ries of pawnbroker's
establishments. In summer the average Chinaman pawns his winter
clothing, and other articles not in actual use, thus enabling him to
employ more capital in his business, whatever it may be. When the cold
weather comes he redeems his needed clothing, and the same with other
articles. So universal is this practice that hundreds of these
tower-like pawning places are required to meet the demands of the
citizens. As these establishments are supposed to be fire-proof, they do
certainly afford a place of safety for valuable articles not in use,
the owner paying storage in the form of interest for the money loaned,
the goods being security.

The dwelling-house and pleasure-grounds of the late Poon-tin-qua, a
distinguished and rich Chinaman, were visited, and proved to be typical
of all Chinese pictures. Here were airy summer-houses, pavilions,
bridges, rockeries, and ornamental sheets of water, as we see these
things represented on lacquered ware, decorated China dishes, and fans.
It was really very curious and amusing, and showed much of luxurious
life,--even a private theatre being contained in the establishment.
Though all seem to be deserted now and somewhat neglected, still the
garden showed us roses, camellias, azaleas, lilies, and green shrubs
trained in the usual grotesque manner, not forgetting the dwarf trees,
which seem to give this people great satisfaction when successfully
cultivated.

As regards the punishment of crime in Canton, one would look in vain for
justice, but there is plenty of cruelty. We visited the execution yard,
a circumscribed space in the very heart of the city. Here, our guide
told us, twenty condemned prisoners were executed weekly, by
decapitation, each Friday being devoted to clearing the docket. The
executioner takes off a head with one stroke of the sword, and the guide
said he had witnessed the decapitation of eleven heads in seven minutes.
Through a grating in the wall of the yard, an open area was seen where a
crowd of manacled prisoners were sitting upon the ground, no shelter
being afforded them night or day. The place was more filthy than a
cattle-pen,--so offensive that we remained but a few moments. It is
doubtful if anywhere else in the world such barbarous carnage and
cruelty exists, under the guise of legal punishment.

Much has been said about the wonderful Water-clock of Canton, but it is
actually a very simple and crude mode of measuring time, which an