190 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XI. 
boat, which had been fastened up like ourselves for the 
night, and now rubbing against the branches of trees 
which hung over the sides of the canal. I lost no time 
in awaking my servant and the boatmen, who rubbed 
their eyes with astonishment, and exclaimed that some 
robber must have boarded us. This had never struck 
me before, but when I called for a light I found that all 
my clothes, English and Chinese, were gone. Our 
visitor, whoever he had been, after taking possession of 
all the cabin contained, cut the rope by which we were 
fastened, and shoved us off into the centre of the canal, 
along which we had drifted a considerable way before 
I awoke. Fortunately for me, the few dollars I 
had with me were in my Chinese purse beneath my 
pillow. 
" What shall we do ?" said my servant when we had 
made the boat fast again to some others on the side of 
the canal : " your clothes are all gone.'' 
"Do?" said I, laughing; "I think the best thing we 
can do is to go to bed again until daylight."' This 
being agreed to, we were soon all once more sound 
asleep. When morning dawned, I sent my servant 
into the town of Cading with a few dollars, which 
procured me another dress, and we proceeded on our 
journey. 
The city of Cading is large and fortified, although the 
walls and ramparts are in a state of decay. It is evidently 
a very ancient place. Here a large quantity of the cele- 
brated carving is done, for which the Chinese in the 
north are so well known. After leaving this town, the 
canal, which was narrow, continued in a northerly 
