, 1881-09-18
CHINESE POLICE.
The Sort of Picnic They I3nve In At
hacking EnNEits.

t taclsin.s Bandits.
| TO preserve the Empcror's peace throughout
! tho realm the principal agents are the police
| men attached to the tribunals, small and great
+! who are known by their red robes, their high
black caps, and tho otHclal pheasant feather sur
] mounting their heads like a horn. a mere
| magistrate will preside over 4 score of these
picturesque alguazils. while the yatnun Of q
prefect or a Criminal Inspector contains nfty
or more armed Coustables, some of whom net as
| jailcrs and headsnen IN casc Of need.
! The policemen, the actual Constnbles, are d.
| vi6cd into priva1es, and Sergeants. They are
| sheltered i'll Il magistrates yamun, il bache~
| lors; but, it married. they often inhabit but
| within the compound Ut their superor's dwell
| the Province, and they receive very small
monthly payment. enough to buy tobacco
and opium, should sheir CHIEF not en-
the pheasant :-plumed care little; their
| dependence is on bribery, and where
slenunctauon nny cause ruin: and must cause
bic living. Curously enough. the police cxtort
less from the rich than frunl the poor. 10 crush
wealthy man is not such I'LL eusy task us i'll
! Mussul'tan countries, und justice grows gentle
rs she mounts tho social ladder. Even some
great mandarin when degraded for some Of
Tense, is not 50 harshly usedas Turk or Persian
Of CORRESPONDING rank would be by his Prince.
The pheasant -punied constubnary are quito
capable Of controlling moos and arrcstins the
y ~
mousinG owls, Qutre unfit to hawk ut such nohlc
g..ine US the kouan- koueH, or bandits. For this
PURPOSE either = band ot nrases must be hired M
regular forces OF the Government must be
employed. Most OF the Kouan-kouen have
natural fastucsses which abound III almost every
province, where they erect their miniature
stockndc of ba1nboo. build 'snttled huts, aiid
dig deep trenches around the little camp. Only
tho fOwlerS and fishermen ever penetrate these
tangled nlorusses, guarded by fever and fathon1-
less quicksands; and with these poor men PC the
for provisions. sAlt, gunpoWeer. and news.
The magistrates would never ven-
,n6 rss without f0fss pxoDer uancc ls y tSresis a
and promises. by the exhibition Of IL little
money ind plenty OF stick. they induce some OF
labyrinth of mud und waters: and an, imposing
aspect does that company present First nl;arca
u compnny Of veterans, with lon$- -barreled
III plenty. The guides arc with these
1natchlock1ncn, with their hands tied be-
hind their backs and ,to enrd around encn
measure. Then comes the chief military MIN
DARN, mounted, and armed like scrthiun. 4.t
with shields und helmets, hdco.1s with dragons
and tigers Of fancy colors. very, fearful u bc-
hnd. The subulteru officers fotIow, gatfantty
VI whom advance with their short bows
bent and 'barbed arrow fitted to the
strS The eixi' To napearn ri h rides e;xn next
lccn,en iu pheasant feathers and common
serge, and by troop Of impressed coolies, fur
nisncd with ropes, chains, fetters, anu splre
bunboos enough to SECURE Il considerable
amount of felons. \ band OF Music brings up
the rcar. But the gongs and flutes will nor be
wanted Until the celebration Of tho victory. 80
tho heroes advance without beat Of drum
or noisy cluNor, twirl1ng their wiry mus
tachcs and vuporiug beneath their
breath Of the deeds they are about to
perform. But once fairly among tue nlarshcs IL
change comes over these pig-taed f5obudils.
They see spears through tho runk gr1lss and
sedges; they hlIldle together like scared sheep
at tho waving OF the canebreak; when the wild
fowls rise with changing wing and harsh
note, the sound suggests the war-cry OF
the Kouan-kouen. The old adnge Is re-
ycrsed. and it is the officer who takes
every bush for thief, and is pretty much
Of Lady Mucdut1' s opinion Us to the chance that
the KNIVES may hang up honest men, Hours
arc sni.I to be occupied fn the contest between
two or three hundred soldiers and score of
hjghwaynen behind bamboo stockade. The
civil mandarin, with chnttering teeth and
dignity broken down, covers beneath his
hurse and sQueaks at every shot like wousm1-
ed rabbit. The musicians throw away gong
and cylnbul. and run for their lives The mill
i,ary mandnrins rate nnd lncnuce their men,
urge them, drive theH&, nhusc them. but never
dream of leading them it Is not easy to get the
pour privntc5 to nttisck; they hang back aud I
duck at the shots OF the enemy, aud rntIe their
swords and shields, bit decline to Charge, while
the rnatch1ock1nen lie down take pot-shots ar
the brigands. and tho rockets are let OF pretty
much ut ruud0Ul. =