VISIT FROM A CHINAMAN. 151 



and evidently a gentleman in his own country, 

 I gave him a cup of tea, and we had a long talk, 

 during which he told me he had been here on 

 political business, and was now on his way back 

 to Pekin. At Shanghai and Hong- Kong he had 

 seen many foreigners, also English ships, which 

 he greatly admired. On taking his leave, he 

 thanked me for my kind reception. 



Going across some gamey-looking country ten 

 miles west of Shamal, we came to the shores of 

 a long lagoon, and pitched our camp on a spot 

 made for the purpose, with nice bare ground for 

 the tents, and plenty dead trees lying about for 

 fuel, the lagoon being handy for water. 



I was out before daylight, as the stags go into 

 the long grass when the sun rises, and had not 

 been on the hill long before my shikari said the 

 welcome word " Boghe," and showed me two 

 stags feeding in a glade about half a mile off. I 

 made a good stalk, and set to work to creep up, 

 pulling off my charoks, as they made a crunching 

 noise on the dry grass-stubs, which were crusted 

 over with saltpetre ; but even then it was difficult 

 to advance silently, everything being as dry as 

 tinder, and I had to be careful not to break stick or 

 twig. I got a good view of them, and seeing my 



