Chap. XVIII. 
PASSAGE IN A JUNK. 
295 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
Engage a Passage in a Junk — Leave the District of the Min — 
An Attack of Fever — Eeligious Ceremonies on board the Junk 
— Attacked by Pirates — Scene on board — Cowardice of the 
Chinese — Pirates beat off — Gratitude of the Crew — A safe 
Anchorage ! — Another Fleet of Pirates — Attack and Results — 
Arrive at Chusan — Ingratitude of the Crew — Mode of making 
them keep their word — Kindness of foreign Residents at Shang- 
hae — Large Peaches — Collections packed — Leave the North of 
China — Sail for England — Arrival in the Thames — Con- 
clusion. 
At the time when I %^sited Foo-chow-foo, although it 
was open to the English as a place of trade and had 
a British consul, it was little known in a mercantile 
point of view. The entrance to the river Min was de- 
scribed as extremely difficult and dangerous, and conse- 
quently few foreign vessels ventured to touch at this 
port. When, therefore, my botanical researches were 
completed, and I was ready to return north to Shanghae, 
I was obliged to apply for a passage in a Chinese junk, a 
whole fleet of which were to sail in few days for Ning-po 
and Chapoo. Knowing the dislike and jealousy which 
most of the natives manifest towards foreigners, I had 
some doubt whether I should be able to induce them to 
take me as a passenger, and, in that event, I had deter- 
mined to go down to the mouth of the river, and " sans 
