there is an apt saying, 'The
sagacious bird does not build his nest twice in the empty soup-toureen,'
and by observing closely what has gone before one may accurately
conjecture much that will follow after." It may be, that out of my
insufferable shortcomings of style and expression, this answer did not
convey to his mind the logical sequence of the warning; yet it would
have been more difficult to show him how everything arose from the
faultlessly-balanced system of the heroic Wei Chung, or the exact
parallel lying between the ill-clad outcast who demanded a portion of
tobacco and the cheerfully unassuming stranger who had in his possession
a larger accumulation of money than he could conveniently disperse.

In such a manner I took leave of the station and those connected with
it, after directing that the share of the spoil which fell by the law
of this Island to my lot should be sold and the money of exchange
faithfully divided among the virtuous and necessitous of both sexes. The
higher officials each waved me pleasantly by the hand, according to the
striking and picturesque custom of the land, while the lesser ones stood
around and spoke flattering words as I departed, as "honourable," "a
small piece of all-right," "astute ancient male fowl," "ah!" and the
like.

With repeated assurances that however ineptly the adventure may at the
time appear to be tending, as regards the essentials of true dignity
and an undeviating grasp upon articles of negotiable value, nothing of a
regrettable incident need be feared.

KONG HO.

LETTER IX

Concerning the proverb of the highly-accomplished horse. The
various perils to be encountered in the Beneath Parts. The
inexplicable journey performed by this one, and concerning
the obscurity of the witchcraft employed.

VENERATED SIRE,--Among these islanders there is a proverb, "Do not place
the carte" (or card, the two words having an identical purport, and
both signifying the inscribed tablet of viands prepared for a banquet,)
"before the horse." Doubtless the saying first arose as a timely rebuke
to a certain barbarian emperor who announced his contempt for the
intelligence of his subjects by conferring high mandarin rank upon a
favourite steed and ceremoniously appointing it to be his chancellor;
but from the narrower moral that an unreasoning animal is out of place,
and even unseemly, in the entertaining hall or council chamber, the
expression has in the course