Chap. IV. 



A CHINESE PLAY. 



75 



arrived was a holiday, and a scene presented itself 

 such as I had never before witnessed. 



The town was on the opposite bank. Two rivers 

 unite here, and the town was built between them 

 just at their junction. One of the rivers was nearly 

 dry, and its bed was now used for the purpose of 

 giving a grand fete. The bank where we were was 

 probably about 150 or 200 feet above the bed of the 

 river, so that we had a capital view of what was 

 going on below us. 



The first and most prominent object which caught 

 my eye was a fine seven-storied pagoda, forty or fifty 

 feet high, standing on the dry bed of the river ; near 

 to it was a summer-house upon a small scale, gaudily 

 got up, and supposed to be in a beautiful garden. 

 Artificial figures of men and women appeared sitting 

 in the verandahs and balconies, dressed in the richest 

 costumes. Singing birds, such as the favourite wa- 

 me and canaries, were whistling about the windows. 

 Artificial lakes were formed in the bed of the river, 

 and the favoured Nelumbium appeared floating on 

 the water. Everything denoted that the place be- 

 longed to a person of high rank and wealth. 



At some little distance a theatre was erected, in 

 front of which stood several thousands of the natives, 

 packed as closely as possible, and evidently highly 

 interested in a play which was going on. Some- 

 times the piece appeared so pathetic that the im- 

 mense multitude were perfectly still ; at other times 

 something seemed to tickle their fancies, and to 

 afford them the greatest amusement. The actors on 



