Chap. IV. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



59 



CHAPTEK lY. 



Entomology — Chinese ideas respecting my collections — My sanity 

 doubtful — Mode of employing natives to assist me — A scene on 

 returning to my boat — Curious tree — Visit from a mandarin — 

 An endeavour to explain my objects in making collections of natural 

 history — Crowds of natives — Their quietness and civility — Return 

 mandarin's visit — My reception — Example of Chinese politeness 

 — Our conversation — Inquisitiveness of his ladies and its conse- 

 quences — Beauty of ladies at Tse-kee — Our luncheon and adieu. 



The hilly districts amongst which I was now 

 sojourning were particularly rich in beautiful and 

 rare insects. A small bottle, an insect-box, and 

 a net were continually carried both by myself and 

 men, and many were the fine things we captured, 

 as the cabinets of most of the entomologists in 

 Europe can now testify. This proceeding seemed 

 to astonish the northern Chinese beyond measure, 

 and, from the mixture of awe and pity depicted in 

 many a countenance, they evidently thought me a 

 little cracked in the head. The more intelligent 

 amongst them believed I was collecting for medical 

 purposes, and that all my specimens were destined 

 to be chopped up in a mortar and made into pills 

 to be swallowed by the sick. The Chinese have 

 not the slightest idea of the study of entomology, 

 and laughed at me when I attempted to explain 

 to them that insects are collected for such a pur- 



