Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/58

 54 Ling-Nam.

canal spanned by two bridges, Elliptical in shape, and evergreen in its grass and foliage, it presents a perfect ideal of retirement and comfort. Park-avenue runs through the centre from east to west, shaded by rows of noble banyans. The bund on the riverside is the favourite promenade, being open to the south, whence it receives the full benefit of the refreshing south-east taonsoon through the summer. The consulates, each with its ensign floating, the church with its bell and spire, the merchant houses, spacious, comfortable, and richly furnished, the flower-gardens, tennis-lawns, and shady walks combine their varied interests and charms, ‘To the south stretches the wide river, while men-of-war, coast. steamers, and the yachts and pleasure boats of the community lie in the foreground. This charming spot was the scene of the furious mob in September of 1883, which in a few hours destroyed one-third of the houses, and changed the usual quietness into a reign of terror. Seated in a “matrimonial boat,” one of the most spacious and comfortable used by the merchants, we row up the river to the flower-gardens in Fa-ti, where Chinese florists have exhausted their skill in twisting, stunting, and deforming plants, until a tree of more than a cen- tury’s growth still lives in a narrow pot, having. never reached a height of more than three or four feet. In their seasons many attractive plants are seen flowering in great abundance. Camellias, azaleas, chrysanthemums, euphorbias, magnolias, jasmines, lotuses, etc., attain great perfection in a climate where frost is a rare occurrence, Fruits for ornament are also much cultivated, and artistic arrangements of oranges, limes, loquats, citron, custard