TUNG-CHOW. 
115 
the figure of a horse on one side. The same coin was valued by 
their money-changers at seven Tchen. This estimation of the^ 
value of small silver pieces could only be the consequence of their 
rarity, as all silver passes with the Chinese by weight. The 
smallest portion of a dollar goes for its relative worth, as readily 
as the whole coin. Silver, for a medium of circulation in China, 
is melted into conical masses, having the form of the crucible in 
which they have been formed. For large payments, the entire 
masses are used; for smaller, bits of these are cut. off, and weighed 
on the spot. For this purpose, a Chinese usually carries about 
with him a pair of scissars and a small balance, of the nature just 
described, and very sensible, the rod of which is usually of ivory. * 
Gold, in China, is purely an article of merchandise. 
Whilst the Embassy remained at Tung-Chow, we were not per- 
mitted to enter the city, but to visit its suburbs at pleasure. These 
afforded, however, little that was worth the labour of toiling for, un- 
der a hot sun, through a crowd of Chinese, being composed of long 
dirty streets, lined with paltry shops and houses of public enter- 
tainment. Much the greater number of the former were filled with 
the winter dresses of the Chinese. The skins of every species of 
animal within their reach, from the ermine to the mouse, had 
been converted into apparel. The most common were deer, dog, 
goat, and squirrel skins. Rat and mouse skins sewn together, and 
formed into long cloaks, were also frequent, and had in the eyes 
of a stranger a very singular effect. Indeed, there was nothing that 
gave so peculiar a character to the streets, as the fur cloaks with 
* Cette sorte de balance est assez semblable a la balance Romaine : elle est composee d’un 
petit plat, d’un bras d’yvoire ou d’ebenne, et d’un poids courant. Ce bras qui est divise en 
de tres-petites parties sur trois faces differentes, est suspendu par des fils de soye a l’un 
des bouts en trois diff’erens points, afin de peser plus aisement toutes sortes de poids. Ces 
balances sont d’une grande precision. Ils pesent depuis 15 et 20 taels jusqu’a un sol et 
au-dela, et avec tant de justesse, que la millieme partie d’un ecu fait pancher la balance 
d’une maniere sensible. — Du Halde, tom. ii. p. 163. 
Q 2 
