According to the Governor of Kirin a ver large number of the distilleries, pawnbrokers" shops, and general stores in that province are owned by the Yii family, there ing more than 20 of their establishments in Petuné and Wuchang alone, so that the common people speak of them as the 9 heavens and 12 virtues, in allusion to their numerous shop-signs. Nearly all the carts used by these establishments for the conveyance of goods are provided with yellow flags, inscribed with the character Yi by means of which they succeed in evading the payment of customs duties route, these flags being often sold to other merchants for the same purpose. This,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.