356 
VOYAGE OP THE POTOMAC 
[May, 
north, and passing round to the west, south, and east. One of 
these gates is fifteen feet wide and twelve high ! A few soldiers 
are stationed at each of the gates to watch them by day, and to 
close and guard them by night. They are shut at an early, hour 
in the evening, and opened at dawn of day. Except on special 
occasions, no one is allowed to pass in or out during the night- 
watches ; but a small fee will usually open the way, yet always 
exposes the keepers to punishment. 
" We must now extend our description so as to include the sub- 
urbs ; the streets and buildings of which differ very little, if at 
all, from those within the walls. On the west they spread out 
nearly in the form of an isosceles right-angled triangle, opening 
to the northwest, having the river on the south, and the western 
wall of the city for its two equal sides. On the south they occupy 
the whole space between the wall and the river. On the east 
they are much less extensive than on the west. There are no 
buildings on the north, except: a few small huts near the principal 
gate. Taken collectively, the suburbs are scarcely less exten- 
sive or less populous than the city within the walls. 
" The streets of Canton are numerous — we have before us a 
catalogue containing the names of more than six hundred, among 
which we find the ' Dragon-street,' the * Flying dragon-street,' 
the 'Martial dragon-street,' the 'Flower-street,' the 'Golden- 
street,' the ' Golden flower-street ;' and among many more of a 
similar kind, we meet with a few which we should not wish to 
translate. There are several long streets, but most of them are 
short and crooked ; they vary in width, from two to sixteen feet 
wide, and they are everywhere flagged with large stones, chiefly 
granite. The motley crowd that often throng these streets is very 
great indeed. At a busy hour of the day, the stout, half naked, 
vociferating porters, carrying every description of merchandise, 
and the nimble sedan-bearers, in noise and bustle, make up for 
the deficiency of carts and carriages ; these, together with the 
numerous travellers, various kinds of retailers, pedlers, beggars, 
&c., present before the spectator a scene which we will not at- 
tempt to describe. 
" Not a few of the visiters, and not a little of the merchandise, 
brought together here, are conveyed into the city by means of 
canals or ditches. There are several of these ; one of the largest 
