06 TEAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



Our host, Wong a Shui, or " Imperial (yellow) 

 Water," as the characters of his name signified, was a 

 strong, hale, broad-shouldered, good-natured, but firm 

 man of fifty or sixty years. His most striking pecu- 

 liarity was, that he always seemed to be leaning back 

 against an imaginary wall, and to have made up his 

 mind to put down all attempts at imposing on him. 

 This is not an unfrequent characteristic of great 

 sachems ; but our Imperial friend carried it to an 

 amusing extent, and I never saw him get rid of it 

 except once, when he was decidedly " sprung " from 

 the unwonted influence of champagne. He was a 

 man of great influence in the district, being consulted 

 on every important occasion by the mandarin of Tam- 

 shui. He had himself purchased a mandarin's cap 

 and white button, and acted, within certain limits, as 

 a kind of justice of the peace. An exceedingly active 

 and temperate man, he looked after everything him- 

 self, smoking no opium, and, except on special occa- 

 sions, drinking only one small cup of fsoic, or light 

 Chinese wine, at his meals. Families and sub-families 

 live together very happily in the Flowery Land. The 

 youthful heir does not think it necessary to set up an 

 establishment of his own, either public or private. 

 He is generally married by his parents at an early 

 age ; and if he wishes some less serious arrangement, 

 it is not necessary for him to take a quiet villa in the 

 neighbourhood of St John's Wood. Grandfathers 

 and grandchildren, principal wives and subordinate 



