388 



ATTEMPT TO TRACE THE THIEVES. Chap. XIX. 



in such cases, we had a long discussion as to who 

 should occupy the seat of honour on the left side 

 of a raised table at the end of the hall. He suc- 

 ceeded at last in getting me into it, and then 

 ordered tea and pipes to be brought and set 

 before us. 



We now entered upon the business which had 

 brought me to pay this visit. I told him that I 

 had been travelling for some time in the interior 

 of the country, and that I had never been plun- 

 dered or molested in any way until I had come to 

 Nanziang, which was under his jurisdiction. He 

 expressed his great regret and indignation, and 

 told me he was sorry to say that there were more 

 thieves and bad characters about his district than 

 that of any other magistrate in this part of China. 

 I then hinted that no time ought to be lost in 

 endeavouring to trace the thieves, and called my 

 servants, who were outside, to explain particularly 

 how and where the robbery had taken place. 



An inferior officer was now sent for, and directed 

 to send off runners in every direction to obtain 

 information, and if possible to capture the thieves. 

 Another was sent to accompany me down to where 

 my boat was lying, to examine the manner in 

 which the thieves had entered it, and to make 

 inquiries amongst the people in the neighbour- 

 hood. Having thus put things in train, I bade 

 good-by to the mandarin, and took my leave with 

 an invitation to call upon him again in the even- 

 ing, or on the following morning, when he might 



