Besides our party of three, there were only five or six foreigners on board, most of whom were English. Among them we observed an English lady, who, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, was travelling with her feet encased in delicate slippers. We probably should not have remarked this fact had we not read some severe criticisms, from the pens of English travellers in the United States, in regard to our own countrywomen imprudently risking their health in the same manner. We do not, however, remember of having met, in our travels at home, a gentlewoman whose feet were so slightly protected for the season. We mention this incident to show that, after all, there is not a very wide difference in the careful or careless habits of our Anglo-Saxon cousins when compared with our own. In our vain boasting, and some other peculiarities, we are greatly alike, which only the more clearly proves our legitimacy to the same stock. The distance to Macao was only forty miles, yet when off Lintin Bay--which is a part of the delta at the mouth of what is called the Canton River--there was so heavy a sea running that our little cabin reeled, and old Neptune again shook his trident at us. An hour or two, however, brought us to the Macao Roads, and passing in view of the Donna Maria, and Guia forts, which occupy the tops of two rocky hills, we steamed into the inner harbor. Before we could anchor, our vessel was surrounded by little passenger-boats, managed for the most part by women, who vociferated at the top of their voices; each one, in order to secure passengers, being solely intent upon getting the prow of her boat nearest to the companion-ladder. At the time of the confusion at Babel the Chinese race must have had a large representation there; for the clatter of tongues that greeted us at some of the ports, on our voyage from New York, was as the murmur of a peaceful rill when compared to the great cataract of shrill voices that here well-nigh deafened us. It was impossible to hear the deeper tones of the men in the general uproar; while it was absolutely frightful to see those of the passengers who had no ladies to care for, leaping, nearly mad with the wild tumult, into the first tanka-boat[12] they could reach. Under these circumstances, passing without accident through the peril of getting into one of these rocking little boats,--which was skilfully guided and propelled by three stout tanka-women,--and being safely landed at the Custom-house jetty, was a matter of sincere felicitation. The warm welcome one receives on reaching old friends in a foreign land goes far towards compensating for the _désagrémens_ of travel; and notwithstanding our new surroundings may be strangely unfamiliar, the presence of beloved faces from the old home-circle creates a gratefully satisfied feeling of content.