124 



MR. LAY ON THE OUTLINES OF A 



6. Mustard in perfection. — 7. Hoeing wheat and barley. Setting out the 

 crisp-leafed Mustard. — 11. Setting out the Coco or Caladium. It is pro- 

 pagated by offsets taken from a reserved bed in some spare corner. — 24. A 

 stillness prevails in the fields. Wheat, fresh and vigorous. Hoeing wheat 

 still in places. Manuring and transplanting mustard. — 28. Transplanting 

 Tobacco ; cutting Sugar-cane for eating unprepared. 



Fruits and Flowers in Season. — 1. King chae, or Celery, large and fresh- 

 looking. — 7. Found a mushroom with some of the beauty but little of the 

 fragrance of its congener at home. — 12. Marigold, or " Che tong kouk," 

 i. e. Mid-winter Chrysanthemum, sold in bundles at the rate of two for 

 1 cash. — 22. Glutinous rice made into cakes and called "chaw wong," in 

 commemoration of midwinter and a thank-offering to heaven. 



Animal Kingdom. — 3. "Maw ky," a Crab with a lock of hair on each of 

 its nippers, in the market. Eels plentiful in the market, as are Kays and 

 Swimming-crabs. — 7. The Tae-yu, or band-shaped silvery Sea-eel, in great 

 abundance. — 11. Saw a flock of Linnets with a yellow patch on their wing ; 

 they seem fond of perching on high trees ; they were occupied in dressing 

 their feathers. 



General Remarks. — 4. Foam, spars, wood, and chips floating down the 

 river. Heavy rains inland may be inferred from this. — 17. Pirates attacked 

 a boat belonging to the •' Tea Merchant " or Canton Agent, and robbed the 

 partner who had been to buy tobacco-stalks at Leen Keang. These pirates 

 have virtually letters of marque against their own countrymen, as the 

 Government cruisers find it worth while to leave them alone. — 22. Mid- 

 winter festival. Crackers heard all night. 



