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McIver and Ching on, Chunieve Setective, both of whom had been sent on board by Major General Gordon, acting Captain Superintendent of Police at your request as stated in his memorandum attached; communicate with the local official with a view to request that he come on board and consult with me on the subject of outrage. As the Military Mandarin lived at some distance, Lieutenant Pearson was unable to get back till late, accompanied by him.
3. It appeared from the conversation that the fact of any piratical attack having been made in the vicinity was quite unknown on shore and it was with much difficulty that the Mandarin was persuaded to believe that it had occurred. Ultimately he took a report of the affair written in Chinese by the Chinese Detective from my statement, and promised to make all necessary enquiries in his district but would not allow that he could let me know of any result under several days. Indeed he said it would take one or two months to enquire into the matter. I expressed my wish to visit the Civil Mandarin of the district at the town of Inighor with a view to asking his assistance, but was informed that he was absent at Canton.
4. This being so, I sent both detectives on shore to the village, where the junks were supposed to have anchored, and Captain Stewart, Chinese interpreter as well, with directions to elicit any information they could. As the result of their enquiries, I learnt that