p. IL] OUR BODY-GUARD. 47 
‘3 
withdrew, the Mandarin inviting us to renew our 
visit as often as we pleased. It was now dark, 
and we were lighted to the river with torches, fol- 
lowed, as usual, by some hundreds of the Chinese, 
who were all respectful and civil. Indeed, we 
were always honoured with a body-guard of this 
description wherever we went. 
