“Mr. G. now advised us to obtain a royal order protecting us personally from molestation while we should remain in the country. ‘Otherwise,’ said he, ‘as it will be notorious that you have solicited royal patronage, and been refused, you will lie at the mercy of every ill-disposed person.’
“This suggestion of Mr. G. occupied our thoughts the rest of the day. We finally concluded that, as such an order would cost several hundred ticals, we would prefer trusting in the Lord to keep us and our poor disciples.
“At night our people returned. They had found Moung Zah, and presented the petition for a passport, to which he made no other reply but ‘Come to-morrow.’
“_February 4._ Sent the people, early in the morning, with a handsome present to Moung Zah. They returned late at night. He accepted the present, and assured them he would do our business to-morrow.
“_February 5._ Sent the people as usual, our trusty Moung Nau accompanying them, with a quantity of silver. This did the business. Late in the evening I had the pleasure of taking into my hand the pointed palm-leaf. It has cost us the value of thirty dollars.
“_February 6._ Pushed off from the beach of O-ding-man. I could moralize half an hour on the apt resemblance, the beautiful congruity between the desolate state of our feelings and the sandy, barren surface of this miserable beach. But ‘‘tis idle all.’ Let the beach and our sorrow go together. Something better will turn up to-morrow.