24 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. I. 
hirer of the boat, who retains it until his contract is 
satisfactorily fulfilled. This system is practised univer- 
sally amongst the Chinese, who seem to have no faith 
in the lower orders of the people. 
I quickly despatched Wang to look after a boat, and 
desired him to bring the boatman with him to the inn, 
to have his agreement drawn up and signed. The other 
man ran out along with him, and I was again left in a 
strange place amongst strangers. 
The inn in which I was located was a large old build- 
ing, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Green River. 
All the lower part formed a sort of shed or warehouse, 
which was filled with goods of various kinds and the 
luggage of passengers. At the upper end of this apart- 
ment a table was placed in the middle of the floor, and 
served for the host and his guests to dine upon. Around 
this table were sitting five or six respectable-looking 
Chinese merchants smoking from long bamboo pipes 
and discussing the news of the day and the state of 
trade. These men politely made way for me at the 
table. I took the seat offered, and to be neighbour-like 
commenced smoking as fast as any of them. In other 
parts of the w^arehouse the servants of these men, and 
other travelling servants, were lolling about, or sound 
asleep upon the chairs or goods. No one seemed to 
take any particular notice of me, and I soon sat perfectly 
at my ease. 
A little incident happened which gave me some 
uneasiness at the time, but at which I have often had 
a good laugh since. Preparations began to be made 
for dinner, and the travellers who were seated around 
