still continue to succeed one another, and the conviction is gradually impressed on the mind that such is the general character of the streets of the city. Along these, busy traders, mechanics, barbers, venders, and porters, make their way; while occasionally the noisy, abrupt tones of vociferating coolies remind the traveler that some materials of bulky dimensions are on their transit, and suggest the expediency of keeping at a distance, to avoid collision. Now and then, the monotony of the scene is relieved by some portly mandarin or merchant of the higher class, borne in a sedan chair on the shoulders of two, or sometimes, four men; yet, with all this hurry and din, there seldom occurs any accident or interruption of good nature.

On the river, the same order and regularity prevail. Though there are probably not fewer than two hundred thousand denizens of the river, whose hereditary domains are the watery element that support their little dwellings, yet harmony and good feeling are conspicuous in the accommodating manner with which they make way for each other. These aquatic tribes of the human species show a most philosophic spirit of equanimity, and contrive in this way to strip daily life of many of its little troubles; while the fortitude and patience with which the occasional injury or destruction of their boats is borne are remarkable.

To return from the wide expanse of the river population to the streets in the suburbs, the same spirit of contented adaptation to external things is everywhere observable; and it is difficult which to regard with more surprise-the narrow abodes of the one, or the little boats which serve as family residences to the other.

There is something of romance in the effect of Chinese streets. On either side are shops, decked out with native wares,-furniture and manufactures of various kinds. These are adorned by pillar signboards, rising perpendicularly, and inscribed from top to bottom with the various kinds of salable articles which may be had within. Native artists seem to have lavished their ingenuity on several of these inscriptions, in order to give, by their caligraphy, some idea of the superiority of the commodities for sale. Many of these sign-boards contain some fictitious emblem, adopted as the name of the shop-similar to the practice prevalent in London two centuries ago.

On entering, the proprietor, with his assistants or partners, welcomes a foreigner with sundry salutations, sometimes advancing to shake hands, and endeavoring to make the most of his scanty knowledge of English. They will show their goods with the utmost patience, and evince nothing of disappointment if, after gratifying his curiosity, he depart without purchasing.

At a distance from the factories, where the sight of a foreigner is a rarity, crowds of idlers, from fifty to one hundred, rapidly gather round the shop, and frequent embarrassment ensues, from an imperfect knowledge of their language. In these parts, the shopkeepers know no language but their own; are more moderate in their politeness; and, as a compensation, put a smaller price on their wares. To write one's name in Chinese characters is a sure method of securing their favor.

Sometimes no fewer than eight or ten blind beggars find their way into a shop, and there they remain, singing a melancholy, dirge-like strain, and

most perseveringly beating together two pieces of wood. At length, the weary shopman takes compassion on them, and provides for the quiet of his shop by giving a copper cash to each; on receiving which, they depart, and repeat the same experiment elsewhere.

The streets abound with these blind beggars, who are seldom treated with indignity. A kindly indulgence is extended to them. It is said that this furnishes a liberal means of livelihood to an immense number of blind men, who, in many instances, are banded together in companies or societies, subject to a code of rules, on breach of which, the transgressor is expelled from the community.

.

In every little open space, there are crowds of traveling doctors, haranguing the multitude on the wonderful powers and healing virtues of the medicines which they expose for sale. Close by, some cunning fortune-teller may be seen, with crafty look, explaining to some awe-stricken simpleton his destiny in life, from a number of books arranged before him, and consulted with due solemnity. In another part, some tame birds are exhibiting their clever feats, in singling out, from amongst a hundred others, a piece of paper inclosing a coin, and then receiving a grain of millet as a reward of their cleverness.

At a little distance, are some fruit stalls, at which old and young are making purchases, casting lots for the quantity they are to receive. Near these, again, are noisy gangs of people, pursuing a less equivocal course of gambling, and evincing, by their excited looks and clamor, the intensity of their interest in the issue. In another part, may be seen disposed the apparatus of some Chinese

tonsor, who is performing his skillful vocation on the crown of some fellow-countryman unable to command the attendance of the artist at a house of his own.

ALBERT SMITH.

Spell and pronounce :-recently, naturally, Canton, visitor, conviction, mechanics, barbers, venders, porters, vociferating, collision, relieved, residences, furniture, perpendicularly, and commodities.

Give synonyms of manifests, incredible, dense, admiration, abrupt, bulky, din, prevail, hereditary, domains, fortitude, conspicuous, remarkable, observable, superiority, and fictitious.

Explain:-The office of "coolies," the office of "mandarins," "millet," caligraphy," "sedan chair."

66

De

Where is Canton? What is the population of Canton. scribe its streets. Where do many of the people live? Describe the sign-boards of Chinese shops. How do the blind support

When sailing across the North Atlantic between ports in Europe and in the United States, or when traversing the South Pacific to round the southern promontory of the American or African continent, vessels often encounter floating masses of solid ice, termed icebergs.

These are of all sizes, up to huge mountains like islands, rising several hundred feet out of the water.

Ice being lighter than water, an iceberg projects above the sea-level, yet has about eight times more of its bulk under water than above. Hence, when the mean height of one of these floating masses is three hundred feet above the surface of the sea, its bottom must be some twenty-four hundred feet below.

The bergs vary infinitely in shape as well as in size. Sometimes, as in the Antarctic Ocean, they take the form of vast square blocks with vertical walls; sometimes they bristle into peaks and pinnacles, with deep cliffs and gulfs between.

At a distance, they look like snow-covered islands. Seen closer, they gleam with all the intensity of color-white, green, and blue-so characteristic of the ice of glaciers upon the land. For the most part, nothing but ice in different forms is secn upon their surface. Now and then, a block of stone, or some dark earthy rubbish may be noticed.

As they drift onward into warmer latitudes, they melt away, both under water and above. Cascades of water tumble down their thawing slopes and fall into the waves below. It often happens that, as the melting goes on under water, the center of gravity of an iceberg is altered, so that the mass shifts its position, or, becoming top-heavy, turns completely over.

Such are the drifting icebergs which, in summer, cross the navigation track across the Atlantic between Newfoundland and Britain. They form a serious source of danger to the vessels, for they may be encountered at any hour of the voyage. Many a ship has struck against one in the dark and gone to the bottom.

They chill the air around them, and thus often