112 



MOSQUITO TOBACCO. 



Chap. YI. 



namely, the sawings of juniper or pine trees (pih 

 heang fun, or sung slioo), artemisia-leaves reduced 

 to powder (nai-liai), tobacco-leaves (ean fun), a 

 small portion of arsenic (pe-za), and a mineral 

 called nu wang. 



With regard to the proportions of each, it 

 appeared that, to thirty pounds of the pine or 

 juniper sawings, about twenty of artemisia, five of 

 tobacco, and a small quantity of arsenic were 

 added. But ere we had come to this point my 

 informant's jealousy had been aroused, and his 

 statements were evidently not much to be depended 

 upon. He now began to question me in return for 

 the answers he had given — " What did I want this 

 information for ? if I wanted to buy the article, he 

 had it for sale, and it was cheap enough." To 

 make matters worse, he then coolly told me he was 

 not quite certain that the information he had given 

 me was correct, as he did not understand the pro- 

 cess himself, but engaged men to make it for him, 

 which individuals came from the interior. 



Nothing further could be gained from my jealous 

 ■acquaintance at this time, but I was determined 

 not to let the matter rest here, but rather en- 

 deavour to gain the end I had in view by other 

 means. At this time I had a very sharp and 

 intelligent artist — a native of Chusan — employed 

 in making drawings of coniferous trees for Miss 

 Boulton, of Hasely Court, Oxfordshire. He had 

 been travelling with me all over the country, and 

 had now come over to Chusan in order to make 



