Chap. XI. 
CANAL TRAVELLING. 
189 
of China, the features of the northern natives approach- 
ing more nearly to those of Europeans than they do in 
the south, and the difference amongst themselves also* 
being greater. 
In China the canal is the traveller's highway, and the 
boat is his carriage, and hence the absence of good roads 
and carriages in this country. Such a mode of convey- 
ance is not without its advantages, however little we 
may think of it in England ; for as the tide ebbs and 
flows through the interior for many miles, the boats pro- 
ceed with considerable rapidity ; the traveller too can 
sleep comfortably in his little cabin, which is, in fact, his 
house for the time being. 
The canal, after leaving Shanghae, leads in a northerly 
direction, inclining sometimes a little to the west ; 
branches leading off in all directions over the country. 
Some very large towns and walled cities were passed on 
our route, at one of which, named Cading, we halted for 
the night just under the ramparts. I spread out my bed 
in my little cabin, and went to sleep rather early, intend- 
ing to start by times with the tide next morning, and 
get as far as possible during the ensuing day. But, as 
my countryman says, — 
* The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agee ;" 
and I awoke during the night by the cool air blowing in 
upon my head through one of the windows of the boat, 
which I had shut before I went to rest. I jumped up 
immediately and looked out, and through the darkness 
I could discern that we were drifting down the canal 
with the tide, now coming in contact with some other 
