7th October.
Official Cha: ges.
Since Inst writing we have had change of officials, "Taotai Kuei, Manchu, distant relative of the Emperor, died of some summer complaint. Ho had two wives but left no son. His affairs were also loft in a bad way. To got the he borrowed a lot of money in Pe-Had barely been here one year.
is wives left, with his coffin, for Poking, just a few days ago. Ho is succeded temporarily by a Mr. Kuo, a young man of a little over thirty. 'It is very unusual thing for so young a man to hold so exalted a position, Yot this' is the second time he holds this sam interim post in Siangyang. His fa was once Provincial Commander-in-Chief here. He is very gonial. Immediately upon arrival he called on the missionaries. The pity is that he is so unusually much addicted to opium. It is telling heavily on him.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.