Establishing a Business 157 



in holding a lev^e of Chinese visitors, while seated in state 

 on the dais at the head of the reception-hall. At times we 

 played Chinese chess, which is a favourite amusement with 

 the youth of this establishment — a game differing from 

 Indian chess chieily in the addition of two pieces called 

 " cannon," which only check when a third piece intervenes 

 between them and their object. This serves to pass away 

 the time during the dim gloom of a Chinese house from 

 sunset till bedtime. At nine, Shao-yeh (literally, small 

 night) or supper is eaten. This is another characteristically 

 Chinese pastime. By the light of the oil-lamp we peck with 

 our chop-sticks at a few miniature dishes of cold onions, 

 minced leeks, cold peas and beans flavoured with vinegar 

 and soy, apricot and melon-seeds, all which serve as a zest 

 to numerous sups of mild, hot rice-wine — a kind of beer 

 fermented from the glutinous rice. Sam-shu, or distilled 

 spirit, on the other hand, is generally made from millet-seed. 

 As I was about to establish a mercantile business of my 

 own in Chimg-king, which was not formally opened as 

 a treaty port until eight years later, I called on the local 

 officials — the Tao-tai, or Intendant of Circuit, and the Pa- 

 hsien, the local magistrate — to notify them of my intended 

 stay. I found them very communicative and pleasant, and 

 discussed with them the possible opening of the port. The 

 latter afterwards sent me a proclamation, to be posted on the 

 wall of my hong, consisting of a preamble citing the Tientsin 

 Treaty, by virtue of which British subjects have a right to 

 visit the interior for purposes of trade and residence, and 

 exhorting the people to deal fairly with and not to crowd 

 or molest me. The proclamation was hardly needed, for 

 the Szechuan officials and people seem to form an exception 

 to the rest of China in being favourably disposed towards 

 foreign intercourse. 



