Crar. XXI1.] CARGO OF THE JUNKS. 385 
river, and, “ sans cérémonie,” get on board, whether 
they consented or not. I was, therefore, agreeably 
surprised, when, on sending my servant to make 
inquiries as to the time when they were likely to 
sail, he returned, bringing with him the captain and 
some of the sailors, who were all not only willing, 
but most anxious, that I should go with them. 
The principal part of the cargo carried by the 
Ningpo and Chapoo junks is wood. This is stowed 
on deck, and also lashed firmly to the gunwales and 
sides with large ropes of bamboo which are of great 
strength. Several hundreds of these vessels may 
be seen loading at the port of Foo-chow-foo, parti- 
cularly in the summer season, when the monsoon is 
fair for their voyage home. The mandarins are 
extremely jealous of so large a fleet, and will not 
allow them to carry guns, even for their own de- 
fence ; evidently fearing that some day or other these 
might beturned against thegovernment. The conse- 
quence of this regulation is, that these poor sailors 
and all they possess on board often fall an easy 
prey to the pirates who abound all along this coast. 
When the cargo was completed, the captain of 
the junk came to inform me that he was ready to 
start, and requested me to come on board. Whilst 
I was packing up my luggage, he began to examine 
my fire-arms very minutely, and said to me, “I 
hope your gun is a good one, and that you have 
plenty of powder and shot ?” “What is your 
reason for putting this question ?” said IT: “TI am 
sure we shall have nothing to shoot in our voyage 
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