"Well," said I to the major, "this mandarin must be some very exalted personage if the Son of Heaven sends him a guard of honor" "Or of defence," replies the major.

It grows abundantly in the Chinese island of Formosa, and 'camphor mandarin' is the title of a rich Chinaman who pays the government for the privilege of extracting all the camphor, which he sends to other countries at a large profit.