158 Timehri. 
whole afiair was made up. The revenue runner was given reliable information 
and while the police were searching the house a very large quantity of opium 
was smuggled across the frontier and carried to its destination. 
GAMBLING RAMPANT 
Gambling was, of course, rampant notwithstanding the greatest 
vigilance and the police had their work cut out to check it. Dens 
existed all over the place, bribery was in full swing andas all classes 
joined in hoodwinking the authorities the task of suppression was a 
difficult one. The larger gambling dens were veritable fortresses. 
The games were usually carried on in an upper-storey access to which 
was through a heavy trap-door carefully guarded which was let down on 
the heads of the police as they scrambled up the ladder leading to the 
room, the gamblers escaping over the roofs. Many an exciting chase result- 
ed. Broken heads and limbs were not at all infrequent but the merry game 
went on. Wah Way as it was called—the Cheefa of this colony—was popular 
with the masses. The proprietors of this lottery had their agents in all dis- 
tricts. These men daily sold tickets and on the declaration of the winning 
object, turtle, tiger or whatever it was, went through their districts and ex- 
hibited the palm vf one hand on which was painted a representation of the 
winning object. Tickets were redeemed at fixed places. The paint or colour 
used was a harmless dye, very soluble and if a policeman approached the 
agent that individual by the simple process of licking his palm eliminated 
all traces and there was no proof. 
Cur-Pou. 
The larger gambling houses indulged in Che-poh. In this a brass cube was 
used which enclosed another in the apex of which was a die. A cloth was 
spread onatable. ‘This cloth had various sigrs on it marked off in divisions 
by wich wins were calculated. The croupler put in the die after the money 
was staked on the cloth, then fitted the outer cube over the Jnner one, gave the 
thing a turn or two, placed it in a bag which was laid on the cloth ; another 
turn was given, the bag taken off and then the outer cube was lifted up reveal- 
ing the die—the position of which decided the winners. All this appeared fair 
and absolutely above board. In many, perhaps in most cases, it was so but 
even here things were often arranged. When this was so, the inner cube had a 
shifting bottom under the die. This shifting bottom was acted on by a small 
delicate spiral spring worked by a minute needle point at the side of the cube. 
The croupier when he put in the die noticed the stakes and if the position of the 
die, which by constant practice he knew, would result in a heavy Joss, the 
needle was touched when the upper cube was being removed, the die 
turned and the Bank won. 
A SimeLe Metuop or GAMBLING. 
Fan-tan, of course, also had a show. But the simplest method of gambling I 
ever came across was in Province Wellesley. For some time it was known the 
gambling was carried on in a certain village. Where or how could at first not 
be discovered. There were no gambling houses, of that we were sure. 
ed 
