WE got up about five o'clock next morning, and found to our annoyance and vexation that a system of espionage had been established on our special behoof; and that some spies, in the shape of great big Chinamen, cleanly dressed, with the semi-official conical hat and red silk crown fringe, were comfortably seated in the passage outside the door, where probably they had passed the night. As soon as one of them saw M., he came forward and demanded to be shown Tsung's passport again, saying that the others were of no value, and that we could not be permitted to go up the hills. He had been taught his lesson very well, but his peremptory audacity met with no response of any kind, as M. simply refused to have anything to do with him. We proceeded to dress, and get ready for our expedition as quickly as possible, in order to have it over, and depart from such a troublesome region about midday—firmly resolved never to have anything more to do with such officials, if we could help it. We were in such a hurry that we took but one cup of tea each, and a small biscuit, intending to breakfast when the work was done, which, we fancied, would not take more than three or four hours at the utmost. But in this we deceived ourselves.