partment of
the art in which they have been thought totally deficient--is often very
good."

Many of the paintings represent actual scenes and occurrences; and thus,
like the models before mentioned, bring living China before the mind's
eye. The following is a good example.

"910. _View of the interior of the Consoo House, with the court
in session, for the final decision of the charge of piracy
committed by the crew of a Chinese junk on a French captain and
sailors, at a short distance from Macao_.

"The French ship, Navigatre, put in to Cochin China in distress.
Having disposed of her to the government, the captain, with his
crew, took passage for Macao in a Chinese junk belonging to the
province of Fokien. Part of their valuables consisted of about
100,000 dollars in specie. Four Chinese passengers bound for
Macao, and one for Fokien, were also on board. This last
apprised the Frenchmen in the best manner he could, that the
crew of the junk had entered into a conspiracy to take their
lives and seize their treasure. He urged that an armed watch
should be kept. On reaching the Ladrone Islands, the poor Macao
passengers left the junk. Here the Frenchmen believed themselves
out of danger, and exhausted by sickness and long watching,
yielded to a fatal repose. They were all massacred but one, a
youth of about nineteen years of age, who escaped by leaping
into the sea, after receiving several wounds. A fishing boat
picked him up and landed him at Macao, where information was
given to the officers of government, and the crew of the junk,
with their ill-gotten gains, were seized, on their arrival at
the port of destination in Fokien.

"Having been found guilty by the court, in their own district,
they were sent down to Canton, by order of the Emperor, to the
Unchat-see, (criminal judge) to be confronted with the young
French sailor. This trial is represented in the painting. The
prisoners were taken out of their cages, as is seen in the
foreground. The Frenchman recognized seventeen out of the
twenty-four; but when the passenger, who had been his friend,
was brought in, the two eagerly embraced each other, which scene
is also portrayed in the painting. An explanation of this
extraordinary act was made to the judge, and the man forthwith
set at liberty. A purse was made up for him by