son with
O-po-tae?'"

"Paou.--'Who is bold enough to compare me with O-po-tae?'"

"Chow.--'I know very well that O-po-tae could not come up to you, Sir;
but I mean only, that since O-po-tae has made his submission, since he
has got his pardon and been created a Government officer,--how would it
be, if you with your whole crew should also submit, and if his
Excellency should desire to treat you in the same manner, and to give
you the same rank as O-po-tae? Your submission would produce more joy to
Government than the submission of O-po-tae. You should not wait for
wisdom to act wisely; you should make up your mind to submit to the
Government with all your followers. I will assist you in every respect,
it would be the means of securing your own happiness and the lives of
all your adherents.'"

"Chang-paou remained like a statue without motion, and Fei-heung Chow
went on to say: 'You should think about this affair in time, and not
stay till the last moment. Is it not clear that O-po-tae, since you
could not agree together, has joined Government. He being enraged
against you, will fight, united with the forces of the Government, for
your destruction; and who could help you, so that you might overcome
your enemies? If O-po-tae could before vanquish you quite alone, how
much more can he now when he is united with Government? O-po-tae will
then satisfy his hatred against you, and you yourself will soon be taken
either at Wei-chow or at Neaou-chow. If the merchant-vessels of
Hwy-chaou, the boats of Kwang-chow, and all the fishing-vessels, unite
together to surround and attack you in the open sea, you will certainly
have enough to do. But even supposing they should not attack you, you
will soon feel the want of provisions to sustain you and all your
followers. It is always wisdom to provide before things happen;
stupidity and folly never think about future events. It is too late to
reflect upon events when things have happened; you should, therefore,
consider this matter in time!'"

Paou was puzzled, but after being closeted for some time with his
mistress, Ching-yih's widow, who gave her high permission for him to
make arrangements with Doctor Chow, he said he would repair with his
fleet to the Bocca Tigris, and there communicate personally with the
organs of Government.

After two visits had been paid to the pirate-fleets by two inferior
Mandarins, who carried the Imperial proclamation of free pardon, and
who, at the or