PEKING. 
Chap. XXII. 
probably indigenous to this part of China, were 
all well known, and had been already introduced 
to England from the gardens farther south than 
Peking. These were Jasminum nudifiorum , , Prunus 
triloba , the Judas tree, Weigela rosea , Honey- 
suckles, and Roses, amongst which I observed the 
.Banksian rose. 
As this part of the country had probably not 
been visited by foreigners, my appearance created 
considerable sensation amongst the natives. 
Every living thing in the villages — men, women, 
children, babies in arms, and dogs — turned out 
to see me. All seemed in good circumstances ; 
they were well clothed, and apparently well fed. 
Although the crowd which gathered round me 
was rather noisy, all were good-humoured, and 
much more polite than such a crowd would have 
been in some countries nearer home. When I 
had gone over all the gardens in this neighbour- 
hood I bade adieu to the crowds by which I had 
been attended, and rode back in the direction of 
the city, which I entered by the Nan-see-mun, or 
south-west gate. 
There are few houses in the south-west and 
western part of the Chinese city. A large por- 
tion of the land looks a dreary waste; much of 
the ground is lying uncultivated or covered with 
reeds, while other parts are occupied as vegetable 
gardens, and here and there are some wretched 
mud hovels. It will be observed, therefore, that 
although the walls of the Chinese city enclose a 
