92 EUROPEAN BUILDINGS LN PEKE\'G. 



Stands, and an outer (Wai-cheng), much smaller than 

 the first/ each being surrounded by a battlemented 

 mud wall (on which towers rise at intervals), that of 

 the inner about fourteen miles in circumference,^ 

 33 ft. in height and 60 ft. thick, with nine gates, 

 which are closed at sunset and opened at sunrise ; 

 that of the outer only ten miles round with seven 

 gates. 



The five foreign embassies ^ are all too^ether in 

 the southern quarter of the inner town near the 

 gate of Tsian-men. Our missionary establishment 

 stands in the north-eastern angle of the so-called 

 northern suburb (Peh-kwan*); this town also con- 

 tains four Catholic churches,^ several Protestant in- 

 stitutions, and a custom-house. These complete 

 the list of European buildings in Peking, no foreign 

 merchants, Russians included, having the right by 

 treaty of trading here. 



The task of preparing for our journey was not 

 an easy one. We had no one to consult, for none 

 of the Europeans resident at that time at Peking 



' The terms 'inner 'and 'outer' are incorrect inasmuch as both 

 he close together, but one does not include the other. The palace is 

 situated in the Imperial town (Hwang-cheng), which occupies the 

 centre of the inner. A detailed description of the capital of the Celes- 

 tial Empire has been translated from the Chinese by Pere Hyacinthe. 



' The whole of Peking, exclusive of its suburbs, is about 20 miles 

 (58 li) in circumference. The number of its population is uncertain, 

 but cannot be very large, because there are so many ruins and empty 

 spaces in the town. 



' English, Russian, French, German, American. 



■• The southern suburb, in which the diplomatic mission-buildings 

 are situated, is called ' Yuen-kwan.' 



* Peh-iang, Nan-tang, Si-tang, and Dum-tang. [ Tung-\.2i\лg ? i.e. 

 North, South, West, and East.— Y.] 



