I had,
however, no alternative but to preserve my countenance; I walked,
therefore, calmly on, and perhaps it is to the very fact of my
manifesting no fear that I escaped unmolested.
I had not intended to stop long in Canton, as, since the last war
between the English and Chinese, Europeans are obliged to be more
careful than ever how they show themselves in public. This hatred
is more especially directed against women, as it is declared in one
of the Chinese prophecies that a woman will some day or other
conquer the Celestial Empire. On account of this, I entertained but
slight hopes of seeing anything here, and thought of proceeding
directly to the port of Shanghai, in the north of China, where, as I
was informed, it was far easier to obtain access both among the
nobility and lower classes. Fortunately, however, I made the
acquaintance of a German gentleman, Herr von Carlowitz, who had been
settled for some time in Canton. He offered, in the kindest manner,
to act as my Mentor, on condition that I should arm myself with
patience until the mail from Europe, which was expected in a few
days, had come in.
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