Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-12-17

as courts about temples. Nor are there any |
edifices of interest and Importance, except the |
Temple or Altar of Heaven, situated in an en-
closure about three miles in circumference, close
to which is the Palace of Abstinence, in which
the Emperor fasts for three days preparatory to |
offering the annual sacrifices. Opposite to the
Temple of Heaven is the Temple or Altar of
Earth, also surrounded by an nclosure of about
the same dimensions where the Emperor annu-
ally performs the ceremony of holding the plow,
in the presence of his admiring Ministers, Man
darins, and people. A grand avenue passes
from north to south, through the very heart of
the Tartar and Chinese City, the old central
gate of the three in the southern wall of the
Tartar City, which was once the outer wall, open
ing wide its doors to give passage to the NOV
ing crowds.
The Pekn officials persistently affirm that
the population of the city is fully 3,000,O00 and
some put it above this figure. From what
saw of the crowds outside the gates and in the
streets, | am prepared to admit any number
short of the infinite. Obviously conjecture
amounts to nothing, and only actual census is
entitled to confidence. Had Nautilus seen the
crowds, he would have been supplied with new
arguments on the evils of an excess of popula-
ton, and divines could have found materials for
vindicating the divine government in the exis-
tence of death.
On one occasion l took a stroll into the GEN.
tral and business part of the Tartar City, ac-
companied only by marine, and both Of us
were armed. Crowds gathered around and
pressed upon us, gazing, chattering and Won
dering, but always civil and pleasant. Some
soldiers and policemen also soon showed them
selves, but only 10 preserve order and protect
me. The streets are sufficiently wide, and al
ways cross at right angles, but unpaved for the
ran that from, fba cboro. &c bo IA oc d.
cheelee to Pekin stones do not grotc for the
whole distance | did not observe one above the
size of my thumb which had not been brought
from the mountains. The houses are all built
of brick, and are of one story only, except in
few instances, of small dimensions. A wall
runs along in the street in front of the houses,
excluding them from sight, except the roofs, un-
less the gate is open, permitting the eye to look
into the interior. Then in some instances, large
edifices were seen, with spacious courts, and fine
trees, and elegant gardens, and all the indca-
tions of taste and wealth.
was happy to see woman here emancipated
from two Chinese barbarsms. She was allowed
to use her eyes, and gaze from her windows, and
even standing in the door, upon the passing
stranger no one molesting her or making her
afraid her feet also had escaped torture in the
attempt to cramp them and give them a false
beauty. For the Mantchoos, who are very nu-
merous in Pekin and Northern China, and of
which race is the present reigning dynasty, did
not originate the custom, nor do their women
practice it. Generally they were well formed,
though low of stature, with we-formed fea-
lures, black eyes, and jet-black hair, and in the
utmost luxuriance, which is turned back upon
the top of the head, where it is tied down close,
and then made into sort of mat, and laid as
broad as ones hand upon the top, in style
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dress was always decent, sometimes fine, and
their teeth perfect and white as snow.
The Mantchoos so closely resemble the Chi
nese that even our interpreters, one of whom
has lived here nearly 80 years, could not distn-
guish one race from the other.
When pressed hard by the crowds / would
suddenly turn a corner, and strike into new
street, much to their amusement at Yankee wit.
The great street, which we followed for at least
a mile and half before we took another, which
in half mile brought us to our quarters, is
crowded with houses and stores on each side,
while such is its width that in some parts poor
people have planted bamboo poles. and attach
ed to them rafters, and covered the whole with
the most tattered quilts and old garments, and
thus made themselves houses, leaving still the
most ample space on each side, wider, indeed
than your Broadway The sight of such i'm
mense poverty was painfu and even revolving
though it was a relief to think of the humanity
of the Government which allowed, if it did not
provide these simple erectons. The stranger
beholds none of those beautiful and superb ed
ifices, none of those neat and elegant streets
which are the principal ornament of European
and American cities. The style of the archi
lecture and the appearance of the buildings are
always the same, and therefore tiresome As
however, in this grand avenue the front of every
shop and store has an arrangement peculiar tC
itself, and before it, on each side, perpendicu
lar sign-board as high as the roof, covered with
inscriptions in large gilt or printed characters
describing the wares within and the reputation
of the dealer, and the front of the store itsel
often hung from top to bottom with flags ant
: ribbons, while in some instances large poles
carefully wrought and handsomely painted, ant
| going up thirty or forty feet in the air, witt
t large gilt balls on the end, are planted befor
the store to attract attention and customers, thi
: diversity in the arrangement of the merchandise
and the profusion of gaudy decorations and tn
; bustling crowds around, serve to divert the at
tention Of the spectator, and make him forge
the more disagreeable parts of the scenery a
round him. l observed some stores which wer
large, and though the street was infinitely dirt,
| Al, Inr. IL