or yourselves," said the
professor, as he resumed his seat.

The next morning Mr. Psi-ning presented himself at the hotel, before
which were gathered vehicles enough to accommodate the entire party. The
rickshaw had recently been introduced from Japan, and several of them
were included in the number; but the carts and the barrows were
generally preferred. The company selected what they pleased. Mr.
Psi-ning led the way through the principal street, and through some of
the lanes; but the scenes in them were so much like what they had seen
in three other cities that the novelty of them had worn off. The
residences of the ambassadors of foreign countries were pointed out to
them, including that of the Hon. C. Denby, before which they halted;
and the Chinese gentleman conducted them all into it, where they were
presented in due form to His Excellency, who received them very
pleasantly.

They then went to the Temple of Heaven, which was quite a curious
building, somewhat in pagoda style. It began on the ground at a round
structure, with an overhanging roof. The second story was smaller, with
the same kind of a roof; and the third was the same, but with a roof
coming to a point, like a cone. It was almost a hundred feet high. The
tiles were of blue porcelain, in imitation of a clear sky.

In the afternoon the tourists were conveyed to the office of the Board
of Punishments, and Mr. Psi-ning explained the criminal processes and
sentences. The latter are very severe, including torture, which makes
one think that he is reading Foxe's "Book of Martyrs." The party
declined to witness any of the punishments. Some culprits are treated to
twenty or more blows with a bamboo. Men suspected are tortured to make
them confess. They are put in all sorts of painful positions.

Capital punishment is inflicted by placing the victim on his knees, with
his arms bound behind him, and his head is severed from his body by the
stroke of a heavy knife or sword.

The next day the mandarin conducted the tourists to the gate of the
Forbidden City; for he had obtained a permit for the admission of the
whole of them in a body. The professor had described the principal
structures within the enclosure; and it would be only a repetition to
report what the mandarin said of them, though he added considerable to
what had come from the books. The third gateway was especially noted as
one of the finest pieces of Chinese architecture the party had seen.

T