It is a well known fact, that there is perhaps no nation on the face
of the earth equal to the Chinese in diligence and industry, or that
profits by, and cultivates, as they do, every available inch of
ground. As, however, they have not much cattle, and consequently
but little manure, they endeavour to supply the want of it by other
means, and hence their great care of anything that can serve as a
substitute.
All their small streets are built against the city walls, so that we
had been going round them for some time before we were aware of the
fact. Mean-looking gates or wickets, which all foreigners are
strictly prohibited from passing, and which are shut in the evening,
lead into the interior of the town.
I was told that it has often happened for sailors, or other
strangers, during their walks, to penetrate through one of these
entrances into the interior of the town, and not discover their
mistake until the stones began flying about their ears.
After threading our way for at least two miles through a succession
of narrow streets, we at length emerged into the open space, where
we obtained a full view of the city walls, and from the summit of a
small hill which was situated near them, a tolerably extensive one
over the town itself.
Pages:
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315