e,"
and, in addition to sails, they had double banks of oars.

At what I took to be the Navy Yard, saw some English hulls, which had
been built upon, and which, in spite of all this eccentric people
could do to change their appearance, still looked ship-shaped. There
were also some sharp-looking junks being built, which I was told were
to be fitted out against the pirates; but, if what I afterwards
learned be true, they were more likely to become piratical craft
themselves; for it was reported that the person to whose charge they
were to have been consigned had been extensively engaged in that
business himself, until he was interfered with by the English, who
broke up his fleet; and that now he had humbugged the Chinese
government into giving him another. At least, so ran the rumor.

As we approached the Factories, it seemed almost impossible to make our
way through the immense number of boats and other craft which appeared
to play hide-and-seek amongst the larger junks moored in every direction
in the stream; but, thanks to the skill of our female pilot, we avoided
all collision, and brought up safely at the Factory stairs. It was
excessively hot; and as we walked across the Factory Gardens to the
Consulate, the effects of the sun upon the clean glossy walks was
painful to the eyes.

After paying our respects to the Vice-Consul, took a short turn up New
China Street to make a few necessary purchases, and then threaded our
way back to Acow's Hotel,--facetiously termed by one of the party who
had the remembrances of dainty spreads at the "Astor" and "Irving House"
in his mind, "a cow house!"

Here we had "tiffin,"--Anglice, lunch,--and then disposed ourselves as
well as we could for comfort and cool air, neither of which did we
obtain; nor what our parched throats so loudly called for,--cool water.
Acow had no ice; so our only recourse was to procure bottles of "aerated
water,"--we called it "Pop," in our ignorance, and to send them where
truth is said to reside,--the bottom of a well.

As the sun declined, walked out to view the wonders of Canton; and
although it was Sunday, found the streets thronged with coolies carrying
heavy burdens of merchandise, slung on bamboos resting on their
shoulders, plying backwards and forwards on their different errands, in
a jog trot, with a loud grunt;--the grunt as much to relieve them, as to
give warning to those in their way. Passed through different streets in
the neighborhoo