302 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



appeared one forenoon on the hills above the bay, 

 and began reading an Imperial proclamation order- 

 ing us all to depart ; but as a thundering salute hap- 

 pened to be fired just at that moment, he tucked up 

 his skirts and himself ran off, satisfied that he had 

 courageously performed his duty. The most valuable 

 relief, however, was "the great unknown," the mys- 

 terious gentleman, who usually appeared on board a 

 transport, encumbered only with a despatch-box and 

 a canteen, and who had no sooner set his foot on 

 board than he hurriedly sent off the boat which 

 had brought him there, saying to the crew, " ^"ow, 

 boys, you can go back to your ship." This, be it 

 observed, was itself a great stroke on the part of a 

 social highwayman, for what has a tender-hearted 

 skipper to do with him when he is once on board 

 in a place like Manchuria 1 He cannot be requested 

 to walk down the gangway into the water ; it will 

 not do exactly to put him on shore in an enemy's 

 country, where the heads of foreigners are supposed 

 to be at a premium. To be sure, he may be turned 

 into the forecastle and put on ship's rations, but that 

 is a harsh measure ; and then gentlemen of this de- 

 scription have a faculty of making themselves ex- 

 tremely popular with sailors, and there is no saying 

 what difficulties he may raise, or insubordination he 

 may excite. But our highwayman of Ta Lien Wan 

 never required such a pis aller. His next step, after 

 sending the boat away, was to hint to the captain, 



