stood that the person so addressed was a superior Mandarin.
In accordance with the strict rules of Chinese etiquette, we ought to
have dismounted, and have prostrated ourselves, as the others did; but we
considered that, in our quality of priests of the Western Heaven, we
might dispense with this troublesome and disagreeable ceremony. We
remained, therefore, gravely seated on our steeds, and advanced quietly.
At sight of our camels, the other horsemen prudently removed to a
respectful distance; but the Mandarin, to show his bravery, spurred his
horse, and compelled it to come towards us. He saluted us politely, and
made inquiries in Mongol as to our health and our journey. As his horse
grew more and more afraid of our camels, he was constrained to cut short
the conversation, and to rejoin his retinue, but he went away, triumphant
at the reflection that he had found an opportunity of speaking Mongol,
and of thus giving the horsemen of his suite a high notion of his
knowledge. This Mandarin appeared to us to be a Tartar-Mantchou; he was
making an official inspection of the irrigating canals.

We proceeded still some way along the banks of the same canal, meeting
nothing on our road but some carriages on large wheels, drawn by
buffaloes, and a few travellers mounted on asses of lofty stature. At
length, we discerned the lofty ramparts of Ning-Hia, and the numerous
kiosks of the pagodas, which looked in the distance like tall cedars.
The brick-walls of Ning-Hia are ancient, but well preserved. The
antiquity, which has almost entirely covered them with moss and lichen,
gives them a grand and imposing aspect. On every side they are
surrounded by marshes, where canes, reeds, and water-lilies grow in
abundance. The interior of the town is poor and miserable; the streets
are dirty, narrow, and tortuous; the houses smoke-dried and tottering;
you see at once that Ning-Hia is a town of very great antiquity.
Although situated near the frontiers of Tartary, the commerce there is
inconsiderable.

After having gone nearly half up the central street, as we found we had
still a league to go before we reached the other extremity, we resolved
to make a halt. We entered a large inn, where we were soon followed by
three individuals who impudently demanded our passports. We saw at once
that we had to defend our purses against three swindlers. "Who are you
that dare to demand our passports?" "We are employed by the great
tribunal: