RESIDENTS, SHOPS, ETC. 
241 
of human sounds. Nor is their instrumental accom- 
paniment any better. The musicians are on the 
same stage with the actors, with gongs, horns, and 
cymbals. Melody there is none. They blow and beat, 
and beat and blow, varying the monotony of the 
sound by frequent and successive crashes. The 
plot of the drama, whether tragedy or comedy, it 
is impossible to understand. It seems to have no 
proper beginning or end, but to go on from day 
to day in a succession of battles and love-makings, 
until the patience of the audience is exhausted. 
After leaving the theatre, we reach the native 
quarter, and passing through “ Curio ” Street, the first 
thing to arrest our attention being the busy, untiring 
industry of the Chinese in their little shops, where 
sandal-wood boxes, ivory turning and carvings, 
lacquer^ware, tortoise-shell and bronze goods, silks, 
and embroidery are laid out in tempting array. 
Continuing on through long lengths of streets, we 
pass corn and rice mills, dye-houses, blacksmiths, 
carpenters, umbrella and lantern makers, bootmakers, 
tailors, and barbers, shops with gaudy swinging 
sign-boards — the several characters noting the name 
and style of the firm. 
Some of the narrowest parts of the road we find 
quite a difficulty in passing, from the crowds of 
purchasers and vendors of fish and pork and vege- 
tables and endless other articles of food, whose stalls 
and tables occupy the side walks in front of the 
IS 
