"The next day, Kandshung came to us. He apologized for his absence the preceding day, upon the score of the number of congratulatory visits which the new year compelled him to pay; and for which he now meant to enjoy some comfortable hours with us over a bowl of rice-beer (sul).”

Whether this word sul be Corean for sakee, or whether the Chinese and Corean rice-beer be a different beverage, is no where explained, although a subsequent mention of a sakee drinking-bout favours this last supposition. Happily, it is a point upon which ignorance may be endured. The conversation to which the sul now gave occasion must be abridged, selecting the most characteristic parts. Kandshung eulogized the philosophic king of Chaouseen and his administration, the high value set upon learning, and the general prosperity of the country. He then questioned the Japanese as to what they had seen during their stay in Tatary and Peking.

66 Fiosayemon said, 'During our stay in Tatary and Peking, we had no opportunity of seeing the domestic economy of the higher classes, but much of that of the common people. There we found that the master of the house sits with his whole family at one table, upon which is placed a great dish of rice or other victuals; out of this dish every one helps himself with his porringer, and eats his morning or evening meal with a spoon and chop-sticks. As to poisoning, during the wars of the Tatars against the Ming dynasty, it became common, in a manner national; but nevertheless, it is a sign of great baseness to deceive with fair words a man whom one envies or hates, and whilst not drawing a sword for fear of one's own carcase, to put him thus cunningly out of the way. There is much benevolence in the Tatar character. The great treat their inferiors with hearty kindness. The master considers his servants as his children, and they regard him as their common father. He lets them marry when of fitting age, and maintains both husband and wife. The heart of the Tatar is upright and truthful, treachery and depravity are strange to him. The natives of Peking (the Chinese), on the contrary, are displeasing, treacherous, and thievish, wherefore most offices are filled by Tatars,' "

Kandshung stated that capital punishment was rare in Corea, and when ordered, was obliged to be executed with a Japanese sword; Corean iron being so bad, that no home-made blade could take off a head, but was obliged to be helped with bamboos-a slow and most barbarous process. He observed in conclusion: 'Nippon is a fine country, far advanced beyond others in the arts.' We inquired about ginseng, and learned that it is found only in two places of the mountains that divide Corea from China, where beasts of prey are so numerous, that the ginseng-gatherers must always begin by tiger-hunting. We spent the few days of our residence in this capital very pleasantly, and the last night at a sakee drinking-bout. At day-break of the 7th of the first month, we took leave of our Peking escort (who departed simultaneously with ourselves), and quitted the capital. Kandshung, our host, and some Corean friends, accompanied us outside of the city gate, where the horses waited. On the 11th, we reached Dshung dshen, where we lodged in the house of the governor of this provincial capital. At nightfall and early dawn, we were surprised with music, and learned that it is customary here for every man in authority to call the labourers under his control to their work in the morning, and dismiss them to their rest at night, by music. The sub-officials, and all who receive pay from the state, inscribe on the cornice of their rooms the consecration-names of the kings of the country, from the founder of the dynasty to the father of the reigning monarch, in chronological order, with the years of their reigns and the dates of their deaths, so that young people, by requently seeing, must become familiar therewith. Traders, on the other

hand, pay more reverence to Taou-chan-kung,* whose picture or bust they exhibit in their houses. The 16th we lodged in the house of the bailiff of Linsats, where we were well-treated, and at parting presented with Chinese paper and tobacco. At Shang-chan we were shown the field of battle where the Japanese erst won a great victory. Upon the banks of the river that runs through the province of Khing-shang, we saw an annual spectacle (there is a manifest blunder in the date). It is a trial of skill in archery. Straw men are placed in boats, in the middle of the river, and the candidates for admission into the ranks of the archers make their trial shot before the assembled people, from whom they gather praise or blame. Our vicinity to Fusankai cheered the last day's journey (the 28th or 29th); we passed Shin-tung, and soon reached Fusankai. At the port of Pwan-ying there were several inns close together, where sat pretty girls, as if for exhibition. As it is not the custom of that country for women to appear in public, this struck us, and we questioned our escort. They told us that they were dancing-girls, who tricked themselves out in gay colours to allure travellers, and (who, moreover, danced, sang, and played upon musical instruments admirably. As it had been previously settled, that, our place of destination being so close at hand, we should not halt here, we passed on, our travelling companions calling to the landladies that they would return in the evening. The dwellings of mechanics, peasants, and tradesmen now formed continuous lines on both sides of the road. At the entrance of the town stands a guard-house, built by the king, to exclude the Japanese, who reside without the gates, in a quarter of their own. Here our countrymen are completely shut up, being only permitted to leave this quarter and visit the temple two days in the year; to wit, on the 14th and 15th of the seventh month. No guard is stationed within Nippon. Matsi, as this factory is named, Corean traders enter freely, and there drive their bargains with the Japanese, whose ships annually visit this port. At length we entered the Tsuzima office, and were presented to the head of the factory, Furu-gawnudsi, the sight of whom rejoiced us, as if we already beheld our parents again. He received our report, that we fifteen Japanese had fallen into captivity upon the Tatar coast, and been thence conveyed to Peking. He took the travelling papers of the Peking authorities and of the king of Chaouseen. He asked us the requisite questions, caused every thing to be written down, and then assigned us a lodging, where we were amply provided with all necessaries. Many vessels ready for the sea lay in the harbour, and as soon as the wind was fair, the secretary to the factory put us on board of one that was carrying troops to Tsuzima. On the 17th of the second month, we made Waniura in Tsuzima, and on the 22d arrived at Futsin, the capital of the island, where our papers were taken, and ourselves examined, as at Fusankai. We did not leave the island until the 2d of the sixth month, then fully clothed in Japanese garb by the government, and we landed at Ohosaka on the 16th. There the officer who had brought us from Tsuzima led us to the office of our native prince, whose commissioner ordered some soldiers immediately to conduct us home. When, after our indispensable presentation, in the first place, to the prince, each of us sought his own home, the joy of wives, children, parents and relations at sight of us arose to insanity; whilst the families and connexions of our lost comrades covered themselves with mourning garments, and offered up death sacrifices."

A Japanese annotation explains this person to have been a political partizan who, being ill-rewarded for his services, changed his occupation and betook him to traffic (we apprehend at Chung Chen), and made so enormous a fortune, that he seven several times distributed his gold amongst his fellowtownsmen.

THE RAT THAT CONQUERED GHILAN.

TRANSLATED FROM THE HINDŪSTĀNĪ OF MĪRZĀ MUHAMMAD ISMĀ1ĪL ̧•

It is related that, in the country of Ghilan, there was a very large forest, and in that forest a spacious lake, where, from time to time, caravans used to halt on their journey. There happened to arrive one day, on its banks, a large caravan, containing thousands of camels, mules, and horses. One of the camels, a white one, exhausted by the march, was unable to proceed, and the party were obliged to pursue their journey, leaving it behind. The camel, left to graze at will in the jungle, soon recovered, and in a short time became plump and fat.

Now there was a rat in that forest, that was king over all the rats in it, and a fox was his vizir. This fox one day saw the camel grazing in the forest without an owner, and observing in what good condition he was, said to himself: "If this animal of robust frame would come under subjection to my sovereign, it would be a very fortunate event, and would keep the enemies of his majesty in constant awe."

Mr. Beast," said he, addressing the camel, "you are browsing at large, and without leave, over the whole of my sovereign's garden; and if his majesty should come to hear of it, it may be a very serious affair for you. If you desire your own welfare, you will come along with me, and pay your res pects to his majesty, upon which he will grant you permission to feed wherever you desire."

The camel consented, and, conducted by the fox, set out for court. When they arrived, and the camel saw that the fox, leaving him standing in the forest, entered a narrow hole, he thought to himself: It is a strange court this, where nothing but a hole is visible."

The fox, having entered the hole, thus addressed the king: "Refuge of the world! a powerful and wonderful animal was grazing in your majesty's gar den, and with great art and address I have succeeded in bringing him to court." "Where is he?" asked the king." "At the threshold," replied the fox; upon which his majesty, chuckling with delight, strutted out. When the camel saw a little rat issue from the whole, and heard the fox say, "This is his majesty!" he only answered, “Far be it from me to submit to this mouse;" and giving himself no farther trouble, took his way into the forest.

The royal rat, observing these indications of contempt for his person, thus bespoke his vizir: "One so sensible as you, ought not to have brought such a big fool as this to the court of kings. True, indeed, God has created us mean in external appearance, yet he has made us internally far his superior. To the eye that looks but at appearances, our race is somewhat contemptible; but to the sight that regards the internal, we are of lofty minds and of high intelligence. Now, therefore, let not that tall fool, whom even a child could lead by the nose with a cord, be left at liberty and in rebellion against our authority, lest it should give occasion to the sneers of certain ignorant per sons, who are ill-affected towards our court."

"Your gracious majesty's observations," replied the fox, "are most just;

The MS. from which this tale is translated is in the collection of Dr. Leyden, at the India House, and that of which M. Garcin de Tassy, whose research it has not escaped, gives the title in his Hist, de

la Littérature Hind., p. 253, art. ISMAIL. It is entitled mollis to

and is written in the Dakhani dialect.

کرد
موش که پادشاهت

and it shall be the care of your servant to admonish this churl, and to bring him to recognize your majesty's authority."

Having thus spoken, the fox continued to reflect on the matter. One day, the camel happened to be browsing in the forest, near a tall fig tree, and having stretched out his neck, for the sake of reaching the tender leaves, was cropping them, when his nose-ring became fixed to a branch, and, with his neck still in that position, from which he was unable to free it, he began to cry out. The fox becoming aware of this, was heartily rejoiced, and accosting the camel, said: "You persisted in feeding in his majesty's garden without his permission; and puffed up with conceit on account of your size, you were foolish enough to repudiate submission: at length, however, a just retribution has overtaken you; here you strangle." So saying, he hastened to the king. "May it please your majesty," said he, "the camel has at length met the reward of his perverseness." The king was delighted to hear this, and went to see the camel hanging. Mounting the tree, and seating himself on the branch near his face, he thus addressed him: "O ignorant fool! there is now no remedy for your present plight but to die; heaven never fails thus to punish contumacy and disobedience to one's superiors." Such words added affliction to the camel, and being reduced to despair, he said: "Your majesty! your slave acknowledges his fault; forgive me; for God's sake spare my life, and I will never again swerve a hair's breadth from my duty, but devote the rest of my days to your majesty's service." Having said this, and made the humblest submission and supplication, the king took pity on him, and coming near the platted nose-ring, gnawed it through with his teeth. The camel, on finding himself extricated, made acknowledgments to his deliverer, and girding his loins about with the girdle of obedience, followed the king.

When his majesty reached the hole, he gave these orders to the camel : "Feed at large in the jungle during the whole of the day, and return in the evening to the threshold, where an appointed repast shall await you; and you will remain in attendance during the night." The camel, conformably to the injunctions he received, grazed the whole day, and repaired to the threshold at night, when the king issued his mandate to his body-guard (who were of his own race), to convey to him his portion of food. The rats, taking each a grain of pulse in its mouth, carried it out, and in a moment a heap was formed, which the camel ate at his leisure, and remained in attendance at the royal gate. In the morning he went out to pasture, and continued to return at night to eat his allowance, and remain in attendance at the threshold. Days passed in this manner, till, on one occasion, the woodcutters of the king of Ghilan, happening to come into the forest to hew wood, and observing a beautiful white camel, very plump, feeding without an owner, seized him, and conveyed him to the stables of their sovereign. When the news reached the king of the rats, he was exceedingly angry, and said to his vizir: “Go and deliver this message to those woodcutters: 'You have seized a camel belonging to his majesty, and have placed him in the stables of the king of Ghilan; this act is inconsistent with friendship; and if your sovereign desires your welfare, it will be advisable that he send and restore our camel; if not, let him prepare for war."

The woodcutters, on hearing these words delivered by the fox, were in great amazement, and repairing to their king, reported the message, to which his majesty paid not the slightest attention. Next day, when the woodcutters returned to the forest, the rats said to them: “Your king has not yet sent

back our camel-from which it becomes apparent that he is bent on quarrelling. Be it so !"

The king of the rats then returned home, and issued these orders to his body troops (of rats): "Soldiers all! be prompt: run a mine from hence to the treasury of the king of Ghīlān, and bring the whole of the treasures, jewels, ornaments, and other precious things." Conformably to these orders, the whole of the rats, an innumerable force, formed a mine to the treasures of the king, and having gnawed the whole of the money-bags, and penetrated the chests, seized in their mouths all the gold coins, rupees, jewels, and whatever was valuable, and carried them off.

A soldier, unattached, happened at the time to be passing by, in search of employment, and suddenly observing the rats running off with gold pieces in their mouths, discharged a dart from his hand, and, killing a rat with it, seized the gold coin. Upon this a rat exclaimed, "Soldier, what does this profit you? if you desire to be rich, you will succeed better by entering the service of our king." The soldier readily consented, and said: "Take me and present me to your sovereign." Upon this the rats went and intimated to their king that a soldier was come, who was desirous of employment; and that he was waiting at the threshold. The king went out to him; and the soldier, in answer to the royal inquiries, after respectful salutation, represented to his majesty, that he was ready to enter his service, provided he had a suitable appointment. The king consented, and said: "From this day consider yourself in my service; your monthly pay is fixed at a thousand pieces of gold, and the office of minister is conferred on you." So saying, he gave him a sack of gold pieces, saying, "Do you provide horses, elephants, camels, and all necessary stores; whatever money may be wanted, come to court and inform me, and I will cause it to be sent by the hands of my private troops." The soldier politely thanked him, and taking leave, went to his own city, and began to raise troops; and, engaging his friends from place to place, sent them this message; "That now the business of kings is going out of fashion, and the service of animals seems far preferable; at all events, we soldiers must live."

When the friends of the soldier were assembled, he fixed the monthly pay of each, and whenever he wanted money, he intimated it to the king, who transmitted it by his rats. In a few days he had raised and equipped thirty thousand horsemen; upon which, coming into the presence of his majesty, he announced, that the army, the stores, and the artillery were ready. The king gave orders to bring all the troops into his territory. In pursuance of this command, the vizir, bringing them one by one, or two by two, assembled them in that forest,, and in ten days had brought the whole army to the royal threshold. The king was delighted with the appearance of the troops, and bestowed on the vizir a lac of rupees, giving him at the same time great commen dation. He then issued this order to his own troops: "Bring quickly hither provisions for the army of men." The rats, mustering with great expedition, and having collected grain and other provisions, brought them to the forces. After five days, the order was given to the private troops, that the forces of the whole kingdom should quickly assemble. Agreeably to the orders issued, the whole army of rats congregated from desert, wilderness, and forest; so that there remained not space enough to place one's foot. The premier fox, also, gave orders to his troops to present themselves, one and all, at the court of his majesty. Upon this, all the foxes in the world presented themselves.

When the three armies were now assembled, the king next day advanced a