Page:The Chinese Repository - Volume 01.djvu/93

 governors and other great men The governor of Yunnan province, who continues to write to the Emperor about copper and various other matters belonging to that region, has, within our memory, been more than once, by false rumours, degraded, his iil-gotten gains seized by the Emperor, and himself doomed to death. The governor of Keangnan, about six weeks ago, according to the universal rumour, swallowed gold leaf, and so killed himself. But, in the Peking Gazettes, he is still alive, and writing memorials to His Majesty, as usual. These rumours are probably got up by the malicious, and propagated by the oppressed, who wish they may be verified.

Since Governor Le went in person to the highland war, there is a rumour, that, on his approach to the hills, he lost a good many officers and men, by a stratagem of the enemy. One dark night, they having fastened lights to the horns of sheep and goats, let them loose upon the mountains, and the Imperial troops began to fire away at the lights born by the sheep, whilst the men in arms came down by a defile, attacked the Imperialists in their rear, and made no inconsiderable slaughter.

The effect of lights suddenly exhibited in a dark night, is exemplified by Gideon's three hundred torches, concealed in pitchers; at the sight of which, accompanied by the sound of three hundred trumpets, the armies of the Midianites, which were "like grasshoppers for multitude," were thrown into disorder and completely routed; for "all the host ran, and cried and fled." In all such cases there is a moral effect, which is the cause of the physical one—a panic. Three hundred pieces of cannon under different circumstances might not work so great a defeat as the three hundred pitchers and lamps did. Frederic, called the great, said what was palpably untrue, when he affirmed that the Almighty was always on the strongest side, physically considered. No! "the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," either in personal or national affairs. If God blow upon the mightiest army, it withers, and is routed. Who can stand before his cold? Witness Napoleon in Russia.

In various periods of Chinese history, it is recorded, that "men ate men." Revenge and hunger may induce this horrible act. A report has reached us, by a coasting vessel from the north, that his Imperial Majesty has remarked, that 'the signs of the times this year, indicate a state of things, in which men will eat men.' The Empress mother reproved her son for these words, and told him, that such language ought never to come from the lips of an Emperor. Further to explain away the idea, she ordered wheaten paste, be fashioned like men, and these bread-men to be distributed among the people; and that thus 'men might eat men.'

On the eastern frontier of Canton province, the inhabitants are said to delight in wars, and sometimes even to devour their enemies, whom they have slain in battle. At the present time there is, in those regions, a great scarcity of rice, and much distress; business is at a stand, and nothing but robbery and plunder prevail;-human being are said to be devouring each other;—but this we do not believe.

The Canton police has, of late, been much harassed by the multiplicity of applications, from all quarters, against thieves and robbers. What vexes the heads of the government is, that in many cases the offenders cannot be caught.

The Governor himself, has expressed great displeasure with the officers of the military police, because of their being unable to discover the' thieves, who stole from a Shanse trader, three or four thousand dollars, which were taken from under his bed. His Excellency's displeasure led to great zeal and severity of search which has occasioned the loss of three lives. A suspected boat on the river was overhauled, a scuffle ensued, and three passengers were either knocked, or fell overboard, and were drowned. The officer who headed the search, in order to screen himself, has sent in a very false statement, that he was opposed in his duty by swords and spears; his people wounded. &c. &c.

The executive of the Chinese government, in many cases, acts most fallaciously. The letter of the law