Narrative of the Expedition to China, from the commencement of the war to the present period; with sketches of the manners and customs of that singular and hitherto almost unknown country

Chapter I. Chusan

Good effects of Discipline — Lingua Franca — Resources of Chusan — Its Vegetable Productions — Paddy — Manure — Anecdote — Cotton — Bricks — Roads — Death of Lieut. Conway — His Funeral — Watering — Melville Repaired — Present from Elepoo — The Fever — Truce — Innumerable Duck's Eggs — Little Feet — Pain well Borne — "Women's Hair — Marriage — Artificial Flowers — Charms of an Anchor Button — Admiral sails for Canton — Starboard Jack — Elepoo's Change of Policy — Chinese Liners — Cast large Guns — Houses used tas Fire-Wood — Elepoo's Threat to burn the City — Keshen's Treachery — Lew appointed Commander-in-Chief — His Expedition postponed sine die — Beneficial effects of Cold Weather — Orders to evacuate Chusan — The Evacuation — Climate and Range of Thermometer — Squadron sail from Starboard Jack — Fishing-boats — Arrival at Toong-koo .

Chapter II. Proceedings In The Canton River

Proceedings at Macao during the absence of the Admiral — Smuggling by the Broadway — New Rewards for British — Enlisting Troops — Chalky Fingers — Two Officers robbed — Abduction of Mr. Staunton — His a CONTENTS. PAGE Treatment — Demanded by Captain Smith — Account of the Barrier— Return of the Taou-tae— Answer to Captain Smith's Demand — Preparations for attack ing the Barrier — Victory thereat — Effects of it — Chinese claim the Battle — Chinese leave Macao — Lin delivers up his Seals — Lin's Character — Arrival of 37th Madras Native Infantry — Lin's Memorial — Force in River — Flag of Truce again fired on — Queen's 68-pounder — Toong-koo — Roasting Soldiers — Sentence of Paoupang — Squadron proceed to Chu enpee — Admiral resigns the command — Anecdote — Joss-house — Female Offering — Release of Mr. Staunton — Christmas-day — Captain Smith and Man darin ......... 4.

Chapter III. Battle Of Chuenpee And

T Y-COCK-TOW. List of Provincial Officers — Description of the Bogue and River — Western Branch — D ucks — Tay-wang-kow — Pearl River — French Missionary — Captain Elliot refers to Commodore — Disposition of the Force — Capture of the heights of Chuenpee — Burning the Junks — Capture of Ty-cock-tow — Flag of Truce — Destroying Forts — Preliminary arrangements — Chuenpee given up — Anecdotes — Hong Kong — Meeting of Keshen and Plenipotentiary — Keshen wavering — Treaty broken off — Force proceeds to the Bogue . 88

Chapter IV. First Attack Of Canton

Light squadron proceeds off the Bogue — Capture of Battery — Modeste captures Junks — Arrival of Force — New Defences — Artillery Landed — Appearance of hills at night — Amusing Stratagems — Howitzers CONTENTS. V PAGE 135 open Fire— Attack of Anunghoy— The Run—Wang tong — Little Ty-cock — Kwan's Body — Minute Guns — Wangchung's Body found — Light squadron pro ceeds up the River — Battle at First Bar — Death of Mandarin — Single Combat — Chesapeake Burnt — Capture of Howqua's Folly — Suspension of Hostili ties — Rebel-quelling Generals — Capture of Napier's Fort — Chusan Force rejoin — All in the mud—Mo deste proceeds off Tay-wang-kow — Mr. Kellet and Mandarin — Chinese break the Truce — Capture of Tay-wang-kow — Nemesis passes up the Broadway — Nemesis joins Advance Squadron — Flag of Truce fired on — Captain Hay cuts Raft away — Capture of Garden Battery — Flotilla destroyed — Jack re-hoisted at the Factories — Suspension of Hostilities — Teas — Station of Squadron — Two Officers Murdered — Murder of Mr. Stead — Columbine proceeds to Chusan ... ......

Chapter V. Capture Of Canton

Chinese return to Canton — Captain Elliot at the Factories — Hong Kong — Nuy-ko — Volunteers — Treachery — Fishing-boats — Punishment of Native — Captain Elliot quits the Factories — Ships attacked by Fire-rafts — Water Braves — Night Cannonade — Flotilla destroyed — Morrison's Boat — Factories plundered — Mr. Pearse wounded — Flag of Truce — Royal Salute — Fire-rafts — Boats attack Batteries — Algerine — Right Column at Factories — Left Column landed — Camp-follower cut off — Heights and Camp carried — Ships on Shore — Flag of Truce — Attack on French Folly — Terms agreed on — Arrangements for Storming — Disappointment of the Force — Receiving the Ransom — Shoang-shan-tze — Armed Peasantry- Troops drive them back — Storm— Company missing CONTENTS. VI PAGE 185 251 —"Advantage of percussion Muskets — Company found— Their gallant Behaviour— Mr. Berkeley wounded— Troops withdraw from the Heights — Ransom paid— Return to the Typa— List of Killed and Wounded— Table of Ransom-money

Chapter VI. Canton, Macao, And Hong Kong

Chinese picture of the Tapiekweetsetoo — Lines on the same— City of Canton — Factories — Suburbs of Canton — Hospitals — -Lepers — Appearance of City — Temples — Population — Frequency of Fires — Macao — Chinese Authorities — Senate — Young Hebe — Situation of the City — Chinese Quarter — Defences — Roads — Population — Women — Trade — Hospitals — Temple of Matsoo-poo — Legend — Camoens' Cave — Tanka-boats — Chinese New Year — Curious Winter Dress — Game of Shuttle-cock — Sing-song — Watchmen — Artizans — Chinese Doctor — Cupping — Carrying Baskets — Delicacies — Beggars — Conjurors and Jugglers — Death of Sir Fleming Senhouse — Return of Sir Gordon Bremer — Modeste quits the Typa — Typhoon — Young Hebe dismasted — Wreck of the Louisa Cutter — Sufferings of her Crew — Their Ransom — Hong Kong — Effect of Typhoon — Escape of Her Majesty's Schooner Starling — Natives saved by Good Success — Cruizer saves ten Chinamen — Population of Hong Kong — Improvement of the Island — Arrival of Sir William Parker — Major Malcolm proceeds to Canton — Quit Expedition ........ CONTENTS. VII

Chapter VII. Capture Of Amoy, Chusan, And Ning-po

PAGE. Sir Henry Pottinger's notice Plenipotentiary joins the Expedition — Fleet quit Hong Kong — Names and Number of Force — Arrival at Amoy — Officer and Flag of Trace — Answer — Proceed to the Attack — Ko-long-soo — Troops landed — Description of Battery — Mandarins commit Suicide — Citadel — Infanticide — Yen Pihtow — Sail from Amoy— Nemesis at Sheepoo — Phlegethon at Keeto-point — Reconnoisance of Chusan — Modeste and Squadron — Attack and Capture of Ting-hai — Bravery of Keo — Notices of Plenipotentiary — Squadron proceeds to Chin-hai Plan of Attack — Ships proceed — Assault of the Citadel — City captured — Troops landed — Good Dispositions of the General — Total Rout of the Chinese — General stops the Carnage — Suicide — Melancholy Effects of War — Brass Guns — Foundry — Advance on Ning-po — Troops march in — Admiral's Order — Phlegethon proceeds up the River — Captain Anstruther at his old Quarters — Proceedings at Canton — Ditto at Amoy — Expedition to Yuyaun, Tsekee, and Funghwa — Chinese attack Ning-po and Chin-hai — Their Defeat— Fate of Fire-Rafts— Nemesis at Taisam — General Yu-noo-yun driven back — Battle of Tsekee— Sir Hugh Gough's Despatch — Attempt to burn the Ships at Ting-hai — Destruction of the Rafts — Concluding Remarks 305 POSTSCRIPT . . . . -395 . 399

Appendix

ERRATA. VOL. II. Page 9, line 14, for is, read are. 16 „ 22, for change, read exchange. 34 „ 1, for their, read from their. 35 „ 9, for with her, read with the terms of the treaty between her. 40 „ 12, for io variation, read in the variation. 70 „ 10, for became, read become. 79 „ 2, for daylight. The, read daylight the next day. The. 83 „ 6, for proves, read proved. 96 „ 20, for lighter, read lighter sau-pau. 98 „ 13, for this it is from which, read it is from this that. 113 „ 21, for distanec, read distance. 118 „ 11, for tanke, read tanka. 120 „ 23, for commander, read commodore. 130 „ 21, for on the, read in the. 132 „ 1, for Wangting, read Wang-tong. 178 „ 3, for regarded, read required. 227 „ 9, for conditions, read condition. 257 „ 3, for lace, read place. 257 „ 5, for ecome, read become. 257 „ 24, for n, read in. 259 „ 2, for he, read the. 374 „ 11, for ecessary, read necessary. NARRATIVE,

Chapter I. Chusan

Good effects of discipline — Lingua Franca— Resources of Chusan — Its Vegetable productions — Paddy- Manure — ■ Anecdote — Cotton — Bricks — Roads — Death of Lieut. Conway — His Funeral — Watering — Melville Repaired — Present from Elepoo — The Fever — Truce — Innumerable Duck's Eggs — Little Feet — Pain well Borne — Women's Hair — Marriage — Artificial Flowers — Charms of an Anchor Button — Admiral sails for Canton — Starboard Jack — Elepoo's Change of Policy — Chinese Liners — Cast large Guns — Houses used as Fire-Wood — Elepoo's Threat to burn the City — Keshen's Treachery — Lew appointed Commander-in-Chief — His Expedition postponed sine die — Beneficial effects of Cold Weather — Orders to Evacuate Chusan — The Evacuation — Climate and Range of Thermometer — Squadron sail from Starboard Jack — Fishing-boats — Arrival at Toong-koo.

Her feet beneath her petticoat, Like little mice, stole in and out, As if they fear'd the light. — Suckling. The burning of the archives, alluded to in the previous Chapter, excited great indigna- VOL. II. B LINGUA FRANCA. tion in the minds of the Chinese ; but which gradually subsided, as they saw the good order and discipline which prevailed among the British troops ; for they well knew that under similar circumstances, their own countrymen would have pillaged and murdered in every direction. At a time, when it was reported at Chusan, that the Ning-po authorities had a plan of attacking Ting-hai, the well-disposed Chinese were warned not to harbour any of the mandarins or troops. They replied, they knew their own interest better; they would just as soon house the same number of well-known thieves and robbers.

After the troops had all taken up canton ments in the city, the Chinese, as they returned, opened shops in the midst of their quarters ; and finding that the soldiers had plenty of money, used every inducement to get their custom. The "tolah" and "loo pee" becoming most familiar terms, a lingua franca rapidly sprung up, composed of words and sounds from the European, Asiatic, and Chinese languages. Nor was it confined to CHUSAN. 3 these in particular, for the imitation of the lowing of cattle, and cackling of poultry were introduced : the repetition of the words " cackle, cackle,'' being the first method of making known the want of cocks and hens, they were henceforth called "kak;" while ducks were " wak," and geese were " his wak;" the oxen and cows being yclept "boo," which had originated from our first foraging parties indicating that they were in want of those animals by putting their arms over their foreheads, and exclaiming, "boo! boo! boo !"

Dogs of course were naturally " bow wows *." and thus quickly all the articles in common use got named. But I must not anticipate. The island of Chusan has great resources within itself, and would, with a good govern ment, and proper duties levied on its trade, speedily more than pay all its expenses. Placed as it is off the centre of the Chinese coast, it becomes the key to their northern and southern trade, and forms its approxima tion to the Yang-tse-kiang and Hoang-ho b REMOVAL OF MALARIA. (yellow) rivers ; is a most admirable position for the establishment of a force for keeping the Chinese to the terms of any treaty that may ultimately be made with them ; for good faith alone will never effect it. It would also, from its central position, form an emporium for trade, that would be fore long rival any other in Asia, and the difficulties of the passage to it would be soon overcome.

Many of my readers may re member when the voyage to Macao was, at certain seasons of the year, considered almost impracticable. I have before shown, that the sickness pre vailing amongst our forces was not so much owing to the climate as to other causes, all of which might be removed. The malaria, so much complained of in the neighbourhood of Ting-hai, would cease, by draining the valley in which the city is situated, — an object easily to be effected, the whole of the land lying above high-water mark, where the cultivation of corn might be substituted instead of paddy, of which this island at CHINESE CANDLES. present produces a great surplus ; and this, •with shamsoo* and salt-fish, constitute at present the principal exports. Timber is scarce ; but the tallow tree is found in great abundance.

Several manu factories of candles Avere observed in the city and suburbs. These candles are of various colours, and have a thin outer coating of wax. The wick is large and coarse, being generally of rush ; nor do the candles give a very powerful light. This island produces wheat, buck-wheat, rice in great abundance, millet, Indian corn, barley, sugar-cane, sweet potatoes in large quantities, spinach, beans, bringals, onions, carrots, yams, lettuce, turnips, ginger, very fine rhubarb, tobacco, peas, peaches, plums, oranges, limes, loquats, the arbutus, and a * Such vast quantities of this spirit were found in the city, that after the owners of it were discovered, and they were directed to remove it under penalty of forfeiture, hundreds of coolies were employed for many days in doing so. To prevent the troops from being tempted to make free with it, the contents of the store-houses were kept profoundly secret.

It is a spirit most detrimental to the European constitution. CURIOUS FRUIT. kind of cherry, with a coarse kind of tea, good indigo and cotton. There was, in ad dition to the above, a vegetable growing on this island I have not met with in any other country: in appearance it much resembled endive, and when boiled, the flavour was very like sea-kale. Another fruit, from being per fectly unknown to us, also attracted particular notice; it was round, and about the size of an apple, of a bright yellow colour, the flavour of it most delicious, and when perfectly ripe, the pulp melted in the mouth. It had from four to five seeds resembling small tamarind stones; the stalk was formed and attached to the fruit like that of the potato-apple, which it much resembled, except in size. The plant on which it grew appeared to be a species of melon.

From the general climate of Chusan, there can be no doubt that all the grains, grasses, vegetables, and fruits of Europe might be produced on it. Mulberry trees were in great abundance, and the silk-worm suc ceeded remarkably well until the conquest of this island by the Tartars, when the trees PADDY were cut down, and the inhabitants of that day annihilated. As the paddy is cut, it is gathered up in small bundles, and at once beaten out on a square sieve about five feet in length, which is erected in the field at an angle of about sixty degrees, having a box beneath it, into which the grain falls. Paddy may be seen at the same time in all the stages of cultivation, from that which is just out of the ground to that which is being reaped. Most abundant crops are produced, and the land is never allowed to be idle.

Of kitchen vegetables it will produce three crops in a year; they manure it highly by a liquid prepar ation, with which each plant is constantly and copiously supplied. Horns, bones, hair, and every substance convertible into manure, is carefully husbanded throughout. Even the shavings of the head are kept for this purpose, and form no inconsiderable portion. It should be remembered that hundreds of millions have more than half the head close shaved, the upper classes daily, and the lower as often as they can afford it. But PERILS OF TASTING. there is a particular kind of manure which, being most valued, is frequently dried into small cakes, and thus transported from one place to another. An officer in the expedition, who was very fond of tasting everything he met with, and not being aware of the above preparation, boarded a junk laden with a quantity of these cakes, and mistaking them for biscuits, wished to ascertain if they were eatable, by breaking off a piece.

Muss, muss, muss, — ■ no taste • sniff, sniff, sniff, — no smell ! What can they be? — and it was some time before it was known, when he took very good care to keep the laugh from himself by always being first to relate the tale. The cotton grows on small plants, seldom more than eighteen inches or two feet in height, and is contained in a little pod. In most of the cottages the women may be seen carding and spinning the produce of their own fields, which is afterwards woven and dyed for family consumption. Bricks, pans, and tiles, are manufactured from a fine blue clay, plentiful in this island. CHINESE BRICKS. When burnt they retain their original colour, and when struck, emit a fine metallic sound. The first lieutenants soon found that, on having them pounded up, they answered admirably for polishing brass work.

The bricks used in the parapet wall round the city, were of a very large size, each being stamped with the year when they were made. Lime appeared scarce, and what little they have is made from shells of the ostrea tribe. Charcoal, which is brought in large quan tities from the main land, is used in burning the bricks and lime. The means of conveyance in this island is by manual labour, the roads which intersect it being very little better than footpaths. Wheeled vehicles seemed perfectly unknown. But it is time that I should be getting on board the ship, and see what the squadron have been about. On the 12th of October, the Blenheim anchored at " St. Helens." On the 13th, our second lieutenant, J. W. Conway, fell a victim to the climate. He had for a considerable time been suffering from severe dysentery, and for some days B BURIAL OF LIEUTENANT CONWAY. the most sanguine of us could not hope that he would long survive.

In him I lost a highly esteemed messmate and friend, and the ser vice a most promising and talented young officer. Captain Eyres had also for some days been alarmingly ill ; but, under Divine Providence, a naturally strong constitution carried him through it, and he lived to reap a rich harvest of laurels in the Canton river. The 14th was devoted to interring the remains of our late gallant messmate. A quiet and secluded place, near the engineers' encampment, was selected, a natural and beautiful arbour of trees being formed over the spot, which, for its sequestered situa tion, had been previously selected as the last resting-place of two of our military brethren. A numerous attendance of officers showed the high esteem in which he was held by all who knew him. At five o'clock in the afternoon, the procession of boats quitted the ship ; and as the sun went down, the last words of the sublime funeral service of our church fell from the lips of his old friend and messmate, the Rev. Mr. Fielding, chaplain of the Melville.

THE MELVILLE. 11 The marines fired the usual vollies, and we returned to the ship, sobered in spirit and thought by the melancholy duty we had been performing. Subsequently, a small stone was erected over the spot, bearing a neat and appropriate inscription. We were now employed getting firewood on board from the men-of-war junks which had been driven on shore at the capture of the island, and watering from a large tank place, that drained the paddy fields, the water in which was sweet, but so exceedingly muddy, that a bucket-full of it would, in a very short period, deposit about two inches of sediment ; but it was, however, " Hobson's choice." On the 18th, the Blonde proceeded off Ning-po, Avhere negotiations were still going on; and on the 21st, the Melville came out of the inner harbour, having repaired the injuries she had received, as well as the means afforded by the squadron and island admitted of; but she was found to be so seriously injured about the stern-post and dead wood, that it was obvious she would ELEPOO. ultimately have to proceed to England or Bombay to be docked.

On the 27th, Elepoo, who had lately been appointed imperial commissioner to treat with the barbarians, sent a present of bullocks, sheep, &c, professing all kinds of goodwill towards the English : — Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. At this time Elepoo was for temporizing : he saw how unable the Chinese were to contend with us ; therefore he coincided in Keshen's fast and loose policy, and a few days after wards a truce was agreed on, the terms of which will be shortly seen. On the 29th of October the Volage sailed for Manilla and Macao. Her captain (Gr. Elliot) was to make arrangements at the former place for the reception of numbers of the convalescent troops ; it being hoped that a change of air would restore them to health. This fever broke down the spirits, and after shaking the sufferer for six or eight hours, left him in a state of great inertion, destroying even the love of life ; and he too generally sunk quickly into the grave.

But dysentery FEVER was even more fatal than the fever. It seldom gave up the victim it had once fixed on ; and the finest young men, the flower of our regiments, fell before this malignant and virulent enemy. The Conway, Algerine, and Young Hebe, sailed on the same day to continue a survey in the neighbourhood of the Kwesan islands. On the 1st of November, we proceeded to " St. Helens " where we were employed purchasing bullocks for the squadron, in which we were very successful ; our foraging par ties generally bringing off from five to six head of cattle per day. The Pylades had gone to Sing Kong, at which town a detachment of troops were quartered. In the neigh bourhood of Sing Kong are large stone quarries, the product of which might easily be brought to Ting-hai by water. On the 6th, the following memorandum was issued to the squadron : — " General Memorandum.

" H.M.S. Melville, Chusan, Nov. 6, 1840. " The commander-in-chief has now to give notice to the expedition, that a truce has GENERAL MEMORANDUM. been agreed to between the imperial high commissioner and himself, pending the ne gotiation between the two countries. The terms of which are, generally, that neither party shall advance beyond the boundary assigned to him, and that native intercourse is not to be interrupted. The English boun dary has been defined as taking in the Island of Chusan and the small islands immediately adjacent, including all within a line run round the Elephant, Tower Hill, Blackwall, Fisher's Island, Pooto, Taouying-shan, forming one side of the south-east passage of Dalrymple's chart, and Deer Island. " The commander-in-chief has therefore to call upon all persons, connected with the expedition, on visiting these islands, not to go beyond these boundaries, or in any way to interfere with the Chinese, as to give just cause of complaint that the truce is not strictly maintained on our part.

The com mander-in-chief is also glad to avail himself of this opportunity of recording the satisfac tion he has felt at finding that a nearer friendly intercourse is springing up with the SUPPLIES. 15 Chinese ; and considering how very much the comforts and conveniences of the expedi tion depend on the extension of such inter course, he calls with confidence on every officer and gentleman in the expedition to aid him in cultivating a good understanding with the people. (Signed) " George Elliot, " Rear-Admiral, and Com.-in- Chief '." The whole of the detained junks were now allowed to proceed to their respective desti nations ; and this act of liberality, it was hoped, would cause the release of the cap tives at Ning-po ; but in this expectation we were disappointed. Still a friendly inter course was continued.

Numerous supplies were sent to the prisoners from their friends in Chusan ; though it afterwards appeared that the Chinese officers who conveyed them, did not forget to levy contributions on the different articles ; for out of two dozen bottles of gin, one dozen had been emptied, and the bottles filled with water. Satin and Chinese ware were purchased for those who wished to obtain them ; and ducks' eggs. every kind of supply became most abundant, boats, containing much variety of them swarming from all quarters. Ducks' eggs had always been plentiful ; and I must ac knowledge it still puzzles me how such im mense quantities of them could be brought to one point, as ducks only lay one egg at a time. The common price was one hundred for a "tolah." There must have been hun dreds of thousands consumed, and yet the supply never failed.

I doubt whether ducks were not very scarce on the second occupation of Chusan. A vessel having arrived laden with wool len cloths, and as they would take nothing but the Carolus pillared dollars, the supply of which was beginning to fail, several bales of cloth were got from her, to try therewith to open a trade of barter for bullocks, but it did not succeed. The owners of the cattle would have nothing to do with it, or offered so low a price as to render any change impracticable. During our stay at this anchorage we made constant trips to the surrounding islands; in FEMALE FEET. one of which, — at Tea Island, — we had a good opportunity of minutely examining the far famed little female feet. I had been purchasing a pretty little pair of satin shoes for about half a dollar, at one of the Chinese farmers' houses, where we were surrounded by several men, women, and children.

By signs we expressed a wish to see the pied mignon of a really good-looking woman of the party. Our signs were quickly understood, but, probably, from her being a matron, it was not considered quite comme il faut for her to comply with our desire, as she would not consent to show us her foot ; but a very pretty interesting girl of about sixteen was placed on a stool for the purpose of gratifying our curiosity. At first she was very bashful, and appeared not to like exposing her Cinderella-like slip per; but the shine of a new and very bright "loopee" soon overcame her delicacy, when she commenced unwinding the upper bandage which passes round the leg, and over a tongue that comes up from the heel. The shoe was then removed, and the second bandage taken off, which did duty for a stocking; the turns FEMALE FOOT. round the toes and ankles being very tight, and keeping all in place.

On the naked foot being exposed to view we were agreeably surprised by finding it delicately white and clean, for we fully ex pected to have found it otherwise, from the known habits of most of the Chinese. The lea* from the knee downwards was much wasted ; the foot appeared as if broken up at the instep, while the four small toes were bent flat and pressed down under the foot, the great toe only being allowed to retain its natural position. By the breaking of the instep a high arch is formed between the heel and the toe, enabling the individual to step with them on an even surface ; in this respect materially differing from the Canton and Macao ladies ; for with them the instep is not interfered with, but a very high heel is substituted, thus bringing the point of the great toe to the ground.

When our Canton compradore was shown a Chusan shoe, the exclamation was " He yaw ! how can walkee so fashion ?" nor would he be convinced that such was the case. CHINESE LADIES. 19 The toes, doubled under the foot I have been describing, could only be moved by the hand sufficiently to show that they were not actually grown into the foot. I have often been astonished at seeing how well the women contrived to walk on their tiny pedestals. Their gait is not unlike the little mincing walk of the French ladies ; they were con stantly to be seen going about without the aid of any stick, and I have often seen them at Macao contending against a fresh breeze with a tolerably good-sized umbrella spread. The little children, as they scrambled away before us, balanced themselves with their arms extended, and reminded one much of an old hen between walking and flying.

All the women I saw about Chusan had small feet. It is a general characteristic of true Chinese descent; and there cannot be a greater mistake than to suppose that it is confined to the higher orders, though it may be true that they take more pains to compress the foot to the smallest possible dimensions than the lower classes do. High and low, rich and poor, all more or less follow the TARTAR LADIES. custom ; and when you see a large or natural-sized foot, you may depend upon it, the possessor is not of true Chinese blood, but is either of Tartar extraction, or belong to the tribes that live and have their being on the waters. The Tartar ladies, however, are fall ing into this Chinese habit of distortion, as the accompanying edict of the emperor proves. For know, good people, you must not dress as you like in China.