Baksheesh (lubrication payment) is often the accepted manner of doing business in the Middle and Far East. However, one must be careful not to confuse ethics with the law.

November[…] 23 Visit to a market held near Khotan. Grains bought.[…] 28 Left at 9 A.M. All day enroute. Collected tree cuttings. Bought seeds. Stayed for the night in Langru.

John had a sudden change of mind when he saw that better offer.

Elsewhere still, they'd managed to find the wreck of a Japanese midget submarine, and so, when the battleships were done being swallowed by the seabed, some efforts were being made to haul this up as well.