cradlewithwhichtheFrenchagentofpolicesoreadilysecuresaprisoner。Butwhetherphysicalormoral，tortureiscertainlyemployed；andbyabarbarousinjustice，thestateofaccusationinwhichamanmayverywellbeinnocentlyplacedispositivelypainful；thestateofconvictioninwhichallaresupposedguilty
iscomparativelyfree，andpositivelypleasant。Perhapsworsestill，-notonlytheaccused，butsometimeshiswife，hismistress，orhisfriend，issubjectedtothesamehardships。Iwasadmiring，inthetapusystem，theingenuityofnativemethodsofdetection；thereisnotmuchtoadmireinthoseoftheFrench，andtolockupatimidchildinadarkroom，and，ifheprovedobstinate，lockuphissisterinthenext，isneithernovelnorhumane。
Themainoccasionofthesetheftsisthenewviceofopium-eating。
’Herenobodyeverworks，andalleatopium，’saidagendarme；andAhFuknewawomanwhoateadollar’sworthinaday。Thesuccessfulthiefwillgiveahandfulofmoneytoeachofhisfriends，adresstoawoman，passaneveninginoneofthetavernsofTai-o-hae，duringwhichhetreatsallcomers，produceabiglumpofopium，andretiretothebushtoeatandsleepitoff。A
trader，whodidnotsellopium，confessedtomethathewasathiswit’send。’Idonotsellit，butothersdo，’saidhe。’Thenativesonlyworktobuyit；iftheywalkovertometoselltheircotton，theyhavejusttowalkovertosomeoneelsetobuytheiropiumwithmymoney。Andwhyshouldtheybeatthebotheroftwowalks?Thereisnousetalking，’headded-’opiumisthecurrencyofthiscountry。’