64 CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES. 



are prejudiced against it by education and example, as the 

 League is always represented in its blackest colours ; and a Chi- 

 nese not belonging to the League, cannot be induced to take up 

 a manual or book treating of its rites ; the looking on it being 

 deemed already contaminating." 



In the Straits Settlements, we do not experience these diffi- 

 culties in gaining information ; as the Society, with its nume- 

 rous branches, is recognised by the Government, and the names 

 of tens of thousands of office-bearers and members are register- 

 ed, there is no difficulty in speaking with the initiated Chinese 

 on the subject of their League; the outside Chinese population, 

 (which includes the more respectable portion of the community) 

 are, and will always remain, as the Society is now constituted, 

 in total ignorance of its working and rules. 



In registering the various Lodges of the Hung-League, in 

 Singapore, Penang, and Malacca, I have had many opportunities 

 of gaining an acquaintance with the organisation of the Brother- 

 hood, by conversation with the Sin-sengs or Masters of Lodges, 

 and by perusal of the numerous manuals or catechisms which 

 have passed through my hands, and of which I possess one or 

 two ancient copies. It is, however, my opinion that any Euro- 

 pean who will take the trouble to thoroughly digest M. SchlegeFs 

 invaluable work on the subject, will know more of the origin, 

 ceremonies and ostensible objects of the Thien-Ti-Hui, than nine 

 out of ten of the Masters of Lodges in the Straits Settlements. 

 As the book in question is now very scarce, and not accessible to 

 the general public, I considered that to the members of the 

 Straits Asiatic Society an account of the establishment of the 

 Society as stated in the introductions to the manuals used by all 

 the Lodges in these Colonies, might not be uninteresting ; and if 

 my surmise prove correct, I would in future Numbers of this 

 journal continue a translation of the Manual itself; and endea- 

 vour to trace the Society from its establishment as a political 

 society in 1674, to its present existence as an association of, at 

 the best, very questionable characters, the objects of which are, 

 combination to carry out private quarrels, and to uphold the in- 

 terests of the members, either by means of the law, or in spite of 

 the law, and lastly to raise money by subscription, or by levying 

 fees on brothels and gambling houses, in the districts controlled 

 by the different branches. 



The Society is called " Triad" because of the Chinese name 

 often given to it, Sam -hap or " three united," — Heaven, Earth, 

 and Man ; when these '„hree principles are in unison, there is 



