Cuar. XV.] WITNESSED BY THE AUTHOR. 283 
to scramble back to it again on our hands and knees. 
The river, which is generally beautiful and smooth, 
had now risen and completely overflowed its banks, 
having been forced back by the strength of the 
wind, and was as rough as the sea itself. The whole 
country was one vast sheet of troubled water, for 
the branches of the river, and the numerous canals 
by which it is intersected, had all overflowed their 
banks, and had spread in the low paddy fields. 
Most of the small boats were safe, as they were 
either in sheltered creeks, or drawn up beyond 
the reach of the water, but many of the large 
wood-junks which frequent this port were not so 
fortunate. These had been moored off the city, 
having, as usual, a large portion of their cargo 
lashed to their sides. In many instances, the com- 
bined force of the winds and waves snapped the 
lashings, strong as they were, and the spars of wood 
floated from their sides, and were either carried 
away by the force of the stream, or thrown on shore. 
Hundreds of the Chinese were now ready to seize 
the wood as it floated to land, and with a total 
disregard to the “ rights of property” conveyed it at 
once to their own houses. No Mandarin or other 
government officer interfered to prevent this, and 
the Chinese servants of the English Consul and 
other foreign residents actually brought a consider- 
able quantity to the houses of their masters, and 
seemed surprised when reproved for their dis- 
honesty. The English of course honourably re- 
turned the spoil to its owners, much to the surprise 
