284 COCHINCHINA. 
What the qualities of these troops may be, if measured by 
an European standard, I cannot pretend to say ; but those 
few which fell under our observation were active and vigorous 
young men, not much encumbered with dress, nor was that 
dress uniform either in point of shape or of colour ; except 
indeed the holiday dress of those who were on guard on^ the 
day of our public reception, whose pasteboard helmets, and 
tassels of cow tails dyed scarlet, quilted jackets and petticoats, 
were completely Chinese. In- general, a handkerchief tied 
about the head, somewhat in the shape of a turban, a toose 
smock frock, with a pair of draAvers, constitute the dress of a 
soldier, as in the annexed figure which is an accurate portrait 
taken from the life. 
The history of this Prince, of which I have here given a 
slight sketch, furnishes a striking example and an useful 
lesson to such as may have fallen through misfortunes into 
similar circumstances ; in shewing how much may be accom- 
plished by the union of talent, energy, and courage, pro- 
perly directed. An outcast from his country, forced to fly 
from the hand of the u^surper amd assassin, and to suffer the 
keenest pangs of adversity, he has not only been able, in the 
course of ten or twelve years, to recover the whole of his 
lawful possessions, but has added to them the kingdom of 
Tung-qiiin, which anciently belonged to the Kings of Cochin- 
china. It is said that he has even demanded from the Em- 
peror of China the cession of the large island of Hai-nan, not 
so much for the sake of enlarging the extent of his dominions,, 
as of leaving behind him the fame of having restored to 
