Page:Glimpses into Chinese homes.djvu/12

6 Rome, in the zenith of her power, governed but one hundred and twenty millions of men. The boy Emperor of China sways his sceptre over three times that number. What roofs cover these hearts? Under what conditions are they abiding?

Hundreds of thousands are born, live, and die on boats. By far the greatest portion of this class of people is found in the southern part of the Empire. The waters about Can- ton are the most densely populated j yet this style of living prevails, to some extent, in all latitudes of the country.

The best class of house-boats are about seventy-five feet in length, and fifteen feet in width. Such boats are divided into three rooms, consisting of a small ante-room, a large room in the centre, and a bedroom in the stern. They are made very comfortable and convenient, from a Chinese standpoint. But this size and style of boats are, by no means, the most numerous. The waterways