162 LETTER FROM TAO-TAI 
and enclosure, which was sent to the Consul, showed 
that she had attracted attention in a quarter where I 
had not suspected it. 
‘From “ Fang” Tao-tai (of Chung-king). 
‘Sir,—On the Ist I had the honour to receive from 
H.E. the Viceroy “ Ya” a despatch instructing me forth- 
with to carry out the request contained in the enclosed 
communication. 
‘Thave accordingly given the requisite orders to the 
deputies of this office, and beg to acquaint you with 
the communication referred to. 
‘T have &c.’ 
The Viceroy ‘Ya’ mentioned in the above is the 
Viceroy of Sze-chuen, and the enclosure is as under : 
‘ Sir,—Wang-tsun-wen, Prefect of Chung-king, has 
forwarded a representation from Chow Chow Chao 
Ch’ng, magistrate of Pa Hshien, that on April 21 last 
the Chiang-pu sub-prefect sent on under escort the 
Englishman Pratt and the German trader Kricheldorff, 
who had come to Chung-king prefecture in their small 
foreign boat with a Chinese crew, and that on the 24th 
they proceeded on their journey to Kia-ting-fu, saying 
in reply to questions that they were purchasing goods 
~as they went along. The Prefect submits that for 
