for two days. They also brought
the alarming news that the Viceroy had reconsidered his decision of the
previous night and had sent word that he proposed to resist by force any
effort of the revolutionists to capture the city. The flag of the
revolution had also been hauled down and the old familiar yellow
dragon-flag hoisted in its place.

While waiting for the guide to arrange for chairs to take the party
through the city, we had a good opportunity to study the river life
which makes Canton unique among Chinese cities. Out of the total
population of over two millions, at least a quarter of a million live in
boats from birth to death and know no other home. Many of these boats
are large cargo junks which ply up and down the river and bring produce
to the great city market, but the majority are small sampans that house
one Chinese family and that find constant service in transferring
passengers and freight from one side of the river to the other, as well
as to and from the hundreds of steamers that call at the port. They have
a covered cabin into which the family retires at night.

These sampans are mainly rowed by women, who handle the boats with great
skill. A young girl usually plies the short oar on the bow, while her
mother, assisted by the younger children, works the large oar or sweep
in the stern. The middle of the sampan is covered by a bamboo house, and
in the forward part of this house the family has its kitchen fire and
all its arrangements for food. The passenger sits on the after seat near
the stern of the boat. These boats are scrubbed so that the woodwork
shines, and the backs of the seats are covered with fresh matting.

Looking out from the steamer one saw at least two miles of these small
sampans and larger craft massed along both shores of the river, which is
here about a half-mile wide. The foreign concession or Shameen is free
from these boats. It is really a sand spit, surrounded by water, which
was made over to the foreigners after the opium war.

North of the Shameen is the new western suburb of Canton, which has
recently been completed on European lines. It has a handsome bund,
finely paved, with substantial buildings facing the river. Close up
against this bund, and extending down the river bank for at least two
miles are ranged row on row of houseboats. Every few minutes a boat
darts out from the mass and is pulled to one of the ships in the stream.

Across the river and massed against th