On arriving at the large or principal gate leading into the city, strangers are not permitted to pass: there are also smaller wicket-gates, leading into the city, at other parts, at which persons are stationed to prevent foreigners from passing: several mandarins would occasionally be seen carried in their chairs, as well as some of the superior class of Chinese small-eyed beauties borne in a kind of sedan, upon the shoulders of coolies. On entering any of the shops, to see the process of manufacturing, every attention was paid us by the Chinese: one that attracted our attention, was the melting and manufacturing the lead into thin plates, for lining tea-caddies, chests, &c. This is effected by throwing rapidly the molten lead between two flat stones, upon the inner surfaces of each of which paper was placed, pasted by its edges upon the stone: as soon as the lead was thrown in, the upper stone fell immediately upon the lower; (the process is very simple;) the upper stone is then taken off, and the sheet of lead removed. Their method of glass-blowing, cotton-cleaning, and spangle-manufactory, were also seen; and we were readily permitted to view the various processes employed without any interruption. A walk about the streets of the suburbs I always found full of interest, as throwing much light upon the peculiar customs and manufactures of these extraordinary and industrious people. It is well known that sandal-wood is esteemed by Europeans, on account of its being a valuable article of merchandize to China: the Chinese are particular, however, in their choice of the wood; they prefer it when the pieces are about the diameter of the arm,[38] straight, smooth, of a dark colour, with a faint and agreeable smell, not the rank odour that some of the wood possesses. The yellow wood is inferior in the market; and the very light yellow and white woods are too young, and almost, if not totally, unsaleable. The Chinese name for it, is Tan-heong; (Taan, or Tan, being the name given to that particular tree; and Heong, scented wood;) and it sells from two and a half to twenty dollars the pecul, according to the quality of the wood. The usual size of the wood, as an article of commerce in China, is of a diameter of four or six inches, and a length of three or four feet; from eight to twelve pieces of wood of that size usually weighing a pecul. A piece of sandal-wood, of the size just mentioned, is considered the most acceptable offering that a person can carry in his hand to present to the idols in the temples: the large pieces are the votive offering of a rich person, to burn on particular occasions, such for instance as at the commencement of the new year; small pieces are then abundantly sold about the streets, for the lower class of people to purchase, for burning before the deities. “The Canton people,” said a Chinese merchant, “do not burn so much sandal-wood as those of the northern provinces, as in the latter superstition reigns to