Anofficerwithadetachmentoftroops,wassentinpursuitofthem;
butafteraharassingmarchreturnedwithoutsuccess.Inthecourseofaweekthegreatestpartofthemwereeitherbroughtbackbydifferentpartieswhohadfalleninwiththem,orweredriveninbyfamine.
Uponbeingquestionedaboutthecauseoftheirelopement,thosewhomhungerhadforcedback,didnothesitatetoconfessthattheyhadbeensogrosslydeceivedastobelievethatChinamighteasilybereached,beingnotmorethan100milesdistant,andseparatedonlybyariver.
Theothers,however,ashamedofthemerrimentexcitedattheirexpense,saidthattheirreasonforrunningawaywasonaccountofbeingoverworkedandharshlytreated,andthattheypreferredasolitaryandprecariousexistenceinthewoodstoareturntothemiserytheywerecompelledtoundergo.Oneortwoofthepartyhadcertainlyperishedbythehandsofthenatives,whohadalsowoundedseveralothers.
Itrustthatnomanwouldfeelmorereluctantthanmyselftocastanilliberalnationalreflection,particularlyonapeoplewhomIregardinanaggregatesenseasbrethrenandfellow-citizens;andamongwhom,Ihavethehonourtonumbermanyofthemostcordialandendearingintimacieswhichalifepassedonservicecouldgenerate.ButitiscertainthatallthesepeoplewereIrish.