The pleasant rambles on this island are much frequented by foreigners; so leaving the “Ringing Rock,” and ascending the hill, we were just bending our steps towards a large boulder, in order to rest under its inviting shade, when we were startled by coming suddenly upon what appeared to be a frightful snake. The seeming reptile, which was coiled around a shrub, proved, however, to be only the old skin that a snake, over eight feet in length, had recently left there. The power of the final effort made by his snakeship, in casting off the old habiliment, was manifest from the great number of involutions left in the skin near the tail. We were assured that the snake was not of a venomous species, but could not be induced to remain in that locality, and gladly returned to the more cultivated parts of the vale, where the water of an enchanting little rivulet was made to turn the rude machinery of a very primitive grist-mill. The hoppers of the mill were turned by an overshot-wheel, on which were bamboo cogs,--water conducted through bamboo canes being used in order to prevent friction. We did not, however, incline to linger by the way, and were glad when we had regained the landing, and were once more on board of Mr. Nye’s spacious boat, the _Picnic_, on our return to town. The Chinese manufacture an excellent lime from fossil oyster-shells, and the people following that business at Macao live in a place called the “Lime-kiln Village.” Visiting that locality late in the afternoon, we witnessed a curious exhibition of the economy and management of the people. The weather was unusually cold, and at one place a circular burning kiln filled with shells was surrounded by a crowd of women and children. The diameter of the kiln was about ten feet, and the top surface, which was one mass of fire, was covered with the little stewpans, and tea-water vessels of the women, who were busy cooking their evening meal, while the children were pressing near, in order to warm their thinly clad and shivering little bodies. The savory fumes, with which the place was redolent, were suggestive of ragouts made of certain little animals which are said to be the favorite food of the lower class of Chinese. FOOTNOTES: [12] _Tanka_ means egg; therefore these boats, being egg-shaped, are called in the Colony tanka-boats, and the women managing them, tanka-women. [13] On our excursion to the Guia we traversed a portion of the Praya, and also the Alameda, a public square, which is planted with trees, and passing through one of the two gates, in the northern wall of the city, followed the Campo Road that led to this park. [14] In the religion of the Chinese there is no love of their god, but a great fear of the devil, or of the spirit of evil, which they are always aiming to propitiate. CHAPTER VII.