Chinese Women. 165 



who held the flag, did not at all approve of Kelly attempting 

 ' to jump off in front/ or to come up from behind at a gallop 

 while the others were walking. ' What are you doing, Mr 

 Maitland ? ' asked the gentleman from Carlow. ' I can't hold 

 my horse, sir,' was the reply. ' Then I'll fine you £10 for bring- 

 ing a horse to me which you cannot hold,' was the starter's 

 retort, which had an instantaneously good effect on Mr Mait- 

 land's mount. I may remark that under the Australian rules 

 of racing, the starter has the summary power to fine up to £50 

 for disobedience (intentional or otherwise) at the post. This, 

 to my thinking, is a most excellent ordinance. 



The North China custom of women having small feet, 

 causes much inconvenience to foreigners when out for a drive; 

 for these crippled ladies, with the combined perversity of 

 their race and sex, always select their time of crossing a 

 street, at the moment when a trap is approaching There is 

 then no alternative but to pull up sharp and wait until Mrs 

 or Miss Ah Sin has finished rocking and floundering about 

 on her heels, during her devious passage across the road. 

 These poor slaves of fashion have their feet so crumpled up 

 and atrophied that, in extreme cases, they can walk only by 

 means of the high heels of their shoes, which they use as 

 stilts. This painful and disgusting sight naturally suggests 

 the thought that their legs must be in a miserably wasted 

 condition. And yet there are Englishmen who marry — yes, 

 actually marry — these wretched cripples. The distortion in 

 question is produced by tight bandaging at an early age ; the 

 object being to render the leg as straight as possible from the 

 knee to the toes ; so that the foot assumes a near approach 

 to that of a goat. This plastic operation may be seen in all 

 degrees. The stilted lady whom I have already mentioned, 

 may take her seat (goodness knows she wants one !) at the 

 top of the class. Others, not quite so deformed, get their 

 toes on the ground. My eyes, ever ready to note a horsey 

 ' point,' fell one day on the foot of a Chinese woman ; and, 

 to my astonishment, I saw in it the principle of a 'rocker' 



