England Canterbury
city, feet and becket
The medieval houses with their overhanging gables, the Guildhall dating back to the 15th century, and Entering the cathedral we visit the Chapel of the Martyrdom and see the spot where Thomas Becket was slain in the 12th century (see Becket, Thomas).
For three centuries after, Becket was looked upon as a martyr and a saint, and a constant stream of pilgrims flowed to Canterbury to visit his shrine.
This enormously rich shrine is no longer there, but deep grooves in the stone steps show where St. Martin's Church dating from Roman days and said to be the oldest church in England, all point to the days that are no more. Population, about 25,000.
Canterbury was already of considerable importance in 55 B.C., when Julius Caesar invaded Britain. When the city was occupied by the Romans it was given the name Durovernum. Later, as the center of the early English kingdom of Kent, it became known as Cantwaraburk, or "Kentishmen's town," from which comes its present name.
Canton is the capital of Kwangtung province and the commercial center of southern China. It is situated at the apex of the delta of the Shu-kiang or Pearl River. The entire city is encircled by brick walls, 25 to 40 feet in height, and 20 feet thick. An inner wall divides the enclosure into two unequal parts; the northern and larger division is the old city, the smaller is the new. The foreign quarter, where reside the British and French inhabitants, is separated from the native parts by a 60-foot canal. Here the broad streets bordered with spreading tamarind trees are in striking contrast to the crowded and dirty ways of the Chinese city, which are too narrow and winding for the passing of "rick shaws" —the com mon two - wheeled vehicles drawn by men. The ordinary mode of convey ance, therefore, is in a sedan chair borne on the shoulders of stout coolies. A stranger in Canton notes with interest the hollows in the large square paving stones, worn by the tread of millions of bare feet.
There are 600 of these narrow crooked streets and rows upon rows of flat reddish roofs, the monotony of which is relieved by two pagodas, the Gothic spires of the French cathedral and the pawn shop towers.