Chap. XIV. CURIOUS MOONLIGHT JOURNEY. 307 



however, along these flats, and in many parts of 

 the sea-coast, a large smuggling trade is carried 

 on under the eye of the authorities, who do not 

 seem to interfere, or only now and then. 



While engaged in making these investigations 

 a Chinese sailor came running towards us from the 

 shore, and informed us that the passage-junk had 

 arrived. Her captain had been obliged to anchor 

 a considerable way out for want of water, but 

 would come close in- shore when the flood- tide 

 made in the evening. We therefore returned at 

 once to our inn in order to have dinner and to 

 make preparations for our voyage across the bay. 

 In the mean time our landlord had got together a 

 number of coolies and three chairs to carry us and 

 our luggage across the flats. 



About eight o'clock in the evening we left the 

 inn, and took our way to the junk. It was a fine 

 moonlight night, and every object around us was 

 sparkling as if covered w4th gems. The chairs in 

 which we performed this part of the journey were 

 the most uncomfortable things of the kind I had 

 ever been in. The bearers, instead of slipping 

 along in that easy way in which such persons 

 generally go, jogged along like two rough buffa- 

 loes. As we proceeded the country had a most 

 curious appearance by moonlight. Soon after leav- 

 ing the village there was scarcely a tree to be 

 seen, and after passing the second embankment 

 vegetation — except some salt-loving plants — en- 

 tirely disappeared. Everywhere the ground was 



Y 



