Chap. XVII. 
ENGAGE A PILOT. 
279 
these people only come here at certain periods of the 
year to fish ; and when the season is past they move to 
more comfortable quarters on the main-land. No women 
are ever allowed to inhabit the island. 
Having picked out the most weather-beaten man we 
could find, we asked him if he knew the passage to the 
Min, and if he could take a vessel in which drew three 
fathoms of water. He immediately answered in the 
ajfifirmative ; but when we wanted him to come on board, 
he altered his mind and hesitated, probably because he 
had not confidence in us ; or, it might be, he was fright- 
ened at the consequences, not knowing how his conduct 
would be viewed by the authorities. Mr. Shaw, Captain 
Freeman, and myself, now held a conference as to what 
was to be done. A ship and a valuable cargo were at 
stake ; the numerous and dangerous sand-banks near the 
mouth of the river were visible ; and, as the man only 
refused us his service through fear and ignorance, we 
concluded that, as " necessity has no law," there could 
be no great harm in taking him against his will. We 
accordingly pulled alongside his little junk, and took 
him and it ofi to the ship, where he very soon got over 
all his fears. 
The Chinese are certainly a strange and unaccountable 
race. Never in my hfe did I witness greater apathy 
than was shown by this boat's crew when we took them 
off to the ship. Their companions, too — for there were 
several boats in the little bay — scarcely even looked at 
us, or manifested the least surprise, when they saw our 
men board the boat, get her anchor up, and hoist her 
sail. 
