ny of them erected,
as I before mentioned, splendid edifices, which they would now be
glad to sell for half the cost price, or even very frequently to
give the ground and foundations, without asking the smallest sum in
return.

I resolved to stop only a few days in Victoria, as it was my wish to
arrive at Canton as soon as possible.

In addition to the great politeness he had previously shown me,
Captain Jurianse conferred another favour, by allowing me, during my
stay here, to live and lodge on board his ship, thereby saving me an
expense of 16s. or 24s. {91a} a day; and, besides this, the boat
which he had hired for his own use was always at my disposal. I
must also take this opportunity of mentioning that I never drank, on
board any other vessel, such clear and excellent water--a proof that
it is not so easily spoilt by the heat of the tropics, or a
protracted period, as is generally imagined. It all depends upon
care and cleanliness, for which the Dutch are especially celebrated;
and I only wish that every captain would, in this respect at least,
imitate their example. It is rather too bad for passengers to be
obliged to quench their thirst with thick and most offensive water--
a disagreeable necessity I was subjected to on board every other
sailing vessel in which I made a voyage of any length.

Victoria is not very pleasantly situated, being surrounded by barren
rocks. The town itself has a European stamp upon it, so that were
it not for the Chinese porters, labourers, and pedlars, a person
would hardly believe he was in China. I was much struck at seeing
no native women in the streets, from which it might be concluded
that it was dangerous for a European female to walk about as freely
as I did; but I never experienced the least insult, or heard the
slightest word of abuse from the Chinese; even their curiosity was
here by no means annoying.

In Victoria I had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the well-
known Herr Gutzlaff, {91b} and four other German missionaries. They
were studying the Chinese language; and wore the Chinese costume,
with their heads shaved like the natives, and with large cues
hanging down behind. No language is so difficult to read and write
as the Chinese; it contains more than four thousand characters, and
is wholly composed of monosyllables. Little brushes dipped in
Indian ink are used for writing, the writing itself extending down
the paper from right to left.

I had