One especially moved my curiosity, for he possessed to an absurd degree the closest likeness to myself.

Could I give him any higher praise than that?
That the Mohammedan Chinese is physically superior to his Buddhist countryman is acknowledged by all observers; there is a fearlessness and independence of bearing in the Mohammedan, a militant carriage that distinguishes him from the Chinese unbeliever.

His religion is but a thinly diluted Mohammedanism, and excites the scorn of the true believers from India who witness his devotion, or rather his want of devotion.
One of the men talking to us in the old mission-house was a comical-looking fellow, whose head-dress differed from that of the other Chinese, in that, in addition to his queue, lappets of hair were drawn down his cheeks in the fashion affected by old ladies in England.
I raised these strange locks--impudent curiosity is often polite attention in China--whereupon the reason for them was apparent.

The body bequeathed to him by his fathers had been mutilated--he had suffered the removal of both ears.

He explained to us how he came to lose them, but we knew even before he told us; "he had lost them in battle facing the enemy"-- and of course we believed him.