WHITE'S JOURNAL OF A 
China. Some of the natives came along-fide the Sirius, and 
made figns to have their beards taken off. One of them pa- 
tiently, and without fear or diftruft, underwent the operation 
from the fhip's barber, and feemed much delighted with it. 
2 1 ft. William Ayres, a convidl, who was in a ftate of 
convalefcence, and to whom I had given permifllon to go 
a little way into the country, for the purpofe of gathering 
a few herbs wherewith to make tea, was, after night, brought 
to the hofpital, with one of* the fpears ufed by the natives 
flicking in his loins. It had been darted at him as he was 
ftooping, and while his back was turned to the aflailant. 
The weapon was barbed ; and ftuck fo very faft, that it 
would admit of no motion. After dilating the wound to 
a confiderable length and depth, with fome difficulty I ex- 
traded the fpear, which had penetrated the fleili. nearly 
three inches. After the operation, he informed us that he 
received his wound from three of the natives, who came 
behind him at a time when he fufpeded no perfon to be 
near him except Peter Burn, whom he had met a little 
before, employed on the fame bufinefs as himfelf. He 
added, that after they had wounded him, they beat him 
in a cruel manner, and ftripping the cloaths from his back, 
3 carried 
