" The first street ran in a regular line westerly, till it came to the eastern wall of the palace, which is termed the yellow wall, from the colour of the tiles with which the top is covered.
" Several public structures \tem thus covered. These roofs had no chimnies, and the sides and ridges were or namented with various figures ; the whole shining like gold, gave the appearance of grandeur in that part of houses where it was unusual. Near the gate were large stores of rice. Looking hence to the left, along the wall of the city, an elevated building was seen, said to be an observatory erected by the Emperor Yong-loo, to whom Pekin owes much of its improvements. The shops were highly decorated, and in a grand style. Some had on the top broad terraces, filled with flowers and shrubs. In the fronts were lanthorns of horn, muslin, silk, and paper, in frames of different figures. Goods were exposed to sale, as well on the outside of the shops as within." P. 311, 312, and 313.
" On arriving at the eastern side of the yellow wall, the embassy diverged to the right, and then the bustle de creased. There were no shops in this quarter; each house had in front a wall to screen the inner court from being seen, which is called the wall of respect. Near the middle of this side of the palace are treble gates, where the party halted. The space of ground was large. Some of the ground was raised into steep hills; and the spots from whence the earth was taken to form them were filled with water. In these lakes were small islands, de corated with fanciful buildings, and interspersed with trees. On the hills were the imperial palaces; and on the top of the highest were summer houses and cabinets, surrounded with tall trees.
" On looking to the north from this spot, at the end of a street running to the city wall, appeared the lofty struc ture, in which is an enormous bell, of a cylindrical shape, the sound of which, when struck on the outside with a wooden mallet, is heard in every part of the city. A little further to the westward of it was one of the northern gates, the watch tower on which was seen above the in tervening houses. Beyond the palace gates to the •est ward, between the yellow wall and the northern part of the city, is a large lake, which, at this time, was nearly covered with the leaf of the Lien-wha." Pp. 314, 315.
" Many of the streets were narrow, having gates at the entrance, near which guards were posted to preserve peace. These gates are shut at night, and are not open ed but upon emergency. The party crossed one street
four miles long, from north to south, being interrupted only by several Pai-loos." 1'. 316.
The palace at Pekin " was built in the usual manner of the houses of the great mandarins, and the whole was in the form of a long square, surrounded by a brick wall, the surface of which was a mere blank, except near one of the angles, where there was a gateway. This wall supported the top ridge of roofs; the lower edges of which, resting on an inner wall parallel to the first, com posed a range of buildings divided into offices. In the other part of the inclosure were quadrangular courts of different sizes, in each of which were buildings, on plat forms of granite, surrounded by a colonnade. The co lumns were of wood, about sixteen feet high, and about an equal number of inches at the base, lessening at the top about I -6th. These had none of the properties of the Grecian architecture. At the lower ends, they were Ict into sockets cut in stones, forming a ring round each. somewhat resembling the Tuscan order. Between the columns, which were red, was wood-work, carved and ornamented, of a different colour. This colonnade sup ported the projecting part of the roof beyond the wall plate, of a curvilineal form, and turned up at the angles; thus every part of these buildings might be visited under cover. The number of pillars was at least COO. Next to the chief apartment allotted to the ambassador, was a high building, designed for a private theatre and concert room, having all round a gallery for spectators, and re tiring rooms behind.
"All the buildings were of one story, except that which was appropriated for the ladies. This was in the inner quadrangle. The front was a long and high wall, the windows of which were of Corca paper. Behind this hall was a gallery, at the height of near 10 feet, leading to se veral small apartments, lighted only from the hall. The windows within were of silk gauze, in wooden frames, either ornamented with needle work, or painted in water colours. This apartment, though smaller, was neater than most of the rest. A small black court, with offices, was attached to this part of the building. One of the outer quadrangles had a piece of water, in the middle of which was a stone room, in the shape of a covered barge. Others of the quadrangles were adorned with trees, and in the largest was a heap of rocks, firmly, but rudely piled on each other; and at one end was a small unfinish ed garden." P. 322-3.