CHIN USE Ci^UBfl. 



and it is surmised, unln.Uowed riles, (lie meml>ers 

 Of the different tribes and Con^sis ».r clubs, will ever 

 render it dani>nrons to trust a Chinese |>ol ice alone 

 on imp: irtmit occasions, amongst their own people. 

 It is rint now the interest of the Chinese in the Straits 

 to be turbulent; if so, these coiigsis would I >e danger*, 

 ous engines of mischief. In China they are severally 

 proscribed and the members are punished w uli death. 

 If a man known to be u member should fly, his fa- 

 mily are imprisoned. This marks sufficiently the 

 Dprakn entertained in China oi the intention of those 

 ron^'sis. 



There are four at least of these lodges known to 

 exist here, and there may be more, and it is believed, 

 that two thirds of the Chinese population, at the least, 

 are members of them. 



Inviolable secrecy is equally the characteristic of 

 these associations as of free-masonry. It is so far lucky 

 that sectarian jealousies keep the several congais 

 •mm coale.M in-. In 1704), the Chinese on Penan** 

 became seditious, but by energetic measures they 

 were speedily reduced to subordination. 



In the trials of the offenders, it appeared in evidence, 

 that it had Ixeen proposed to set up an indepen- 

 dent jurisdiction, ibr which five hundred Chinese hod 

 voted — rand that th» - people had bound themselves 

 to protert each other a^iinsl the law, and vaguely to 

 plunder the Settlement on a littinu- opportunity, as 

 their brethren had done at Hhio, with regard to the. 

 Dutch. 



The members of this conspiracy look an oath be- 

 fore (he Joss -or Tuk'.n«r, the peculiar deified saint 

 Whom they worshipped, to be true to each other t and 

 the oath fttH r.p. AtN ^ t! »'' if 1,10 W P ar 



The oath was likewise administered by the chief of 

 )ln: eongsj privately; when each member presented 



