entrance stands invitingly open. In Canton they are square bold-looking edifices, lifting their benevolent grey-brick heads to a height which positively, in Chinese eyes, invests them with sanctity.
Ah-sin and Ah-lok, indeed, look up with something akin to veneration at their plastered walls, narrow stanchioned win- dows, and at the huge rock boulders poised on the edge of the roof above, ready to drop down upon any robber who might dare to scale the treasure-sheltering sides. I recollect visiting one of these places for the purpose of seeing within, and to obtain a view of the city. Armed with an introduction from a leading Chinese merchant, I presented myself one morn- ing before an outer gate in the high prison-looking wall, which encircled the tower. My summons was answered by a portly gate-keeper, who at once admitted me inside. Here I found a number of military candidates going through a course of drill; the porter was himself an old soldier, a sort of drill- sergeant, and was now instructing pupils in the use of the bow and how to lift up heavy weights. After exhibiting one or two specimens of their powers, we were taken to a narrow barred gate at the base of the tower. The office for transacting busi- ness was on the ground-floor, and above this, a square wooden scaffolding, standing free of the walls, ran right up to the roof. This scaffolding was divided into a series of flats, having ladders which lead from one to the other; the bottom flat was used for stowing pledges of the greatest bulk, such as furniture or produce; smaller and lighter articles occupied the upper flats, while the one nearest the roof was devoted to bullion and jewellery. Every pledge from floor to ceiling was catalogued, and bore a ticket denoting the number of the article and the date when it was deposited. Thus anything could be found
