66 



VISIT FROM A MANDARIN. 



Chap. IV. 



Travelling as I was all alone, and engaged in 

 making collections of natural history, the objects of 

 which the natives could not comprehend, it was not 

 to be wondered at if my fame was spread far and 

 wide over the comitry. I had visits from several 

 mandarins and other wealthy inhabitants of the 

 district, and the way in which some of the more 

 timid of these gentry presented themselves was to 

 me highly amusing. One day, when I was busy 

 in arranging my collections, I heard a stranger's 

 voice calling my servant, and on looking out at the 

 window I observed a respectable-looking man with 

 several attendants within a few yards of my boat. 

 From his manner he was evidently most anxious 

 to see me and what I was after, but at the same 

 time he seemed doubtful of the reception I might 

 give him. My servant having assured him that I 

 was perfectly harmless, he mustered courage at last 

 to come alongside. In the mean time I opened the 

 boat^ and invited him to come inside. I suppose 

 my appearance and manners must have been more 

 favourable than he had been led to expect by the 

 report which had reached his ears, for he imme- 

 diately made me a most polite bow, and accepted 

 my invitation. When I spread out my entomo- 

 logical collections for his inspection, he seemed 

 perfectly astonished. " Did you really get all 

 these in this district ? " said he. " Strange, that, 

 although I am a native, yet there are hundreds 

 of them I have never seen before." I ventured to 

 hint that perhaps he had not looked for them. 



