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imbecile。 The jailer； as we went out； kept holding out his long…clawed；
lean； brown hand； muttering about his promised kum…sha； very fearful
lest the other turnkeys； who were still lying on their beds smoking
opium； should come in for any share of it。
Mr。 Henry；* my host and very able cicerone； is an American missionary；
and as such carries with him the gospel of peace on earth and good will
to men。 Surely if the knowledge of Him who came 〃to preach liberty to
the captive； and the opening of the prison to them that are bound；〃
were diffused and received here； and were spread with no niggard hand；
the prison of the Naam…Hoi magistrate； with its unspeakable horrors；
would go the way of all our dungeons and bedlams。
＇*I cannot forbear adding a note on the extent of Mr。 Henry's work in
1881。 He preached 190 times in Chinese； and five times in English； held
fifty…two Bible…class meetings； and thirteen communion services；
baptized forty…five adults and eight children； traveled on mission work
by boat 2；540 miles； by chair； eighty miles； and on foot 670 miles；
visited 280 different towns and villages； and distributed 14；000 books；
receiving assistance in the latter work only on one short journey。 His
life is a happy combination of American energy and Christian zeal。＇
But this is not all。 From the prison it is only a short distance to the
judgment…seat； and passing once more through the 〃Gate of
Righteousness；〃 we crossed a large court infested by gamblers and
fortune…tellers； and presented ourselves at a porch with great figures
painted on both its doors； and gay with the red insignia of
mandarinism； which is the entrance to the stately residence of the
Naam…Hoi magistrate； one of the subordinate dignitaries of Canton。 In
the porch； as might have been in that of Pilate or Herod； were a number
of official palanquins； and many officials and servants of the mandarin
with red…crowned hats turned up from their faces； and privates of the
city guard； mean and shabby persons。 One of these； for a kum…sha of
course； took us； not through the closed and curtained doors； but along
some passages； from which we passed through a circular brickwork tunnel
to the front of the judgment seat at which all the inmates of the
Naam…Hoi prison may expect sooner or later to be tried。 My nerves were
rather shaken with what I had seen； and I trembled as a criminal might
on entering this chamber of horror。
In brief； the judgment…seat is a square hall； open at one end； with a
roof supported on three columns。 In the plan which I send； No。 1 is the
three pillars； No。 2； the instruments of torture ranged against the
wall； No。 3； four accused men wearing heavy chains； and kneeling with
their foreheads one inch from the ground； but not allowed to touch it。
These men are undergoing the mildest form of tortureprotracted
kneeling without support in one position； with coarse sand under the
bare knees。 No。 4 is a very old and feeble man； also kneeling； a
claimant in an ancient civil suit。 No。 6 indicates a motley group of
notaries； servants； attendants； lictors； alas！ The table （No。 5） is of
dark wood； covered with a shabby red cloth。 On it are keys； petitions；
note…books； pens and ink； an official seal； and some small cups
containing tallies； which are thrown down to indicate the number of
blows which a culprit is to receive。 This was all。
In a high…backed ebony arm…chair； such as might be seen in any English
hall； sat the man who has the awful power of life and death in his
hands。 It is almost needless to say that the judge； who was on the left
of the table； and who never once turned to the accused； or indeed to
anyone； was the only seated person。 He was a young man； with fine
features； a good complexion； and a high intellectual brow； and had I
seen him under other circumstances； I should have thought him decidedly
prepossessing looking。 He wore a black satin hat； a rich； blue brocade
robe； almost concealing his blue brocade trousers； and over this a
sleeved cloak of dark blue satin； lined with ermine fur。 A look of
singular coldness and hauteur sat permanently on his face； over which a
flush of indescribable impatience sometimes passed。 He is not of the
people； this lordly magistrate。 He is one of the privileged literati。
His literary degrees are high and numerous。 He has both place and
power。 Little risk does he run of a review of his decisions or of an
appeal to the Emperor at Pekin。 He spoke loud and with much rapidity
and emphasis； and often beat impatiently on the floor with his foot。 He
used the mandarin tongue； and whether cognizant of the dialect of the
prisoners or not； he put all his questions through an interpreter； who
stood at his left； a handsomely dressed old man； who wore a gold chain
with a dependent ivory comb； with which while he spoke he frequently
combed a small and scanty gray mustache。
Notaries； attendants with scarlet…crowned hats； and a rabble of men and
boys； in front of whom we placed ourselves； stood down each side。 The
open hall； though lofty； is shabby and extremely dirty； with an unswept
broken pavement； littered at one side with potsherds； and disfigured by
a number of more or less broken black pots as well as other rubbish；
making it look rather like a shed in an untidy nursery garden than an
imperial judgment…hall。 On the pillars there are certain classical
inscriptions； one of which is said to be an exhortation to mercy。
Pieces of bamboo of different sizes are ranged against the south wall。
These are used for the bastinado； and there were various instruments
ranged against the same wall； at which I could only look fitfully and
with a shudder； for they are used in 〃The Question by Torture；〃 which
rapid method of gaining a desired end appears to be practised on
witnesses as well as criminals。
The yard； or uncovered part of this place； has a pavement in the
middle； and on one side of this the most loathsome trench I ever
beheld； such a one as I think could not be found in the foulest slum of
the dirtiest city in Europe； not only loathsome to the eye； but
emitting a stench which even on that cool day might produce vertigo；
and this under the very eye of the magistrate； and not more than thirty
feet from the judgment…seat。
On the other side by which we entered； and which also has an entrance
direct from the prison； is a slimy； green ditch； at the back of which
some guards were lounging； with a heap of felons in chains attached to
heavy stones at their feet。 Above； the sky was very blue； and the sun
of our Father which is in heaven shone upon 〃the just and the unjust。〃
The civil case took a long time； and was adjourned； and the aged
claimant was so exhausted with kneeling before the judge； that he was
obliged to be assisted away by two men。 Then another man knelt and
presented a petition； which was taken to 〃avizandum。〃 Then a guard led
in by a chain a prisoner； heavily manacled； and with a heavy stone
attached to his neck； who knelt with his forehead touching the ground。
After some speaking； a boy who was standing dangling a number of keys
came forward； and； after much ado； unlocked the rusty padlock which
fastened th