SIX WEEKS IN A TOWER. 63 



east of the province of Kwang-tung ; but I have not 

 noticed them in the tea and silk districts to the west 

 of the Canton river. They are necessitated by the 

 turbulent character of the people, the innumerable 

 clan-fights, and the ever-recurring feuds between the 

 Punti and Hakka. I remember seeing one at a place 

 called Polo, which contained several acres of ground, 

 and was surrounded by enormous massive Avails and 

 a broad deep ditch. This one, of our tower, was 

 called Kum-tow-lek, which means, as near as it can 

 be rendered, " a drop from a gold measure." Within 

 a hundred yards there was another wai of similar size, 

 occupied by Wong a Shui's brothers ; while a little far- 

 ther off there was a third one, considerably larger and 

 more formidable, belonging to a brother by adoption 

 a singular old ruffian, of whom I shall have more to say. 

 Our tower was a very jolly place for invalids in 

 fact, it was one of those places that either kill or cure ; 

 and while it proceeded at once to benefit me, it soon 

 threatened to do for my companion. Loopholes are 

 very romantic things to peep through (more especially 

 if some fair face be attempting to do so at the same 

 moment); they are interesting, no doubt, and they 

 have their uses occasionally ; but the fact is, we had 

 rather too many of them. There were no less than 

 eighteen loopholes in this large upper room where wo 

 captives chose to sleep ; and as the season was wet 

 and cold, the country bleak and hilly, it may well be 

 believed that they were occasionally regarded with 



