Precautions against Night Affrays. — Chinese School, 443 



close cupboard. On the other hand, some cicadce^ with which 

 similar experiments were made, lived only two or three days 

 in captivity. None sang, unless when teased, or when a 

 number more were introduced into the vessel, thereby incom- 

 moding them, and none took nourishment. It was obvious 

 that the cicadce possessed none of those characteristics which 

 would enable them to be kept in captivity as pets, whereas, on 

 the other hand, the grasshoj^pers and crickets were especially 

 adapted for that purpose. 



We were anxious to visit a variety of other interesting 

 places, ere quitting the sultry, gloomy Chinese city on our 

 return to the more genial European quarter. But evening 

 was already setting in, and after sunset the gates of the city 

 are closed, and neither Chinese nor European can after that 

 hour obtain access to the city. Whoever is belated must 

 find shelter for the night in the house of some hospitable 

 friend, until with the first break of morning the gates are re- 

 opened, communication is restored with the foreign quarter, 

 and the previous day's scene of bustle is renewed. 



The next object which excited our interest was a Chinese 

 school. Ascending a wooden staircase, we enter a room, 

 quite empty but for a table and stools, in which a haggard 

 woe-begone Chinese, with long tail and rod in hand, is walk- 

 ing to and fro, while at a table some dozen of boys of from 

 eight to twelve are engaged in reading. Their loud accents 

 may be heard down in the street outside. The cost of the 



