Cuap. V.] MODE OF HATCHING EGGS. 79 
city of Tinghae, and is much resorted to by the 
officers of the troops and strangers who visit the 
island. The first question put to a sight-seeer who 
comes here is, whether he has seen the hatching 
process, and if he has not, he is always recom- 
mended to pay a visit to the old Chinaman and 
his ducks. 
When I set out upon this excursion for the first 
time, it was a beautiful morning in the end of May, 
just such a morning as we have in the same month 
in England, but perhaps a little warmer. The 
mist and vapour were rolling lazily along the sides 
of the hills which surround the plain on which 
the city of Tinghae is built ; the Chinese, who are 
generally early risers, were already proceeding to 
their daily labours, and although the greater part 
of the labouring population are very poor, yet they 
seem contented and happy. Walking through the 
city, and out at the north gate, I passed through 
some rice fields, the first crop of which had been 
just planted, and a five minutes’ walk brought 
me to the poor man’s cottage. He received me 
with Chinese politeness ; asked me to sit down, and 
offered me tea and his pipe, two things always at 
hand in a Chinese house, and perfectly indis- 
pensable. Having civilly declined his offer, I asked 
permission to examine his hatching house, to which 
he immediately led the way. 
The Chinese cottages generally are wretched 
buildings of mud and stone, with damp earthen 
floors, scarcely fit for cattle to sleep in, and remind 
