given to the officers of government, and the crew of the junk,
with their ill-gotten gains, were seized, on their arrival at
the port of destination in Fokien.

"Having been found guilty by the court, in their own district,
they were sent down to Canton, by order of the Emperor, to the
Unchat-see, (criminal judge) to be confronted with the young
French sailor. This trial is represented in the painting. The
prisoners were taken out of their cages, as is seen in the
foreground. The Frenchman recognized seventeen out of the
twenty-four; but when the passenger, who had been his friend,
was brought in, the two eagerly embraced each other, which scene
is also portrayed in the painting. An explanation of this
extraordinary act was made to the judge, and the man forthwith
set at liberty. A purse was made up for him by the Chinese and
foreigners, and he was soon on his way homeward. The seventeen
_were_ decapitated, in a few days, in the presence of the
foreigners; the captain, was to be put to a 'lingering death,'
the punishment of traitors, and the stolen treasures were
restored."


I do not quote the above for the sake of the anecdote, though the
relation is authentic, but as, affording a striking illustration of the
advanced civilization of the Chinese. It shows that the supremacy of the
law is universal, and its administration efficient. The criminals, in
this instance, are promptly seized, tried, and condemned on strong
evidence; but, before they are executed, reference is made to the
distant metropolis, Pekin. Here it is observed, that the most important
witness was not 'confronted with the prisoners,' and they are forthwith