Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/33

 The Entrance to Canton, 29

on piles above the slimy mud of the tidal river, Scores of immense black barges are used as warehouses for salt, the sale of which is a Government monopoly, while similar vessels farther up receive cargoes of grain brought in for temporary storage. Junks, cargo-boats, floating-stores, and a dozen varieties of passenger barges, with innumer- able smaller craft, swarm on all sides, or lie packed in solid phalanxes half across the stream, A score of gun- boats, of various sizes, well equipped with the most recent improvements in gunnery, show the naval arma- ment of the city, to vhich should be added a hundred or more war junks, brave iu their display of bunting, the name of each commander emblazoned in letters a foot or more square in the centre of a large triangular flag. Drifting slowly by a large collection of flower-boats, gay with lamps and mirrors, and richly furnished with black-wood sofas and embroidered curtains, the scenes of nightly revelries, where the richer youth of the city indulge their passion for feasting and debauch, the steamer pulls up to the wharf. Dire confusion is often created among the slipper-boats, whose anchorage adjoins, by the surging of the steamer against their outer lines, causing them to jump, and sputter, and dart about like a swarm of ants, their owners skilfully managing the light, shell-like craft, whilst they vociferously hurl male- dictions at the great steamer.

At first. sight the whole city seems one solid mass of low houses, with here and there a square tower rising above its humbler neighbours, the narrow streets being searcely discernible as we pass up the river. From the breezy deck and comparative quiet of the steamer we are