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preferred a suggestion from him regarding its settlement, but as I saw he was not prepared to make one, and indeed intimated it would be advisable to confer first with the new Haikwan, I should let the matter rest until the arrival of that officer when I would broach the subject without reference to what has passed between us. I was satisfactory to find that our views were in accord, the only difficulty being the means of giving them effect, but those, however, would, I hoped, be discovered presently.
As regarded the Haikwan, I added, he was all the Viceroy said he was, but he had given infinity of trouble, and shown no disposition to restrain his subordinates, one of whom, a Weiquen, was notoriously rapacious.
The Viceroy admitted it but pleaded his good nature to all under him.
I have related as concisely as possible the conversation which took place between the Viceroy and myself, but it was my intention to have...