The different dialects prevailing in every new district one visits in China, are no less noticeable than the difference which is observed in the appearances of the people. This first attracted our attention on reaching Swatow, where we thought the people more hardy looking, as well as rougher, than the same class of natives seen farther south. In fact, the natives of this district have had the reputation of being a savage and quarrelsome people; and a few years ago it was thought to be as much as a foreigner’s life was worth to venture living in their vicinity. The difficulty, however, was greatly owing to their inefficient rulers, together with the dreadful feuds which existed between the inhabitants of different villages. This state of things increased until the people of some of the villages could not pursue any honest employment, however much they might desire to do so. They were often attacked when at work in their fields; and if the crops were left unmolested until ripe, they were sure to be harvested by bands of plunderers. A number of large fishing villages were prominent in creating the anarchy and suffering that finally prevailed, and, being located near the coast, were able to make successful depredations upon the commerce between the sea and the interior, until they nearly destroyed it. By reason of this, foreign vessels, being able to resist the marauders, found lucrative employment at Swatow long before the port was opened by treaty to foreign trade. In consequence of this deplorable state of things, the people were finally reduced to the most abject poverty; and starvation being the only alternative to emigration, Swatow speedily became the centre of the Coolie traffic. At first, the trade being confined to Singapore and Siam, was not marked by those horrors which characterized it after it fell into the hands of the Europeans. This wicked traffic, like the African slave-trade, resulted in the natives kidnapping one another; and it was the custom of the people of different villages to make raids,--the stronger upon the weaker,--simply for the purpose of procuring men to sell as Coolies to the Europeans. These unfortunate creatures were put into receiving-ships lying in the harbor, and being poorly cared for, as well as placed in very crowded and close quarters, they died in great numbers before the vessels were ready to leave port.