Page:Ningpo to Shanghai.djvu/37

Rh many centuries past.

The walls of the City of Sing-chong, upwards of three miles in circumference, and of the average height of Chinese city walls, are solidly built of dressed granite, with brick battlements, and are in good preservation, flanging in somewhat like the sides of an old fashioned ship. The shape of the city is that of a long lozenge, smallest on its northern end. As customary, there are gates at each of the cardinal points. Much of the space within the walls, especially away from the centre, is occupied with mulberry trees, and vegetable gardens within neichune walled compounds, one and two hundred feet square. The battlements, lining a road-way from 12 to 15 feet wide, are pierced for gingalls only;&mdash;but none of these implements, nor any other kind of artillery, are mounted in peaceful times. The foreigner, as an object of curiosity, creates about him, as a matter of course, huge crowds of obstreperous boys and wonder seekers,&mdash;but they are not vicious, and give vent to no such obscene and insulting expressions as are continually heard in the south.

The street leading through the city from the gate at the nor' west corner, is well lined with market stalls, though not much has to be remarked of the wealth or business of the inhabitants. For instance, there is no silver-smith shop; the first established luxury dépôt in a fishing village in Kwang-tung. Still the people look fat and contented; and but few beggars are seen. At established money changers, Carolus dollars, 10 per cent better than Mexican, yield from 1020 to 1030 cash each&mdash;a trifle only under the rate obtainable at Ningpo. A respectable looking ten cash piece is current here and in the immediate neighbourhood; but it is useless for the traveller to burden himself 