him had not been substantiated, yet it was clear that he had called into his service men of evil reputation, and had in consequence lowered the dignity of his office. But promotion and honour on the one hand, and degradation and disgrace on the other, fail in a very lamentable manner to make the officials of China honest men.

Although Chinese officials are perhaps as a class the most corrupt state servants in the world, there are amongst them men of high integrity and honour. These exceptional men are held in much esteem by the people, who avail themselves of every opportunity of doing them honour. During my long residence at Canton I only met with one such worthy. He was named Acheong, and for two years as governor ruled over the vast province of Kwang-tung. So many and great were the blessings which he conferred upon the people by his excellent administration, that they actually adored him; and when he left Canton they rose en masse to do him honour. I had an opportunity of witnessing his departure, and the ovation which he received from the citizens, who thronged the streets, was most impressive. In the imposing procession which escorted him to the place of embarkation, and which took at least twenty minutes to pass a given point, were carried the silk umbrellas which had been presented to him by the people, and the red boards-of which there were probably more than three hundred-upon which high-sounding titles had been inscribed in honour of the faithful minister. The route was spanned at frequent intervals by arches. From these banners were suspended which bore in large letters, painted or embroidered, such sentences as "The Friend of the People;" "the Father of the People;" "the Father and Mother of the People;" "the Bright Star of the Province;" "the Benefactor of the Age." Deputations awaited his arrival at various temples, and he alighted from his chair to exchange farewell compliments with them, and to partake of the refreshment provided for the occasion. But the formal arrangements could not speak so clearly to his popularity as the enthusiasm of the people. The silence generally observed when a Chinese ruler passes through the streets was again and again broken by hearty exclamations of "When will your Excellency

11.]

AN HONEST MANDARIN.

45

come back to us?" At many points the crowd was so great as to interrupt the line of march, and the state chair was frequently in danger of being upset. It was evident that the mottoes which were inscribed on the banners hung out on the route of this virtuous servant of the state, faithfully interpreted the public feeling.

CHAPTER III.

PRISONS AND PUNISHMENTS.

In this chapter I propose to give a description of Chinese prisons, respecting the cruelties practised in which so much was said and written in the early part of 1858-the year in which Canton was assaulted and captured by the allied armies of Great Britain and France. When I have described these "habitations of cruelty," I shall proceed to give an account of the various degrees of punishment which are meted out to those who have been convicted of breaking the laws of their country. Many of these punishments are barbarous and cruel in the extreme. For example, in the gaol of the city of Chin-kiang I saw a poor wretch who for three days and three nights had not been allowed to sit down. His wrists were bound together by a long chain, the end of which was made fast to one of the rafters of the roof of his cell. In some instances prisoners are tied up by ropes which are made fast under their arms, their feet not being allowed to touch the ground. Some of the modes of capital punishment in China may justly be described as examples of abominable and revolting cruelty. I need not, however, anticipate details which it will be my unpleasant duty to narrate in the course of this chapter; and the facts which I have to bring before the reader will speak for themselves.

The prisons of China consist, according to their class, of a certain number of wards each. Thus, for example, the prisons of the respective counties of Namhoi and Pun-yu, in the province of Kwang-tung, which are first-class county prisons,