ed, whom he thought slain, ran towards
me, and embraced me with the greatest tenderness, at the same time
examining into my wound, which was far from being mortal. When we
returned to the village, the man demanded payment for his camel, which I
refusing, we brought the cause, before a Chinese judge, who acted with
great impartiality: Having heard both sides, he asked the Chinese man
that went with me, whose servant he was? _Sir,_ said he, _I am nobody's,
but went with the stranger at his request: Why then_, said the judge,
_you are the stranger's servant for the time, and the camel being
delivered to his servant, it is the same as though delivered to himself,
and accordingly he must pay for it._ Indeed the case was so fairly
stated, that I had nothing to object to it; so, having paid for that I
was robbed of, I sent for another, but did not go myself to fetch it, as
I had enough of that sport before.

The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese empire, so fortified, as
some will tell you, that millions of Tartars cannot batter down their
walls; by which certainly one might think one of our cannons would do
more execution than all their legions.

When we were within a day's march of that city, we had information that
the governor had sent messengers to every part of the road, to inform
the travellers and caravans to halt, till a guard was sent to protect
them from the numerous bodies of Tartars that lately appeared about the
city. This news put us into great consternation; but, obeying the
orders, we stopt; & two days after, there came two hundred soldiers from
a garrison of the Chinese, and three hundred more from Naum; thus
guarded both in the front and rear, with our own men in the flanks, we
boldly advanced, thinking we were able to combat with ten thousand Mogul
Tartars, if they appeared.

Early next morning, in our march from a little well situated town called
Changu, after having passed a river, and entered upon a desert of about
fifteen or sixteen miles over, we soon beheld by a cloud of dust that
was raised, that the enemy was approaching. This much dispirited the
Chinese. My old pilot took notice of it, and called out, _Seignor
Inglise, those fellows must be encouraged, or they will ruin us all, and
I am afraid if the Tartars attack us, they will all run away_. "Why,
Seignor, (said I), what shall be done in this case?" _Done_, says he,
_why let fifty of our men advance, and flank them on each wing. I know