ROBBERY AT TSI-HO-KIA 213 



crossed and the passage was dangerous, the current 

 being very strong and with many whirlpools. The 

 river was crossed twice more to-day, and in the even- 

 ing a halt was made for the night at a village called 

 Tsi-ho-kia. 



August 1. — In the morning I discovered that a 

 robbery had taken place during the night, a case con- 

 taining bird skins having been stolen. This placed me 

 in an awkward position, as the landlord wanted me to 

 remain till he could catch the thief, l)ut I was anxious 

 to report the matter at Hung-ya-hsien and started at 

 8.30. Wlien the landlord found that I was determined 

 to go, he, with the object of being the first to report, 

 started before me. I had not gone far when one of the 

 Yamen runners came up with the box that had been 

 stolen and which had been found in a field close to the 

 inn. It had been covered with hide at Ta-tsien-ln, and 

 the thief no doubt thought that it contained musk. A 

 small hole had been cut in the lid, and upon the con- 

 tents being found to l)e only bird skins, it was thrown 

 away. I was very glad to recover it, for it contained, 

 among others, the skin of a Lophophorus L'huysii, and 

 none of them were damaged. After two hours journey 

 the Ya was crossed and Hung-ya-hsien, on the left bank, 

 entered. Here my passport was copied. I found the 

 landlord locked up. When he heard that the stolen 



