CHAPTER VIII.
THE BOAT POPULATION.
R. GRAHAM had thought of visiting Chaou-chou, a very fertile city on the river Han, but was advised not to do so, as foreigners are disliked by its inhabitants; and he was therefore told that they might have cause to regret going thither. It used not to be an uncommon thing for these people to greet an Englishman with a shower of stones. People have tried to establish an English consulate there, but have not succeeded, although the city is open to foreign commerce; and Jui Lin, the late viceroy of Canton, succeeded in making people in the neighbourhood much more orderly.
A very large bridge crosses the Han River at this place, a picture of which the teacher had, and showed to the children. It is made of stone, and composed of many arches, or rather square gateways, under which ships pass to and fro. On the bridge, on each side of the causeway, are houses and shops.
THE BRIDGE OF CHAOU CHOU.
"I should not care much to live in them," said Leonard.