by their keepers under an engagement instantly to appear should they be again summoned by the governor.
In the spiring of 1824, Mr. Escodéca (already mentioned as having the superintendance of the mission after the martyrdom of Dr. Dufresse) was arrested on his return from visiting a sick person by an apostate Christian attached to the pretorian guard. He acknowledged himself to be a priest and a minister of the Christian Religion; but the guards, who preferred money to his person, made a proposal to the Christians to release him for a certain ransom. The sum of 100 taels (about 30£) was demanded; and, on its being paid, he was suffered to depart. A similar trial about the same time befel the good Bishop and three lay companions, with whom he was secreted. Being apprehended he made an open avowal of his character, but refused to purchase his freedom, and demanded to be conducted before the governor of the city. In the mean time the christians, without his knowledge, bargained for his freedom, and that Of his companions, for eighty taels. He had no sooner been liberated than perceiving that the guards had retained his books, and fearing lest these should be made a pretext for a second arrest, he followed them to a tavern whither they had repaired for the night, and insisted that his books should be restored, or himself taken before the governor. On the following morning the books were delivered up.
From a statement made by Dr. Fontana to the superior of the establishment of foreign missions in Paris, it appears that in the year ending September 1824, there were twenty-six Chinese priests in the Province of Su-tchuen. There bad been received within the same period 29,342 annual confessions, 335 adults baptized, and 1547 under instruction. Baptism had also been administered to 1837 children of Christian parents, and to 6,280 pagan infants in danger of death, of which number 4,405 had passed to a better life. About the time of the martyrdom of Dr. Dufresse the total number of Christians in Su-tchuen amounted to upwards of 60,000: in this year the exact amount was 46,287. In 1767, they were under 7,000.
