ation: Chinese Pagoda and Boats.]

We landed, and, after proceeding a short distance along the dirty
street, came to a bridge with iron gates, which were thrown open by
the sentry. After crossing a dirty stream we found ourselves in the
foreign settlement--Shameen it is called--walking on nice turf, under
the shade of fine trees. The houses of the merchants which line this
promenade are all fine, handsome stone buildings, with deep verandahs.
At the back there are compounds with kitchen gardens, and under the
trees dairy cows are grazing. Every household appears to supply itself
with garden and farm produce, and the whole scene has a most English,
home-like appearance. We went first to the Vice-Consul, and then to
the Jardine Hong. All the business houses retain the names of the
firms to which they originally belonged, even when they have passed
into entirely different hands. After a little chat we went on to the
Deacon Hong, where we found they had just done tiffin, and where we
met some old friends.

By the kindness of various people, to whom we were introduced, we all
found ourselves gradually installed in luxurious quarters. As for us,
we had a large room comfortably furnished in English fashion, with a
bath-room attached. All the houses are very much alike, and are fitted
up in an equally comfortable style.

About three o'clock we started in five chairs, with Man-look-Chin for
our guide. Tom vigorously protested against not being allowed to use
his own legs, but everybody assured him that it was impossible in the
crowded streets of the city, so he had to submit to being carried. No
Chinaman, except those employed by foreigners, is allowed to cross any
of the bridges over the stream, which completely surrounds the foreign
settlement, and makes the suburb of Shameen a perfect island. There
are iron gates on each bridge, guarded by sentries. The contrast in
the state of things presented by the two sides of the bridge is most
marvellous. From the quiet country park, full of large villas and
pretty gardens, you emerge into a filthy city, full of a seething,
dirty population, and where smells and sights of the most disgusting
description meet you at every turn. People who have seen many Chinese
cities say that Canton is the cleanest of them all. What the dirtiest
must be like is therefore beyond my imagination. The suburbs of the
city, where all sorts of cheap eating-shops abound--where the butchers
and fishmongers ex