46 ,BATCHIAN. [chap. xxiv. 



hundred cents for daily expenses, and put them in a small 



japanned box, which always stood upon my table. In the 



afternoon I went for a short walk, and on my return 



this box and my keys, which I had carelessly left on the 



table, were gone. Two of my boys were in the house, but 



had heard nothing. I immediately gave information of the 



two robberies to the Director at the mines and to the Comr 



mandant at the fort, and got for answer, that if I caught 



the thief in the act I might shoot him. By inquiry in the 



village, we afterwards found that one of the convicts who 



was on duty at the Government rice-store in the village 



had quitted his guard, was seen to pass over the bridge 



towards my house, was seen again within two hundred 



yards of my house, and on returning over the bridge into 



the village carried something under his arm, carefully 



covered with his sarong. My box was stolen between the 



hours he was seen going and returning, and it was so 



small as to be easily carried in the way described. This 



seemed pretty clear circumstantial evidence. I accused 



the man and brought the witnesses to the Commandant. 



The man was examined, and confessed having gone to the 



river close to my house to bathe ; but said he had gone no 



further, having climbed up a cocoa-nut tree and brought 



home two nuts, which he had covered over, because he was 



ashamed to he seen carrying them I This explanation was 



thought satisfactory, and he was acquitted. I lost my 



