Chap. XL 



THE FOKT AND ITS GUARDS. 



235 



plant was growing in the garden at head-quarters 

 house, several very fine ones were observed in 

 Messrs. Jardine's garden at East-point to which 

 Mr. Bowring had introduced it, and younger 

 plants were seen springing up in all directions. 



It is really a most striking-looking plant, and 

 highly ornamental. At all times the fine, broad 

 palmate leaves which crown the stem have a noble 

 appearance, and in the winter months its large 

 panicles of flowers make it more interesting. 



In going on shore I had landed near an old fort, 

 like many others in China in a most ruinous con- 

 dition, but still mounting a few old rusty cannon 

 which seemed more for show than for use. The 

 houses of the soldiers inside the fort were, with 

 one or two exceptions, in ruins, and the men told 

 me they had received no pay for a length of time. 

 This was, no doubt, the case over all the island, 

 and was probably the cause of the rebellion which 

 had now broken out in various parts of the country, 

 and which the money we took over was sent to 

 quell. 



Leaving the fort and its poverty-stricken guards, 

 I went on to the town, or rather large village, 

 which seems to be the seaport of Tam-shuy. Here 

 I found the authorities receiving those mandarins 

 who had been our fellow-passengers, and giving 

 each a salute of three guns on landing. Some 

 tradesmen were busily employed in fitting up a 

 theatre in which a play was to be performed in the 

 afternoon, also in honour of the new arrivals, and 



