“Paou.—­’Who is bold enough to compare me with O-po-tae?’”

“Chow.—­’I know very well that O-po-tae could not come up to you, Sir; but I mean only, that since O-po-tae has made his submission, since he has got his pardon and been created a Government officer,—­how would it be, if you with your whole crew should also submit, and if his Excellency should desire to treat you in the same manner, and to give you the same rank as O-po-tae?  Your submission would produce more joy to Government than the submission of O-po-tae.  You should not wait for wisdom to act wisely; you should make up your mind to submit to the Government with all your followers.  I will assist you in every respect, it would be the means of securing your own happiness and the lives of all your adherents.’”

“Chang-paou remained like a statue without motion, and Fei-heung Chow went on to say:  ’You should think about this affair in time, and not stay till the last moment.  Is it not clear that O-po-tae, since you could not agree together, has joined Government.  He being enraged against you, will fight, united with the forces of the Government, for your destruction; and who could help you, so that you might overcome your enemies?  If O-po-tae could before vanquish you quite alone, how much more can he now when he is united with Government?  O-po-tae will then satisfy his hatred against you, and you yourself will soon be taken either at Wei-chow or at Neaou-chow.  If the merchant-vessels of Hwy-chaou, the boats of Kwang-chow, and all the fishing-vessels, unite together to surround and attack you in the open sea, you will certainly have enough to do.  But even supposing they should not attack you, you will soon feel the want of provisions to sustain you and all your followers.  It is always wisdom to provide before things happen; stupidity and folly never think about future events.  It is too late to reflect upon events when things have happened; you should, therefore, consider this matter in time!’”

Paou was puzzled, but after being closeted for some time with his mistress, Ching-yih’s widow, who gave her high permission for him to make arrangements with Doctor Chow, he said he would repair with his fleet to the Bocca Tigris, and there communicate personally with the organs of Government.

After two visits had been paid to the pirate-fleets by two inferior Mandarins, who carried the Imperial proclamation of free pardon, and who, at the order of Ching-yih’s widow, were treated to a sumptuous banquet by Paou, the Governor-general of the province went himself in one vessel to the pirates’ ships, that occupied a line of ten le off the mouth of the river.