R U S S I A A N D C H I N A. zi^ 



and fecured with paper doors for the purpofe of keeping 

 out the dult. Tlie windows are generally ornamented 

 with little paintings, and the walls are hung with 

 Chinefe paper. Half the floor is of hard beaten 

 day ; the other half is covered with boards, and rifes 

 about two feet in height. Here the family fit 

 in the day-time and fleep at night. By the fide of this 

 raifed part, and nearly upon the fame level, there is a 

 fquare brick ftove, with a ftreight perpendicular cylin- 

 drical excavation, which is heated with fmall pieces of 

 wood. From the bottom of this ftove a tube defcends, 

 and is carried zigzag under the boarded floor above- 

 mentioned, and" from thence to a chimney which opens 

 into the ftreet. By this contrivance, although the ftove 

 is always open and the flame vifible, yet the room is 

 never troubled in the leaft degree with fmoke. There is 

 fcarcely any furniture in tlie room, excepting one large 

 dining table in the lower part, and two fmall lac- 

 kered ones upon the raifed floor : one of thefe tables 

 is always provided with a chafting difli, which ferves 

 to light their pipes when the ftove is not heated. 



hi this room there are feveral fmall niches covered 

 with filken curtains, before which are placed lamps 

 that are lighted upon feftivals ; thefe niches con- 

 tain painted paper idols, a ftone or metal vefl'el, wherein 

 the allies of incenfe are colle6ted, feveral fmall orna- 



F f ments 



