20 BEGGARS 



acquaintances, and the effect of the doors sometmies 

 ahnost covered with visiting cards of various colours is 

 rather curious. I do not know whether this custom is 

 general. 



When the river is low, in the winter and early spring, 

 numbers of beggars may be seen inhabiting the shallow 

 caves scooped out by the action of the water on the 

 bank, which is composed of conglomerate. 



Here they exist — for it can hardly be called living 

 — in a most miserable state, skinning and cooking for 

 food cats, dogs, or anything that they can la}^ their hands 

 upon, totally indifferent as to whether they have caught 

 and killed them or whether they have died a natural 

 death, many lying upon small heaps of damp straw 

 or reeds, and all in such a state of disease, dirt, and 

 destitution as would be hardh' credited. When in the 

 town the beggars all carry sticks to protect themselves 

 from the dogs, who instinctively seem to know and in- 

 variabty attack them on leaving a house where they 

 have been begging. These beggars are very persistent, 

 but are sometimes cruelly treated by their richer 

 brethren. A case came to my knowledge where a rich 

 Chinese caused a quantity of boiling water mixed with 

 wood ashes to be thrown over the back of one who 

 had seated himself on his doorstep and refused to leave. 

 The unfortunate man, who was terribly injured, was 



