Page:Maury's New Elements of Geography, 1907.djvu/120

 times use nets, but often we see them going out in their boats with two or three solemn-looking birds called cormorants. These birds are trained to catch fish. They dive into the water and quickly fill the fisherman's basket. The manufactures of the Chinese are chiefly silk, cotton goods, and porcelain. Machinery is not used. Everything is made by hand.

5. Cities.— China contains a great number of large cities. Pekin (pe-kin' ) the capital, is one of the largest in the world. Shanghai (shang-hi' ) and Canton are the chief commercial ports.

Maury Geography 116A Shanghai.jpg Tea houses on a street in Shanghai.

Not many years ago the Chinese were unwilling that any foreigners should enter their cities. When the author of this book first visited China, he and some companions determined to see something of a Chinese city. They entered the gate of Canton, running as fast as they could. But they were soon stopped, Men, women, and children drove them back to their ship. Now foreigners are living in many of the cities of China.

If we pass through the streets of one of their cities, We see every moment something strange. The men have all their hair shaved off, except a single tuft. This is never cut. It is plaited in a long braid, which hangs behind the back.

Some of the women hobble about like children just learning how to walk. They are persons of wealth and rank. When they were infants their feet were tightly bandaged, to keep them from growing; and so they have nothing but stumps for feet.

Most of the people dress in blue cotton cloth. Notice, in the picture on page 117 the mandarin in his official

HOMES AND PEOPLE.

On the opposite page are pictures of some of the people living in Asia, The first picture shows the tent of a family of Turkomans, a wandering people living on the Steppes, or dry plains of Turkestan. Their home is made out of coarse canvas woven out of cotton. These people keep sheep and cattle and when they need fresh grass for them they take down their tents and travel to another place. The second view shows the home of the Korean minister of war. The Korean people are so strange that their land has been called the hermit nation. They have not now a separate government, but are under the control of Japan. The children sitting on the steps are the grandchildren of the minister, What do you see peculiar about the house? What do you notice about the dress of these people?

The next picture on the left shows the home and garden of a wealthy Persian. Persia is a very high country. It is a part of the plateau of Iran and is thought to have been the earliest home of the human race. Most of the Persians live in villages enclosed by high walls. Their homes are built of mud and are only one story high. The wealthier classes are very fond of having parks and gardens about their homes. Turn to page 131 and describe a Persian sleeping room. Compare with the Japanese sleeping room on page 118.

What can you tell about the Japanese house? It looks something like our own homes on the outside, but if you were to go inside it would appear very strange, for you would see no furniture, but only papered walls and floors covered with matting. Turn to page 118 and tell about the Japanese sleeping room. Tell about traveling in Japan. The Chinaman who is seated in the next picture is a Mandarin, or officer of high rank. His son is holding the baby and the other children of the family are in front.

Turn to page 114 and look at the picture of a Chinese home. It is only one story high. It is said that the Chinese houses are built to look like tents because the first Chinamen lived in tents. Notice the other pictures of Chinese life. What does each one show?

The two women with babies on their shoulders are Bedouins of Syria, one of the provinces of Turkey. Their home cannot be seen, but it is most likely a tent of cloth or skins, like the one of the Turkomans. For these people live in the desert and keep sheep and camels. Grass is not very plentiful and they must travel from place to place to find it. What have you learned about the Hindus? Where do they live? What is the climate of their country? There are many very beautiful temples and palaces in India, but the homes of the people are for the most part mere huts of mud. Describe the pictures on page 120. Find India on the relief map, page 115. What kind of surface does it have?

The last picture is a view in the Philippines. Where are these islands and to what country do they belong? You see that their houses are built of bamboo poles and thatch or straw. They do not need to wear many clothes in that hot country. Can you tell what things are obtained in the Philippines?