There were but few passengers on board, but there was one in whom I was especially interested. He was a young man of about 30, -well dressed, with a military bearing and! carrying but little baggage. I was thrown into-his company by the fact that by mistake or otherwise, he got into my sleeping place. He was_ very pleasant, however, and as I have learned, even from the most selfish motives, it is good policy to be kind to strangers. I therefore lent him some reading and began to make friends. Later the boatmen whispered to me that my new friend was the robber's representative sent up to discuss with them the amount of money to be paid for the down river trip. This man was to travel with us until the last robber barrier had been passed and he was the medium of communication between the boatmen and the robber bands, along the way. I sat beside my friend at mealtimes and learned from him that these robber bands were disbanded soldiers who were now looting for a livelihood.
At the beginning of the journey all went well. The first evening we reached Stone Dragon market, and here we commenced negotiations with the first robber bands. The robbers were stationed in two groups on the west side of the Liu River just below the mouth of the Red River. They had sent men, however, up as far as Stone Dragon market to open parleys. The robbers came on board and discussed the situation, but it was after midnight before an agreement was entered into and the money paid over. I heard them talking and watched' them as their little boat pulled away from the launch and started down stream in the darkness for the robber rendezvous. The next morning we opened boat and started on our eventful journey.. We reached the place where the robbers were stationed, and even before the launch stopped we could see armed men scattered along the bank in the long grass with their rifles thrown over their shoulders. To me it was an unpleasant sight, for it looked too much like the company of bandits who two years ago captured me and after ticing me up with ropes led me off a prisoner to the mountains. Our little boat went to the shore with the Peace Delegate and took the Fequired' amount of money, but the robbers insisted that rice should be given them as well. This request was, of course, acceded to. I kept hidden, but occasionally peered out to see what was being done.
The first two robber barriers were passed in safety, and about noon of the second day we reached the spot where other money must be paid to the robbers that held the river further down. Several robber leaders came on board and after deciding the amount that must be paid, over $1,000 in all, some of them were sent down the river in a little boat to notify the bands that the money had been paid over. We were asked to remain where we were until the next morning, which we did. There was one band of robbers down the river which had been robbing at leisure and only the day before had opened! fire on a small launch that was coming up stream. This company while connected with the others were dissatisfied with the amount of money which their crowd were receiving as their share of the plunder and therefore would not promise what they would do when our launch appeared. Our launch, however, had paid over the $1,000 to be divided among them all, and next morning we started out thinking that there would be no trouble. In fact we had' several robber leaders on board with us and they guaranteed a safe trip.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.