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I cannot read. I did not hear what the characters were. The people on their Ships said they were coming to examine us.
There were no foreigners there but only Chinese. We went alongside. They said they were acting under the authority of the Customs (Fai-Kuan). They were not in uniforms. They searched all over the ship, in the hold and on deck and also the boxes and persons of the passengers. No arms were found whatever. They then said that the general cargo, piece-goods and cotton could not be passed. I had never heard of such a thing before. I asked them the reason why, and they said that cargo as ours was against the rules. I did not ask what rules. On the sixth instant (the same day) they demanded $4,000, which seemed to be...