440 GARDENS 01' THE TEMPLES. 



what were our ages, &c. We made him understand that 

 we wished to proceed to the residence of a French Mis- 

 sionary, who was living some little distance off, in one of 

 the Joss-houses, occupied by the people of the Alceste at 

 a former period. He comprehended in a moment, and 

 accordingly most politely made us a bow, and led the 

 way. Our road lay through very pleasant woods, where 

 the Bamboo and Acacia, the Areca, Banyan and Cycas 

 trees, formed an agreeable shade. In the temple, occu- 

 pied by the Missionary, were the usual emblems of the 

 Roman-Catholic Church, and walking about the ground, 

 were numerous Bonzes, or priests of Buddha, apparently 

 very poor and low in the grade of society. One old gen- 

 tleman seemed very much disgusted with our Catholic 

 friend, pointing with scorn at the parade of paintings and 

 crucifixes made by the good Father. The coadjutor in 

 the labour of this French gentleman, was a young Chinese, 

 educated at the Jesuit College at Penang, who, as the 

 Padre assured us, could converse well in Latin, Portu- 

 guese, French, Chinese, and Cochin-Chinese. The gar- 

 dens of these temples are neatly and tastefully laid out, 

 and among the flowers in the parterres I noticed the 

 beautiful crimson blossoms of the Hibiscus Eosa-Sinensis, 

 with the petals of which the Chinese black their shoes ; 

 the Prince's feathers (Amaranthus caudatus,) the Gom- 

 phrena globosa, and some very fine Cockscombs (Celosia 

 coccinea,} their thousands of brilliant shining bracts 

 glittering in the sun. These gardens and temples, 

 occupied by the officers and crew of the Alceste, are 

 rendered doubly interesting by the graphic and pleasing 

 accounts of Hall and M'Leod. They are quiet, lonely, 



