140 
USEFUL PRESENTS. 
Near the same cottage, chance led me to the shop of a black- 
smith, the manufacturer of various iron instruments, from a sword to 
a hoe. This man well understood the modifying properties of heat, 
and took the fullest advantage of them in all the practical concerns of 
his business. He was forming a reaping-hook at the time of my 
visit. A large pair of shears, having one blade fixed in a heavy block 
of wood, and the other furnished with a long handle to act as a lever, 
stood beside him. Bringing a piece of metal of the necessary dimen- 
sions from the forge, at a white heat, he placed it between the blades 
of this instrument, and cut it into shape with equal ease and despatch. 
This blacksmith, like all other Chinese manufacturers whom 1 saw at 
work, seemed proud of displaying his art to a stranger. 
The desire of testifying my sense of the civilities I received by 
the offer of small presents, was sometimes an irksome feeling, from 
the difficulty of selecting those which were proper. Silver coin 
would, in every instance, have been the most acceptable ; but the 
number of claimants rendered it too expensive a medium of 
general remuneration. Our small articles of hardware did not 
seem to be much valued. Our pen-knives, especially, were ridi- 
culed as very useless toys. Razors were not much esteemed. Our 
polished scissars were, however, eagerly received. These were, 
in general form, like their own, and could be used for similar 
purposes, but were infinitely more elegantly shaped and finished. 
I cannot describe the delight of an old woman, an inmate of my 
boat, on my putting a pair into her hands. She saluted me with 
the chin-chin for many days afterwards whenever she saw me.* But 
my scissars were soon exhausted ; and I should have been puzzled 
to substitute any adequate form of donation, if I had not fortunately 
* I can have no doubt that the Chinese would much more highly prize instruments 
made from their own models, but of more durable materials, and of better construction, 
than any made for European use. They would speak at once to their understanding. The 
use of our instruments, on the contrary, they cannot comprehend ; and what they do not 
comprehend, they always believe to be absurd. 
