Sketches from Formosa.

IN JEOPARDY AT CHIANG-HOA 189
lord in the city, that this man had already received
our money for the lease of his house, but seemed either
unable or unwilling to carry out his part of the agreement.
The Magistrate then and there ordered two Yamen-T\mners
to go and have the man brought before him, and mean-
while he chatted with me on all sorts of subjects.
When
our needy friend arrived, His Honour very impressively
told him that if he did not instantly take steps to im-
plement his part of the bargain,
he would be most
severely dealt with. Poor fellow ! I was truly sorry
for him, he was in such a state of abject terror.
I then rose and was about to thank the Magistrate
before leaving, but he came out, accompanied me down
the middle walk of the inner court, the two great fold-
ing doors in front being opened, and the crowd giving
as we crossed the outer court to the main entrance
way
of the Yamen. Here, in presence of many hundreds
of the people, he parted from me in the most cordial
and polite way. There can be no doubt that the news
of this favour spreading throughout the city did much
to alter our position in the eyes of many. Indeed,
we were afterwards told that the Magistrate remarked
to those around him that I was an old friend of his,
that I had rendered good service to the Government
eight years ago, and that he would not allow me to be
molested.
Although this interview and the widespread knowledge
of it virtually settled the case, we had still an
immense amount of trouble in getting actual possession
of the property. I had to see the Magistrate on two
treated with the same
subsequent occasions, being
respect and kindness as before. At the last interview,
he told me that he was soon removing to another county
and would be replaced here by that officer before whom
I appeared half naked one morning twelve years ago