On the night when the detective from Police
Headquarters accompanied us we made an attempt to enter a Chinese
gambling house. The entrance even to this was well guarded; although
the sentinel unwittingly left the door open for a moment as a Chinaman
was passing in. The detective seeing his opportunity went in boldly
and bade us to follow him. In a few moments all was confusion. We
heard hurrying feet in the adjoining room, and then excited men
appeared at the head of the passage way and waved their arms to and
fro while they talked rapidly in high tones. Outside already some
fifty men had collected together, and these were also talking and
gesticulating wildly. The detective then said to us that it would be
wise to retreat and leave the place lest we might meet with violence.
We did so, but the uproar among the Chinese did not subside for some
time. We pitied the poor sentinel who had allowed us to slip in, for
we knew that he would be severely punished after our departure. The
Chinese are noted for their gambling propensities, and there are
many gambling houses in Chinatown.
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