Manchurian Books

They are
taken care of and fed until death summons them away. When we
visited the place there were only a pair of these fortunate beings,
and their number rarely exceeds three couples.
I was better pleased with the residence of a bonze, which adjoined
this holy spot. It consisted of a sitting-room and bed-room merely,
but was very comfortably and elegantly fitted up. The walls of the
sitting-room were ornamented with carved wood-work, and the
furniture was old-fashioned and pleasing: at the back of the
apartment, which was flagged, stood a small altar.
We here saw an opium-eater, lying stretched out upon a mat on the
floor. At his side was a cup of tea, with some fruit and a little
lamp, besides several pipes, with bowls that were smaller than a
thimble. On our entrance, he was just inhaling the intoxicating
smoke from one of them. It is said that some of the Chinese opium
smokers consume from twenty to thirty grains a-day. As he was not
altogether unconscious of our presence, he managed to raise himself,
laid by his pipe, and dragged himself to a chair.


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