their individuality. Each was a type, a portrait, the representation of some human type that had been in the artist's eye. I could understand how there could be a whole literature of theology based on images so diversified and peculiar, if one could only enter into the legends of the Chinese faith. Some of the statues were merry and laughing; others were in tears. Some showed by their apparel wealth and high station; others were in rags like mendicant friars. Some wore shoes, but the majority were shoeless. They were said, as disciples of Buddha, to have had various supernatural gifts-the power of subduing beasts, destroying reptiles, and, like the apostles in the Scriptures, the power of being able to speak in strange tongues without any previous application. In this they resembled St. Francis Xavier, whose footsteps we crossed in India and Malacca, and who was blessed with this unique and convenient power.

We strolled in and out among the shops as though our interest was a proprietary one, always followed by a crowd. We looked at the

temple in honor of virtuous women; but woman does not hold a position in China high enough to warrant us in believing that there was any sincerity in this tribute. A virtuous woman is commended for her virtue in China by her husband very much as he would commend speed it a horse, not because it sanctifies woman, but because in adds to her value as a part of the husband's possessions. We stopped and looked at some workmen blowing glass. A glass vase in a rough state, about six feet high, was in the hands of the artificer, and although the

pat of an infant would have ruined its beauty the workman handled it as surely as though it had been iron. The manufacture of glass is an important industry in Canton. But we found our greatest pleasure in looking at the porcelain and ceramic ware, infinite in variety and beautiful, and at the carved ivory and hard-wood. Canton excels in this and in crape and silk. Some of the shawls and scarfs were masterpieces of texture, and especially some which had been painted and embroidered. We looked at men beating gold-leaf, and threading our way into narrow streets and out-of-the-way places, found ourselves among the weavers of silk. The rooms in which the silk looms were in operation were small and dark. We noticed cotton-weavers who were at work in the open air. The looms were primitive, and seemed to have been built for affording employment to the largest number of laborers. What Chinese labor will not stand is cheap American labor-saving machinery; and although attempts have been made to introduce it, which would enable the workman to treble the quantity of his work, and the farmer to hull and clean ten times the quantity of rice, the feeling is so strong amongst laborers as to forbid it. Laborers here, no matter in what calling, belong to guilds or trades-unions, and any attempt to enforce a new machine or a labor-saving method of labor is resisted. All the capital in the world could not induce the silk-weavers to introduce the Jacquard loom. What would then become of the nimble-fingered lad whose business. it is to pull the strings and arrange the warp before the weaver propels the shuttle? Even more interesting was the time we gave to artists in lacquer-work. Lacquer-work is so beautiful when finished, and in peace and glory at last on my lady's toilet-table, that it is not well to inquire too curiously into the process of its manufacture. Our artist friend sat over the delicate work with his needle and brush and his chalk powder. The powder enables him to shadow forth the design, which he paints in vermilion. Over this vermilion dust is rubbed, very much as gold and silver and bronze printing is done at home, and the picture comes out at length in silver or gold. Lacquerwork requires a trained hand, and as you saw the patience and

skill bestowed upon his work by the artist, and knew what a trifle it would bring when sold, it was disheartening. But the first thing you learn in China—and the lesson is always present and always coming before you in a new shape-is the cheapness of human labor and the profusion of human life. This solemn and expanding question, which wise men must stand up

CANTON BOAT GIRL.

and meet some

day,

comes

upon you when

you see the

boat life in Canton. This boat life is a pleasant feature, and we found it attractive coming and going, as we did every day, to our manof-war, the "Ashuelot," to see the floating world about us, to see the flower boats, to hear the sound of music and singing far into the night. These boats swarm

along the river

banks. They are called sampans, and are a large, clumsy boat, varying in length from ten to twenty feet. The center of the boat is arched over, and this forms kitchen, dining-room, and sleeping-room. The boats ply up and down the river, doing what odds and ends of work may fall to them. They cluster about our ship like bees around a flower garden. If you go to

VISITS OF CEREMONY.

331 the gangway and make a signal a dozen will come hurrying and scuffling, and you can go on shore for ten cents. Once that you select a boat the proprietor attends you while you are in port, waits for you at the landing, at the vessel's side. The boats are in all cases-in all that I observed-managed by women and children. The men go on shore and work as laborers, and return to their homes at night. Their life is on their boats, and thousands-taking the whole Chinese coast I might easily say hundreds of thousands-of families spend their lives on these frail shells, and know no world beyond the movements of the tides and the dipping of the oars. Boat life illustrates the teeming population of China, an evil which sometimes takes the form, I am told, of the sale of children, especially female children. I have even heard of parents putting to death new-born daughters as a matter of domestic economy; but I have not sought evidence on this subject, believing that human nature can be trusted even in China. One sad evil of this over-population is the exposure of female children in the streets to be sold for slavery, or for purposes worse than slavery. I have read a proclamation against infanticide which reads like a temperance lecture, an exhortation to the people not to indulge in the practice, which, while it cannot be called criminal, is certainly dishonoring. "Heaven's retribution," according to the proclamation, " and the wraiths of the murdered children" will attend on the parents, and "thus not only fail to hasten the birth of a male child, but run a risk of making victims of them by their behavior."

As I have said, there was so much ceremony during General Grant's visit to Canton, that he had scarcely any opportunity of seeing the town. There were Chinese calls to be returned, each Chinaman coming alone and with a retinue expecting to be received in state. There was a purpose of seeing the town by an excursion on the river in a launch, but this could not be carried out. There were two reasons why our visit to Canton was so hurried. The first was that we could not come to Canton without a great deal of ceremony, and the second was that we had an engagement in Hong-Kong. The

call of the Chinese officials upon General Grant was a solemn ceremony. The Tartar general, Chang Tsein, said that he would come, and was to be at the Consulate at ten. Punctuality, however, is not an Oriental virtue, and ten o'clock had long passed, and we were sitting on the piazza looking out on the shipping on the river when the beating of gongs gave the signal that the general was coming in state. I went out under the trees to see the procession, at the risk of exciting remark as to my curiosity from the crowd of Chinamen, chair-bearers, attendants, and others who were standing around waiting for the show. The visitor proved to be the Tartar general, and

he came in the most solemn state. First came the gongbeaters, who beat a certain number of strokes in a rapid measure. By the number you know the rank of the great man. Then came soldiers carrying banners on which were inscribed the names and titles of the commander. There was a marshal on a pony, who seemed to command the escort. There were soldiers carrying pikes and spears and banners. The profusion of banners, or, more properly, small silk pennants, gave the procession a picturesque aspect, and the waving, straggling line, as it came shambling along under the trees, was quaint. There were attendants carrying the pipes and teapots of the great man. Four coolies carried a load under which they staggered, and this, I was told, was food. It is the custom when a great man goes forth, to carry food and refreshment for himself and party, and to give as largess to friends on the way; and although this general was only making a morning call, he showed honor to our party by coming in as much state as though he were journey

AN ARISTOCRATIC FOOT.