Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/244

180 of feet below. The next minute a general mêlée ensued, the only weapons handy—sticks and stones—being made free use of.

The case was seemingly simple, and was not necessarily due to anti-foreign feeling as I had at first feared might be the case, and I immediately decided to hold an extemporised court of justice there and then. Seating myself, with Joe at my side, on a slight eminence, I motioned to the contending parties to come round. Needless to say, this gathering was soon swelled by every fresh traveller upon the road, until there was a very respectable concourse. As I had not seen the accident myself, and both sides vociferously declared their innocence, I had to assume that blame was evenly distributed. On demanding the value of a cart, and being informed by the carter that a new one would cost him at least a tael and a half—i.e., between 4s. and 5s.—I delivered judgment, translated sentence by sentence by Joe.

"I should present the man with Tls. 1½ to cover the loss which he had sustained. But, I could not have my servants beaten and