o this his body is thus searched for every year
and his spirit thus appeased. This celebration is universal throughout the
empire and wherever there are colonies of Chinese, throughout the islands
of the (East Indian) Archipelago.

"The same good feeling continues to exist at Amoy as formerly. We are on
the best of terms, so far as we can judge, with all classes, the officials
and people. The mandarins receive our calls and return their cards. All
of them but one have visited us at our houses. Some of them call on us
quite frequently. This places us on a high vantage ground. The people
will not fear to listen to us, attend our meetings, and visit us at our
houses, as they would if the mandarins kept aloof from us. The same good
feeling towards foreigners seems to extend far into the interior. At least
we go from, village to village wherever we please without hindrance, and
are always treated with kindness."

THE CHINESE BEGGAR SYSTEM.

"I have to-day been making some inquiries of my teacher concerning the
system by which the beggars of Amoy are governed. The truth seems as
follows: There are very many beggars in the city. In each ward there is a
head-man or chief called 'Chief of the Beggars.' He derives his office
from the 'Hai-hong,' or the superior local magistrate. Sometimes the
office is conferred as an act of benevolence on an individual, who from
sickness or other causes has met with reverses of fortune. Sometimes it is
purchased. There being eighteen wards in the city of Amoy, of course there
are eighteen such head-men. Their office is not honorable, but there is
considerable profit connected with it. The head-men hold their office for
life, or until removed for bad behavior. They get certificates of office
from the 'Hai-hong,' and on the change of that functionary it is necessary
to get the stamp of his successor attached to their certificates. Their
income is derived from various sources. Monthly they call on the merchants
and shopkeepers, who by paying down a sufficient amount are freed from the
annoyance of beggars during the month. If a beggar enters one of these
establishments he is pointed to a card which is posted up in some
conspicuous place, and is a certificate from the 'chief of the beggars' of
that ward that a sufficient amount of beggar money has been paid down for
the month. The 'chiefs of the beggars' also receive money from a man or
his family when he is about to marry, also from the family o