clambering on board. The donkey-engine, with well-rigged hose,
soon, however, cleared the decks, bulwarks, and gangways, and we were
not bothered any more.

[Illustration: How we were boarded by Chinese and dispersed them.]

After breakfast we landed on the Praya, a fine quay, extending the
whole length of the town. On it are situated many of the large stores,
offices, and markets of the city. The streets are wide and handsome,
and the buildings in European style, with deep verandahs and arcades,
all built of stone. The town is built on the side of a hill, with
ferny, moss-covered banks, overhung by tropical trees, close to some
of the principal offices. At the back are the mountains, the peak
overhead, with the signal station on the top, always busily at work,
making and answering signals with flags as ships and junks enter or
leave the harbour. Soldiers and sailors abound in the streets; and if
it were not for the sedan-chairs and palanquins, in which everybody is
carried about by Chinese coolies with enormous hats, one might easily
fancy oneself at dear old Gib., so much do these dependencies of the
Crown in foreign countries resemble one another, even in such
opposite quarters of the globe.

We were very anxious to leave the yacht here and to go up to Canton;
but we find there is no possible hotel at the latter place. This is
rather unfortunate, as, after our long residence on board, and all the
knocking about at sea, the yacht requires repairing and refitting. She
looks very well painted white, and the change is a great comfort in
hot weather; but white paint does not wear well, and in order to
maintain her good looks she ought to receive a fresh coat at every
port. We can only go up the Pearl River at the very top of the tide,
for in several places there are not fourteen feet of water over the
shoals. It will, therefore, take us two or three days to accomplish
what the steamers do in six hours, and a great waste of time will be
involved.

To-day, for the first time, we have heard 'pidgin English' seriously
spoken. It is very trying to one's composure to hear grave merchants,
in their counting-houses, giving important orders to clerks and
compradors in what sounds, until one gets accustomed to it, like the
silliest of baby-talk. The term really means 'business English;' and
certain it is that most Chinamen you meet understand it perfectly,
though you might just as well talk Greek as ordinary English to them.