bullocks from the northern city ; they ap- 

 peared to be public documents, covered with a water- 

 proof varnish, and are now in my possession. The 

 characters under the picture of the Emperor presented to 

 me, were also Chinese. 



END OF VOL. I. 



