Chap. XIX. 



LEAVE THE SILK COUNTRY. 



379 



CHAPTEE XIX. 



Leave the silk country — Adventure at Nanziang — A visit from 

 thieves — I am robbed of everything — Unsuccessful efforts to trace 

 the robbers — Astonished by another visit from them — Its objects 



— My clothes and papers returned — Their motives for this — A 

 visit to the Nanziang mandarin — Means taken to catch the robbers 



— Two are caught and bambooed — My visit to the mandarin re- 

 turned — Arrive at Shanghae — Report the robbery to her Majesty's 

 Consul — A portion of the money recovered — The remainder sup- 

 posed to be kept by the mandarins. 



Having- now finished my inspection of the silk- 

 districts I commenced my journey eastwards, in 

 the direction of Shanghae, where I had some im- 

 portant work awaiting me. I have already stated 

 in a former chapter that it was my intention to 

 call again at Cading on my way in order to pro- 

 cure some seeds which were not ripe when I 

 passed through that place en route to the silk- 

 country. On the evening of the third day I 

 arrived at a small town named Nanziang, a few 

 miles to the west of Shanghae, and not very far 

 from Cading, without having any adventures 

 worth recording in these pages. I could not 

 help thinking over the journey I had undertaken, 

 and the quiet and successful manner in which it 

 had been accomplished. Everywhere I had been 

 treated with civility and kindness by the natives ; 



