Page:Ningpo to Shanghai.djvu/100

86 curd cakes, smoked twist &c., are exposed in the stalls. Tobacco is grown and cut, too, here. On the whole, there is a quiet air of business in the streets, speaking great things for the thriftiness and content of the inhabitants.

Eight or Nine miles N.E. of Ching-zeh is Sam-pah-dong, a batch of red coloured houses on an islet in a lake; a lofty lamp post serving to render it the light house for some miles around. Five or six miles further on is a fine town called Che-ka-kwok. Though not formally walled, the houses have lofty backs, and join together, so that it is not possible to get into the streets excepting by guarded ways. The great feature of the place is a splendid five arched granite Bridge&mdash;the centre arch being over 35 feet in span.

Tsing-poo-yuen (or Tching-koo-yuen as it is called by the inhabitants,) the chief city of the district, is about 5 miles N E. of Che-ka-kwok. It is another of the 1,600 walled establishments, and though small is a neat place&mdash;The walls, brick over stone, are in very good condition, and are entered at the north and west sides direct from the water&mdash;there being hardly room for a coffin between the wall and the stream.  S. S. E. from Tsing-poo stands a pagoda on a high mountain (Sing kong?) and a short distance from the somewhat extensive suburbs on the N. E. at Tching-mo-deo, is the Tai-ping Granary, a 