ClIAP. VIII. 
NEW YEAR'S DAY. 
127 
bought up by the Chinese, who consider them quite in- 
dispensable at this particular season. Not only are the 
houses and temples decorated with them, but the boats 
on the river also come in for a most extensive share. 
Indeed, these boats are only floating houses, for a very 
great part of the population of Canton lives upon the 
river. The flower-boats, as they are commonly called, 
are particularly gay at new-year time with flowers of all 
hues, and gaudy flags streaming from each mast and 
stern. Crackers or fireworks, of which the Chinaman is 
so fond, are let off in large quantities for several days in 
all parts of the town, and form part of their religious 
ceremonies or offerings to their gods. Their shops are 
closed on New Year's Day, and for two or three days 
afterwards. The greater part of the natives wear their 
holiday clothes, and tramp about amongst their relations 
and friends to chin-chin them, and wish them a happy 
new year, as we do at home. Large parties are made at 
this season to go up to the gardens at Fa-tee ; and on 
particular days you find there hundreds of these flower- 
boats crowded with young Chinese of the better classes, 
enjoying themselves as our own population do at 
Richmond or Hampton Court. Great numbers of 
well-dressed ladies also go over to Fa-tee in the flower- 
boats, and walk about in the gardens ; and this is the 
only season when they are visible at Canton. 
-After having been several months in the north of 
China, and, with one or two exceptions, always expe- 
riencing the greatest civiHty from the natives, I was 
beginning to form a high opinion of the Chinese as a 
nation, and inclined to trust the people about Canton in 
