The Europeans, of whom there are only a few hundreds here, are somewhat dissatisfied, trade not being so prosperous as was at first expected. The English Government gratuitously gives portions of land to merchants, on condition of their building houses. Many have erected on these grants of land large houses, which they would willingly sell for half the price they have cost. Victoria is surrounded by barren hills, or not very pleasingly situated. The town has altogether a European character; and, but for the Chinese porters, labourers, hucksters, &c., seen in the streets and in shops, it would be difficult to imagine one's-self on Chinese ground. I was a little surprised at not seeing any native women in the streets; from which circumstance it might have been inferred that a European female could not safely have ventured out of doors alone. However, I never met with the least insult or annoyance on the part of the Chinese; even their curiosity was not offensively manifested.

In Victoria I had the pleasure of being introduced to the celebrated Gutzlaff. Four other German missionaries were also residing there. They were dressed in the Chinese style; had their heads shaved, and the back hair plaited in long tails, in the style worn by the natives. These missionaries were studying the Chinese language, which is exceedingly difficult, both to speak and to write. The written language consists of characters, of which there are upwards of four thousand; and the spoken language is composed of pure monosyllabic sounds. The Chinese write with pencils dipped in Indian ink; their lines run from right to left, and from the top of the paper downward.

After the lapse of a few days, I met with an opportunity of going to Canton on board of a Chinese junk. Mr. P., a merchant residing at Victoria, who had received me very kindly,

recommended me not to venture in the junk alone, as he assured me the Chinese people were not to be trusted. He advised me either to take a boat for myself, or to engage a berth on board one of the steamers; but these modes of travelling were too expensive for the limited means at my disposal. A place in the steamer, or a hired boat, would have cost twelve dollars; whilst the fare by the junk was only three. However, I must confess that I saw nothing either in the looks or conduct of the Chinese to excite alarm. "I put my pistols in order-(continues the fearless lady)—and, on the 12th of July, I went on board the junk.”

As evening drew in, heavy rain obliged me to return to the covered part of the vessel, where I amused myself by observing my Chinese companions.

The party on board the junk, though not the most select, was nevertheless perfectly decorous in demeanor. Some of the men were seated at dominoes, others were listening to the performance of a musician, who drew forth doleful strains from a sort of mandoline with three strings. A few were gossiping; a great many smoking; and all, by turns, drank unsugared tea. Of this beverage, which was served in small cups, I was civilly invited to partake. The Chinese of all ranks and classes, rich and poor, drink neither pure water nor fermented liquors. Weak tea, without sugar, is their constant beverage.

Late in the evening I retired to my cabin, where, to my discomfort, I found the rain dripping through the roof. The captain, on being apprised of this fact, immediately accommodated me with another berth, where I found myself in company with two Chinese women. When I entered the cabin they were completely enveloped in a cloud of tobacco-smoke, which they were puffing from small pipes, no larger than thimbles,

My companions, observing that I was unprovided with the head-stool, which in China is used instead of a pillow, kindly offered me one of theirs; and the offer was so urgently pressed that I felt myself obliged to accept it. These head-stools are made of bamboo, or of a very thick kind of pasteboard. They are about eight inches high, and from one to three feet long, rounded at top, and have no stuffing. The head rests more comfortably than might be expected on one of these stools.

Early next morning I hurried on deck to see the entrance to the mouth of the Si-kiang or Tiger River; but we had advanced so far up, that no trace of the mouth was discernible. I, however, saw it subsequently, when I returned from Canton to HongKong. The Si-kiang is one of the largest rivers in China. At a very short distance from the point at which it falls into the sea, it is nearly eight nautical miles in width; but at its mouth it is so contracted by rocks that it is only about half that breadth. The views along the banks are pleasing; and some fortifications erected on the heights give a romantic character to the scenery.

At Hoo-man (which place also bears the name of Whampoa) the river branches into several separate streams. One which flows up to Canton is called the Pearl River. Its banks are lined with extensive rice plantations, amidst which bananas and other trees are planted, in rows; the intervening spaces forming pleasant avenues. But these trees are intended less for ornament than for use. Rice requires a very damp soil, and the trees are planted with the view of giving the earth a certain degree of consistency, and preventing the rice from being washed away by the copious irrigation which the soil demands. Neat little Chinese country houses, with pointed and notched roofs, and walls profusely adorned with coloured tiles and clay ornaments, are

seen nestling amid groups of shady trees; and pagodas—or tas, as they are called by the Chinese-varying from three to nine stories in height, stand on hills in the vicinity of the villages, and from a vast distance attract the eye of the traveller. The river is defended along its banks by numerous fortified posts.

Some miles below Canton, we passed a succession of poor looking villages, for the most part consisting of huts built on piles driven into the bed of the river; numerous boats floating in the stream, also served as habitations for their owners.

As we drew near to Canton, the aspect of the river became more and more animated, and the number of boats of every description augmented. There were vessels of the most extraordinary forms. Some of the junks, two tiers above water at the stern, looked like houses with high balconied windows. Many of these junks are exceedingly large, and they are not unfrequently of a thousand tons burthen. I saw several Chinese ships of war, of a flat and long build, and carrying from twenty to thirty guns. The mandarins' boats, with doors and windows painted on the outside, are like neat little houses decorated with silk flags. But above all, I admired the flower-boats, with their upper galleries adorned with garlands, arabesques, and other ornaments. The windows and doors of these flower-boats are somewhat in the gothic style; the doors lead to the interior of the boat, which consists of one large saloon, and a few small cabins. Mirrors and silken tapestry adorn the walls; crystal lustres, and coloured paper lamps, between which are suspended pretty little baskets filled with fresh flowers, serve to complete a picture which, to European eyes, presents an almost magical effect.

These flower-boats, which constantly lie at anchor in the river, are places of entertainment to which the Chinese resort both by

day and by night. The amusements consist of dramatic performances, jugglery, and dancing. No females, save those of a depraved class, visit these places. Europeans are not prohibited from entering them; yet, the present hostile state of feeling on the part of the Chinese, exposes them to the chance of insult, and, possibly, of ill-treatment.

The bustle and movement on the river is still further augmented by thousands of very small boats, called shampans; some lying at anchor, and others floating about among the large vessels and flower-boats. Meanwhile, fishermen are seen in all directions casting their nets; and children and grown persons are bathing and swimming. It is frightful to see the young children in the small shampans. They are suffered to play and swing on the edges of these boats and they are every moment in danger of falling overboard. Careful parents adopt the precaution of fastening hollow gourds, or bladders inflated with air, on the shoulders of very young children, to save them from immediately sinking when they fall into the water-an accident of continual occurrence.

In short, the varied objects and strange manners; the active life and movement observable on the Pearl River, altogether make up a picture of the singularity of which description can convey no adequate idea.

During the last few years, European women have been permitted to enter the factories of Canton, and even to reside within them. I consequently left the junk without hesitation; but having landed, I had to find my way to the residence of Mr. Agassiz, to whom I had been directed, and as I could not speak a word of Chinese, I was obliged to have recourse to signs. I made the captain of the junk understand that I had no money with me, and that he must conduct me to the factory, where I