Chap. VII. 
CHINESE PREJUDICES. 
93 
"Kwei-tsz" was called out to us in derision. Several 
complaints were made of this conduct to the British 
Consul by parties who believed it to be very bad policy 
at the first commencement of the trade to submit to any 
marks of contempt, however slight ; and strong remon- 
strances were promptly made by him to the Taoutae, or 
head mandarin, of Shanghae. This policy was the very 
best which could have been pursued with the Chinese 
authorities; and the consequence was, that in a very- 
short time the offensive appellation was rarely heard in 
the streets of Shanghae ; and if some little urchin, 
remembering the lesson so early taught him, came out 
with it unawares, he was immediately rebuked by the 
respectable part of the bystanders. 
The following incident shows the kind of superstitious 
dread in which we were held by the inhabitants. A friend 
and myself were asked to a dinner given on board one 
of the vessels in the river, and, as the cabin was much 
more comfortable than our cheerless, fireless rooms on 
shore, we remained until nearly eleven o'clock. Not 
only are the gates of a Chinese town closed after dark, 
but all communication even with the streets in the 
suburbs is cut off by numerous gates and doors, which 
are fastened up about ten or eleven o'clock at night. 
This has doubtless been a very ancient custom, to 
prevent any sudden surprise by an enemy, or by the 
unruly populace themselves, and is still kept up in more 
peaceful times. When, therefore, we landed, we found 
all the gates in the suburbs closed and locked ; and we 
had to pass through one at least before we could reach 
our quarters. Not a sound was heard ; every house was 
