162 LOWBAN'S FLAG 



There being no students in the town now, I was 

 able to visit it, and found a fine city with good shops 

 and the people civil. There is a large trade done in 

 silk, and the town is famous for its embroidery. There 

 is also a considerable trade in the white vegetable 

 wax. 



I was now busy j^acking, drying, and stowing away 

 the collections in the boat. This place is very un- 

 healthy at this time of year, and the weather was very 

 •rainy, but advantage was taken of every gleam of sun- 

 shine to spread things out on the roof of the cabin to 

 dry, damp being one's principal enemy in this district. 



The river was now high, and the navigation 

 -dangerous. I therefore engaged a pilot who was said 

 to have a good local knowledge. 



All being at last arranged and ready to start, the 

 lowban came on board with two Yamen runners, who 

 were to accompany me down the river. He informed 

 me that if we had not got a flag we should be forced to 

 stop at all the hsiens, or smaller towns, and that he 

 could procure such a flag. He also said that it w^ould 

 save us from much annoyance from the natives, M^ho 

 were badly disposed towards foreigners. I told him 

 that I only intended to stop at the fus, or large cities, 

 and gave him an hour to procure the flag. He then 

 went on shore, and after a while returned with it. It 



