1850.
Letter from B. J. Bettelheim.
27
this little region. The report of Ching Liáng-peh, the local magis- trate of Napa, states as follows: 'that the English physician Bet- telheim, told me with his own mouth, "if your honorable country will let me come ashore, the ship will immediately leave, &c." Hav- ing reflected that the said Bettelheim had brought with him wife and children, and that having been a long time at sea they must be suffer- ing both in body and mind, my heart could hardly bear to refuse him to land as he requested. But an examination of our laws and regulations shows that there is none for permitting persons or officers from another country to land with the intention of remaining. I repeatedly and decidedly begged to decline his request, but he would not hear to it, and brought his wife and children ashore with the intention of stop- ping. As is right, I clearly inform you of these things,'
“On receiving this, I again examined, and ascertained that our go- vernment has hitherto strictly forbidden foreigners of all ranks to come ashore to live. How much more, too, since this country has such insignificant limits, the ground everywhere so impoverished and poor, and the productions so inconsiderable; it can scarcely be called a country. If foreigners dwell here, truly it will not be convenient. But year before last a French ship came in, whose captain stated, 'that after a few months, a ship of a high commander would arrive, and that in the meantime, he wished to leave an agent and an interpret- er with him to explain affairs better.' As soon as I heard this, I explained the matter, and firmly refused his request; but the captain would not listen to me, and sailed away leaving behind the two individ- uals. I, the treasurer, could do no other way, and here they have been left to stop till this time. Now in the opinion of this government, since these two men came till now, both officers and people, seeing that they constantly attended to their own matters, have each confined to their own business and station. But in this miserable region, the pre- sent year has been one of extraordinary dearth, so that the whole popu lation has been greatly straitened, and obliged to feed upon wild pine- apples to keep alive; truly, I fear that before long, the scarcity will be- come alarming, and we shall be upon the borders of starvation. I am now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the high French commander when I shall state the circumstances of the case, and again earnestly beg him to take these two men home with him.
"But, Sir, if you now persist in stopping here, the distress of rulers and people will become more aggravated, and the country surely will never be able to stand it. I humbly beg you to have some considera- tion for this distressed, worn-out country; look down on us with mag-