124 



THE CUSTOM-HOUSE PILLAGED. Chap. VIL 



Having seen quite enough of these unruly spirits, 

 we left their halls, and walked quietly homewards 

 through the streets of the city. Every place was 

 perfectly quiet : — some of the shops were open, 

 and the people generally seemed to be looking on 

 with Chinese indifference. 



In the new foreign town measures were taken 

 by the English and American residents for their 

 own protection. On the morning after the oc- 

 currences had taken place which I have just 

 been narrating, the pretty Chinese Custom-house, 

 which is so great an ornament to the foreign 

 town, and which had been evacuated by the 

 authorities, was completely gutted by the Chinese, 

 and no one interfered to prevent them. It was 

 attacked by no mob of lawless vagabonds, but 

 by the sober and industrious people in the neigh- 

 bourhood, who seemed to consider its contents a 

 kind of lute to which they were justly entitled. 

 Every one agreed, when too late, that it was a 

 pity to allow such a proceeding within our own 

 boundary, — more particularly when a single con- 

 sulate official, or a single sailor from one of the 

 men-of-war in port, could have prevented it, with- 

 out any force being necessary further than to 

 stand at the door and warn the people off. 



The description which I have thus attempted to 

 give of the taking of Shanghae by this rebel band 

 will throw some light upon the character of the 

 Chinese," — but it is difficult to give to civilised 

 nations in the West a correct idea of this extra- 



