252 



STALLS AT THE FAIR. 



Chap. XIL 



striking one. Near the doors were numerous 

 venders of candles and joss-stick, who were eagerly 

 pressing the devotee's to buy ; so eager were they, 

 indeed, that I observed them in several instances 

 actually lay hold of the people as they passed ; and 

 strange to say, this ratiier rough mode of getting 

 customers was frequently successful. Crowds of 

 people were going in and coming out of the temple 

 exactly like bees in a hive on a fine summer's day. 

 Some halted a few moments to buy their candles 

 and incense from the dealers already noticed ; 

 while others seemed to prefer purchasing from the 

 priests in the temple. Nor were the venders con- 

 fined to those who sold things used only in the 

 worship of Buddha. Some had stalls of cakes and 

 sweetmeats ; others had warm and cold tea, snufip- 

 bottles, fans, and a hundred other fancy articles 

 which it is needless to enumerate. Doctors were 

 there who could cure all diseases ; and fortune- 

 tellers, too, seemed to have a full share of patron- 

 age from a liberal and enlightened public. In 

 front of the altar other scenes were being acted. 

 Here the devotees — by far the largest portion 

 being females — were prostrating themselves many 

 times before the Gods ; and each one, as she arose 

 from her knees, hastened to light some candles 

 and incense, and place these upon the altar, then 

 returning to the front, the prostrations were again 

 repeated, and then the place was given up to 

 another, who repeated the same solemn farce. And 

 so they went on during the whole of that day, — 



