Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/128

 the Yangtse river frequently carry tons of it, bringing down about the same weight of tea. The Mexicans in common circulation are usually chopped, that is stamped with the name of well known Chinese merchants, which makes them more current among the people, and is a partial guaranty against their being counterfeit, So much bogus silver is in circulation that a Chinaman will hesitate to take a Mexican that has not the chop. Every shopkeeper is provided with curious little scales for weighing coin, and will take any foreign silver according to its weight. There are in circulation for larger transactions silver ingots, shaped like a Chinese woman’s shoe, and hence called sycees. Their weight is stamped upon them and they pass for their value in silver, from ten to fifty dollars each. The native merchants and bankers have a system of bills of exchange, which are good all over the empire. They are capital accountants, and every foreign mercantile house has its compradore, a person of education and sometimes of considerable wealth, who could lend large sums to his employers if they require it. He dresses in broadcloth and silk, and occupies a position of high trust. He has charge of all the funds of the house, and checks are made on him as the treasurer of the establishment. His accounts are kept with great exactness, and instances of misplaced confidence are almost unknown. Every Chinaman received into the service of a foreigner is expected to give a bail bond for his honesty, which binds all his relatives. Father, mother, wife and children would all be ruined by his misconduct. Perhaps in western lands some such system will have to be adopted to insure honesty in positions of trust.

When a Chinaman has committed a crime which has made him amenable to the laws he is vary apt to commit suicide and cheat the gallows. He is very sensitive to the disgrace which would be brought upon himself and his family; although I do not think the Chinese entertain any high moral sentiment which would lead them to do right because it is right. They are generous and hospitable to a fault, and for the sake of appearances will often involve themselves in expenditures, especially at weddings and funerals, that keep them under the harrow for years.

In the streets I have sometimes seen men quarreling in the fiercest manner, and the blustering tone indicated an immediate