be one of importance, then a representation will be made to the magistrate, who will make investigation, and proceed against them in such a manner as is proper. But if it shall be found to be an affair of less consequence, then they shall apply to the proprietor to furnish the amount of merit money required. But if he obstinately refuses to pay, then together with the tenant, and the person who acts as factor for renting the house, he will proceed to the district temple, to have the matter equitably arranged. Then the factor who rents the house, as also the tenant and the citizens in the vicinity, having full knowledge of the facts, and measures being taken to have the information generally circulated at an early period, the inhabitants of the said temple district shall then proceed to expel the villains, so that afterwards there may be no opportunity thus afforded to involve others in damage and misfortune. That these villains should by no means be permitted to have any hope of perpetrating such crimes with impunity, is a matter of great consequence.

6. If any of the inhabitants of the Eight Streets should be found themselves violating the regulations thus proposed, they must also, according to the circumstances, be proceeded against in such a manner as the public interest may require. But it is to be desired that every one satisfied with his own lot, should continue in the quiet pursuit of his occupation-and that no one should be allowed to conduct himself in a careless and irregular manner, by this means giving rise to endless disturbances. By no means let there be any connivance or compliance exhibited towards such malpractices. But let each one have a due regard to his own interests-and exert himself with all diligence to show himself a faithful and honest citizen; then rejoicing together all will be elevated to the enjoyment of an even and harmonious age. Thus may it prove.

ART. V. A perspicuous form of prayer, returning thanks to heaven in fulfillment of vervs, táh t'ien chau yuen wan sú. Translated for the Chinese Repository. By L. T. T.

WE, inhabitants of the village Kansin, in the district of Tsungming, belonging to the department of Táitsáng in the province of Kiángsú of the Great Pure dynasty, do hereby worship the holy ones and return thanks to gods, fulfilling our vows and praying that all happiness and felicity may be vouchsafed unto us. We, faithful scholars, Tang Weilin &c., &c., with our whole family, now in the days of our prosperity, do hereby with sincerity look up and beg that the holy ones (the gods) will listen to our prayers.

We have heard that the ruling heavens, moved to condescension, will hear the prayers of those who are in an unsettled (or distressed) condition; and in answer will confer blessings, as a sure reward to man for his secret virtues. Having now obtained from the gods life and support, we dare not forget the source of all these-which come as waters from the fountain and the tree from the root.

Meditating on the condition of our family, we find that they are all healthy and happy, and at peace with one another; that during the four seasons they have been free from all attacks from the noxious influences of the chinate, and round the whole year enjoyed the blessings of tranquillity; that those who are scholars never advanced as easily as if they were ascending a ladder; and that all those who are merchants have both in the markets and in traveling been prosperous and uninjured by calamities.

Having for a long time enjoyed these glorious favours, bestowed on us by the gods of heaven, it behooves us to look up, like little ants, and with sincerity return our boundless thanks,

Ac

Now, therefore, as the year is drawing to a close, it behooves us to pour out our libations and spread our offering before heaven. cordingly, having selected a good day, and prepared incense, paper money and other things suited to the occasion, we do now respectfully offer them up to the gods of heaven and earth, the sovereign rulers of all domains, humbly bgeging that they will condescend to hear our prayers and accept our offerings.

NOTES.

On the foregoing translation, which has been kindly put into our

hands with a copy of the original in Chinese, we offer a few brief

notes.

1. The names of the family and the village, we have supplied, in order to make the paper complete, it being a printed form suitable for any inhabitants of the district of Tsung ming which is the name of the island situated at the embouchure of the Yangtsz kiing.

2. The date also is left blank : but when such prayers are offered up, the year, mouth and day are filled in with a pencil. The mode of offering is, we believe, by burning the paper on which they are written, thus transmitting them to the shades and inhabitants of the invisible world.

3. By the word, "holy-ones," Pshing is meant "the gods." The same is intended by the phrase, ti tien,"ruling heavens," and also by shin, "the gods," both of which are used in the prayer.

4. The two following lines are also worthy of notice; they occur in the prayer and have been translated by our correspondent thus: "the gods of heaven and earth, the sovereign rulers of all domains." The original stands as follows to which we add a literal translation, without any comment.

天地 三界萬神十方

切主宰

rien tí sán kiải toán shin, shih fáng gih tseih chú trái;

"Heaven (and) earth's three boundaries ten thousand gods.

"Ten regions one whole lords (and) rulers."

P. S.

"The ten regions" are heaven above, earth beneath, east, west north, south, north-east, south-east, south-west, and north-west."

ART VI. Captain Hooes' narrative of his Captivity in Cochinchina. From the Straits Times, May 10th.

I LEFT Singapore on the 2d of October 1847, in charge of a junk called the Little Catherine, having made an engagement to navigate her to Hongkong; the crew and passengers amounting to 53 persons,

all Chinese. For the first ten days I experienced fresh S. W. winds, attended with heavy squalls, so that by the constant lowering and hoisting of the sails, which were made of very light cloth, they were all in rags, scarcely a whole square yard in any part of them; the three upper divisions were entirely gone. I now had three days of light east winds, with a tremendous N. E. swell, which caused the vessels to leak so much as to keep both pumps almost constantly going. By this time I had arrived about 70 miles S. S, E. of the Paracels Shoals. The wind now changed to N. E. so that I was unable to weather them, and not wishing to lose ground by going to the westward, I ordered the vessel to be put about in order to stand to the eastward. This they did not seem inclined to do: however I at length prevailed, but no sooner was I gone below than they again put her about and stood to the N.N.W., nor could I prevail on them any more to go to the eastward, but continued on the starboard tack, thereby running the vessel in amongst the above mentioned shoals. I told them if they still persisted going in that direction, they would run her on shore in the night, for I was now by my reckoning only 20 miles S. S. E. of the Triton's shoal. To this they turned a deaf ear, and would not obey me in any one single instance afterwards. The night now set in dark and squally, and finding them determined to continue running into danger, I took the helm from them and kept the vessel away to the westward for 5 hours, so as to run to leeward of the danger. I then hauled her to the wind again and continued to the N. N. W. They were not averse to going to the westward, for they knew the land lay in that direction, which they were very anxious to see, and were continually trying for soundings; in fact they told me I did not know where I was, because we had not seen the land for 14 days. For the next 5 days they continued to the N. N. W., having fresh N. E. wind with a heavy swell from that quarter. With the sails all rags, (for I could not prevail on them to repair them, although they had cloth on board,) I found by my observations that I was losing ground daily, and the N. E. monsoon had fairly set in; I told them the best thing they could do for the good of all concerned, was to let me take the vessel back to Singapore; for it was impossible to reach Hongkong this season, and if I went to Cochin-china to repair damages, on putting to sea again, the first breeze of wind, I should lose all my sails; and another thing they might keep the vessel there the whole of the monsoon. I had also heard the French had been making a disturbance there, and I could not tell that they might not take me for an enemy Under these

circumstances I advised them as I have above stated, which advice had they taken, I should in all probability have saved the vessel. They would not however, but kept her away W. N. W. for two days. It blowing fresh from the N. E.; after this they got soundings, and the wind veering to the eastward, they kept her to the wind again, thereby standing right up the gulf of Tonquin.

On the 23d October, it blew a gale from the northward, the vessel standing in W. N. W.; my longitude by chronometer, as near as I can recollect, was 107 E which agreed perfectly with the soundings; my latitude by observation 18° 20′ north, making me about 30 miles from the shore of Cochin-china. It now came on to blow harder. I told them if they did not go about they would be on shore by midnight. They would not mind me, but turned to and killed all the remaining fowls; part of which they threw overboard and ate the rest; they then made a large fire which they all worshipped; this being over, they kept the vessel away before the wind, runing due south dead on to the shore. I tried all my power to convince them of their error; I shewed them my charts, but all to no purpose, they would or could not understand them, I then attempted to take the helm from them, but they drove me away, and continued rushing on to destruction. The night now set in dark and squally. About 9 P. M.

I made Scovel's Island on the starboard bow; had they now kept the vessel as I would have had them, I should have been able most likely to have made Turon in the course of the next day. At midnight the gale had increased to its full height, and the sea was one sheet of foam owing to the shallowness of the water; about 4 A. M. the vessel rolling very heavy, they, contrary to my orders, commenced cutting away the masts, and while in the act, breakers were discovered ahead; no sooner did they see that than they deserted the helm and set up the most dismal cries. Luckily the vessel did not broach too; had she done so I am sure few would have been spared to tell the tale. She ran on, and being of light draught, ran through the heaviest of the breakers. On her striking she fell on her beam ends. The sea now broke over us in the most awful manner for an hour, when she suddenly went all to pieces, when we all (with the exception of four poor fellows) got safely on shore. Here we found a great many natives provided with axes breaking into every thing that washed up and carrying them off Whilst making for the shore I received a severe squeeze on my right hand, so that I was unable to look after or save an article of my clothes, and what I had on were all torn to rags by the wreck. As we were not allowed to leave the beach, a house