—s VISIT TO A MANDARIN. 
wings is met with in large flocks; : 
crows are common, as well as pails hirds, Indian 
kites, and two or three varieties of kingfishers 
During my stay here I was much assisted by 
Captain Hall of the 41st N. I., who was fond of 
botany, and well acquainted with the localities of 
all the plants in the neighbourhood. 
One day I went in company with this gentleman 
and the Rev. Mr. Abele, an American missionary, 
to pay our respects to one of the principal man- 
darins, and to see his houses and gardens. His 
residence is in the suburbs of the town, on the 
side of a rocky hill, close to the beach. When we 
entered the outer court, we were received by a 
number of officers of inferior rank, and conducted 
to a kind of office, where, after politely desiring 
us to sit down, they offered us their pipes to 
smoke, and snuff-boxes, or rather phials of glass and 
stone, containing something which was like Scotch 
snuff, and rather agreeable. There were two 
couches or beds in the room, on one of which I 
observed a small lamp burning and an opium pipe 
lying by its side, by which I conjectured we had 
disturbed an opium-smoker in the midst of his 
enjoyment. ‘Tea was immediately set before us, as 
is the custom in this country; but it was very 
indifferent, and, as Mr. Abele informed us that we 
should get much better when we were introduced 
to the principal Mandarin, we only tasted it in 
compliment to our good friends. 
