328 



SHOPS AND GAEDENS. 



Chap. XY- 



Chinese are for trade, I believe the poor shop- 

 keepers were heartily glad when they got rid of ns. 

 We picked up two or three interesting specimens 

 of ancient porcelain, and, had time and the crowd 

 permitted, we would have got many more. We 

 had entered the city at the east gate, near the 

 canal, and as its main street runs from the east to 

 the west gate, we proceeded in the direction of the 

 latter. Its shops are but poor in general, and as a 

 city I believe it is not remarkable for any parti- 

 cular branch of manufacture, but many retired 

 wealthy people live within its walls. 



Outside the west gate were the nursery gardens 

 I was desirous of visiting. I had been here on 

 more than one occasion formerly, but had gene- 

 rally avoided raising a crowd by coming round 

 the moat which surrounds the city in my boat, and 

 stepping out of it into the gardens unseen except 

 by two or three persons. On these occasions, ere 

 a crowd could gather, I had finished my business 

 and was off. In the present instance, however, 

 the dense mass of beings followed us closely, and 

 went into the gardens along with us, to the great 

 danger of numerous pretty flowers and flowerpots 

 which stood in the way. All were, however, 

 though boisterous, in perfect good humour, and, 

 although we found it very annoying to be followed 

 and crowded in this way wherever we went, and 

 prevented from well examining the various things 

 which came in our way, yet we bore with it as 

 well as we could and took everything in good 



