Peking to Lhasa : vol.1 / Page 132 (Color Image)

0132	Peking to Lhasa : vol.1

98 PEKING TO LHASA

not too long dinner. Behind his yamen was one of

the largest and pleasantest gardens Pereira had

seen in China. It contained some fine old elms

besides other trees ; and there were picturesque

little summer-houses and a private path up to

the North Wall, from which there is a fine view

over the city.

The arsenal was situated in a mud-walled en-

closure in the north-west corner of the western

suburb. It is a very poor place where about

three hundred workmen are employed—princi-

pally in making two-cent pieces. They also repair

rifles and mountain guns and manufacture bugles.

As to the corruption among officials, Pereira

says it had never been so bad before. Under the

Manchus officials had not the same opportunity,

whilst at least some of the money that went to

the Court returned to the people. Now the officials

hold on to it. But the love of money among

the Chinese is extraordinary, for when they get

it they do not know how to make themselves

really comfortable, and unless they are in the

security of the foreign concession there is always

the risk of their being forced to disgorge. Every-

where in China are sinecure posts in which officials

accumulate money and then bolt to Peking,

Tientsin or Shanghai with their ill-gotten gains.

The people of Kansu struck Pereira as being

taller than the Szechwan men. At Chengtu his

Tientsin boys towered over the natives of that

place, whereas in Lan-chow they were not notice-

able.

The poppy is again being extensively cultivated

in Kansu. Under the Empress Dowager and

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