286 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. Chap. XVII. 
Amoy, Ning-po, Chapoo, and some even from as far 
north as the province of Shan-tung and the bay of Pee- 
che-lee, are constantly employed in this trade. The 
wood is chiefly a sort of common pine, employed in the 
building of houses, and it is generally cut into lengths 
suited to that purpose before it is shipped. Good planks 
of fine hard wood can also be had in any quantity at 
this place. The wood -junks are loaded with great skill, 
a great part of their cargo being lashed to their sides, 
thus making them about three times their ordinary 
width. 
Banking is carried on to a greater extent in Foo- 
chow-foo than in the other towns which I have visited. 
Paper notes are a common medium of exchange, in 
which the people have the greatest confidence, preferring 
them to dollars or " cash.'' Some of the notes are as 
low as four hundred cash — about eighteen pence English 
money ; others are for very large sums. 
The people here are generally much cleaner in their 
habits, and appear to be a more active race, than those 
in the northern towns. In fact, they approach more 
nearly to the natives of Canton than to any other in 
these respects. I was much surprised to find them 
consuming beef, and even milk, in considerable quanti- 
ties ; articles which are never used by the inhabitants of 
the other districts where I have been : indeed, every- 
where else the Chinese were wont to express their 
astonishment when they saw the English using such 
articles of food. 
The ladies of Foo-chow-foo are particularly fond ol 
flowers— artificial as well as natural— for the decoration 
