144 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. IX. 



mately become one. But we had not much to do with the 

 great river, the broad vista of which we saw in perspective 

 before us, between the boundary marks of its low mud-banks 

 — but, turning to the left hand, we passed into the Wo-sung 

 river, upon which the city of Shanghai is situated. At its 

 entrance are the remains of a fort or battery of 130 guns — 

 the long line of embrasures, dismantled and in ruins, having 

 been captured by the English in the late war. Having 

 passed the port of Wo-sxmg at the mouth of the river, there 

 is absolutely nothing to see upon the low banks ; and the 

 only thing which was worthy of attention was a sight only 

 too common in China : lying on the mud, clothed, just as 

 he had been cast up by the remorseless stream, was a dead 

 Chinaman, and over him were standing ravenous dogs, de- 

 vouring the carcase, and fighting over the unconscious 

 victim as they would over a bone — the larger driving away 

 the smaller, and digging his muzzle into the ribs of the 

 unfortunate corpse.. And people were working in the fields 

 vdthin a stone's-throw of this disgustiag sight ! 



Presently afterwards we were at anchor at Shanghai. The 

 hot season had just begun, and the sun's power was terrific. 

 And the close, narrow, crowded river seemed stifling after 

 the free open sea to which we had so long been used. After 

 a few days spent in this great northern city, into the charac- 

 teristics of which I must not enter, I took leave of H. M. S. 

 " Serpent," which was ordered north, and retraced my steps 

 to Hong Kong. 



