are prejudiced against it by education and example, as the League is always represented in its blackest colours; and a Chinese not belonging to the League, cannot be induced to take up a manual or book treating of its rites; the looking on it being deemed already contaminating."
In the Straits Settlements, we do not experience these difficulties in gaining information; as the Society, with its numerous branches, is recognised by the Government, and the names of tens of thousands of office-bearers and members are registered, there is no difficulty in speaking with the initiated Chinese on the subject of their League; the outside Chinese population, (which includes the more respectable portion of the community) are, and will always remain, as the Society is now constituted, in total ignorance of its working and rules.
In registering the various Lodges of the Hung-League, in Singapore, Penang, and Malacea, I have had many opportunities of gaining an acquaintance with the organisation of the Brotherhood, by conversation with the Sin-sengs or Masters of Lodges, and by perusal of the numerous manuals or catechisms which have passed through my hands, and of which I possess one or two ancient copies. It is, however, my opinion that any European who will take the trouble to thoroughly digest M. Schlegel's invaluable work on the subject, will know more of the origin, ceremonies and ostensible objects of the Thien-Ti-Hui, than nine out of ten of the Masters of Lodges in the Straits Settlements. As the book in question is now very scarce, and not accessible to the general public, I considered that to the members of the Straits Asiatic Society an account of the establishment of the Society as stated in the introductions to the manuals used by all the Lodges in these Colonies, might not be uninteresting; and if my surmise prove correct, I would in future Numbers of this journal continue a translation of the Manual itself; and endeavour to trace the Society from its establishment as a political society in 1674, to its present existence as an association of, at the best, very questionable characters, the objects of which are, combination to carry out private quarrels, and to uphold the interests of the members, either by means of the law, or in spite of the law, and lastly to raise money by subscription, or by levying fees on brothels and gambling houses, in the districts controlled by the different branches.
The Society is called "Triad" because of the Chinese name often given to it, Sam-hap or "three united,"—Heaven, Earth, and Man; when these three principles are in unison, there is
