. A residence among the Chinese: inland, on the coast, and at sea. Being a narrative of scenes and adventures during a third visit to China, from 1853 to 1856. its shrines. Tofall asleep again was now out of the question,owing to the noise and excitement by which Iwas surrounded. I therefore got up and dressed,and took a seat on the roof of my boat, when Ihad a moonlight view of what was going onaround me. Every boat seemed crowded withpilgrims, the greater part by far consisting ofwell-dressed females, all in their holiday daylight dawned the view became more dis-tinct. Each boat wa
. A residence among the Chinese: inland, on the coast, and at sea. Being a narrative of scenes and adventures during a third visit to China, from 1853 to 1856. its shrines. Tofall asleep again was now out of the question,owing to the noise and excitement by which Iwas surrounded. I therefore got up and dressed,and took a seat on the roof of my boat, when Ihad a moonlight view of what was going onaround me. Every boat seemed crowded withpilgrims, the greater part by far consisting ofwell-dressed females, all in their holiday daylight dawned the view became more dis-tinct. Each boat was now brought close to thebanks of the canal, in order that the passengersmight be able to get on shore. I pitied the ladies,poor things ! with their small cramped feet, for itwas with great difficulty they could walk alongthe narrow plank which connected the boat withthe bank of the canal. But the boatmen and otherattendants were most gallant in rendering all theassistance in their power, and the fair sex were forthe most part successful in reaching terra firmawithout any accident worth relating. Numerouschair-bearers and chairs lined the banks of the. 11!:; Chap. II. ROAD TO THE TEMPLE. 25 canal, all anxious for hire ; and if the more wealthy-looking did not get conveyances of this kind, itcertainly was not the fault of the owners of thesevehicles, for they were most importunate in theiroffers. Indeed so much was this the case, that inmany instances under my observation the waver-ing pilgrim was almost lifted into the chair beforehe was aware of it. These chairs are extremelylight and simple in their construction. They arefoimed of two long bamboo poles, with a smallpiece of wood slung between them, on which thetraveller sits, and another smaller piece slmiglower and more forward, on which he rests hisfeet. Sometimes, when ladies and children wereto be carried, and the weight consequently light, Iobserved two or three of these seats slung betweenthe poles, and this number of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidresiden, booksubjecttravel
