270 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XVI. 
for his inquiry, told him my age, and then asked his, 
and again proposed the question regarding the boat. 
Upon this he promised to send one of his servants to get 
one, and in the mean time invited me to take some cake 
and tea, which were immediately set before me. The 
gun which I had with me was an object of great curi- 
osity to the old man, more particularly the locks and 
percussion-caps, which he told me he had never seen be- 
fore. During the time I was discussing the cake and 
tea, he asked me a multiplicity of questions ; such as — 
Where had I come from last ? — Who had told me there 
was a road to Shanghae this way? &c. &c., some of 
which I answered, and some I found it convenient not 
to understand. At last, through some blunder on the 
part of my servant, it became known that he belonged 
to me ; a circumstance which was immediately commu- 
nicated to the mandarin, who sent for him and subjected 
him to a close and searching examination. 
While this was going on the mandarin of the highest 
rank in the city arrived, having been sent for by 
his brother in office to hold a conference regarding me. 
These worthies, after a long consultation in a private 
room, came out and informed me, in the blandest man- 
ner, that they intended to give me a free passage across 
the country to Shanghae, in a boat belonging to them- 
selves, and that, to add more to my comfort, they would 
send another boat to convey my servant and luggage. 
This seemed at first sight remarkably kind ; but I had 
been long enough in the celestial empire to be aware of 
the necessity of looking narrowly into their motives, in 
order to counteract any evil designs they might think 
