1844.] SCENE AT TY-PIN-SAN. 91 



This better class seem to be held in great respect by 

 the inferior, who are ill-clad, and of a flatter cast of 

 features, their physiognomy more resembling the lower 

 orders of the Chinese, while the former assimilate rather 

 to the Mantchouan Tartars. 



" I remember, on one occasion, being much amused 

 at our reception by a large assemblage of the natives of 

 Ty-pin-san ; as we approached their village, three Man- 

 darins received us standing, and, bowing low, prevailed 

 on us to be seated on their mats, offering us at the same 

 time their pipes, with hospitable empressement. Many 

 hundreds of the natives then crowded on the hills over- 

 looking their large and populous village, all stationary 

 and solemn, with eager curiosity depicted in their fea- 

 tures. As soon as our magic tripod was erected, and 

 the mysterious theodolite removed from its case, the 

 impatience of the crowd was with difficulty restrained ; 

 such, however, is the in-born sense of good-breeding of 

 these poor people, that they did not press and jostle each 

 other, much less incommode the surveyors, but, on the 

 contrary, formed a large semi-circle around us, those 

 nearer sitting or kneeling down, and others in the back- 

 ground standing in regular rows. Our horses were carefully 

 attended to, and small pages held umbrellas over our heads 

 to screen us from the sun. The observations having been 

 completed, we remounted and proceeded to the village, 

 followed by the multitude all scampering in the same 

 direction, and, wearing long robes or gowns, and being 

 all bare-headed, the whole scene made a novel and some- 

 what ludicrous impression. 



"Perhaps the following short sketches of character 



