How well they have obeyed nis] exact words is proved by the fact that there is only one police box on the Island and even this the Asher-men declare unnecessary. The police themselves are inclined to agree and consider duty on the island a "cushy Job," crime being practically unknown and minor offences against the com munity, being settled by the members of the community themselves, The shrine is the centre of com minal life, Its gardens providing a playground for the children and its sanctuary safeguarding the lives and destinies of the islanders. The same deities who originally guarded the forefathers of these fishermen in their birthplace of Seltsu continue to watch over their descendants here! and for some unknown reason—perhaps because they have no desire to move again—do not wish their mortal charges to leave the island. It is {for this reason that the daughters of the Island fishermen refuse to marry outsiders. Consequently all the islanders are related to one another that even in this city' corporal punishment is still Infleted for minor offences, Of course, military emeers fare very ready to inflict corporal punishment on men under them; I Believe this is quite a generat pra A good many years ago, I came across an old geography which stated that the biggest quicksilver mines in the world were to be found at a small place called Behmadoong, about 100 i, say, 35 miles, to the north of Kwyelyanie and in the dine wiet of what is now called Kalyang, Perhaps 100 years ayo or rather les, me was flooded and many po ple drowned; since then, all that has been done has been by Individuals with no proper means. of pumping out the water and who merely tinker with things getting very. little for their pains. Whether or not there Is SUI any quicksilver worth the trying. for, T cannot say, but it should be worth while sending qualified et gineers 0 investigate "and repo Kweichow needs all the mineral wealth it can get if it is to be selt= supporting as a province, though "curiously enough inter marriage among the villagers does Hot appear to have caused either moral or physical deterioration.
During the summer the men fish intensively but in winter when the sens are rough they remain at home making new nels or mending old addition to the three-day fes-rival already described. the islanders hold a service at the New Year to propitiate the souls of the Ash they have caught throughout the twelve months. They consider it would be not only cruel but discourteous to accept the favour of the lives of herrings and mackerel and other finny creatures without thanking them for their involuntary sacrifice.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.