diameter； very conical； peaked at the top； coming down umbrella fashion
over the shoulders； and well tilted back。
＇*Cholen； i。e。； the big market； has a population which is variously
estimated at from 30；000 to 80；000。 I am inclined to think that the
lowest estimate is nearest the mark。I。 L。 B。＇
After laboriously reaching Cholen； I found far the greater part of the
town to be Chinese； rather than Anamese； with Chinese streets； temples；
gaming houses； club houses； and that general air of business and
industry which seems characteristic of the Chinese everywhere； but
still groping my way about； I came upon what I most wished to seethe
real Anamese town。 There is a river； the Me…kong； or one of its
branches； and the townthe real native Cholenconsists of a very
large collection of river…dwellings； little； if at all； superior to
those which we passed in coming up。 I spent an hour among them； and I
never saw any house whose area could be more than twelve feet square；
while many were certainly not more than seven feet by six。 Such
primitive； ramshackle； shaky…looking dwellings I never before have
seen。 As compared with them； an Aino hut； even of the poorest kind； is
a model of solidity and architectural beauty。 They looked as if a
single gust would topple them and their human contents into the water。
Yet； if it were better carried out； it is not a bad idea to avoid
paying any Anamese form of rent； to secure perfect drainage； a
never…failing water supply； good fishing； immunity from reptiles； and
the easiest of all highways at the very door。
These small rooms with thatched roofs and gridiron floors； raised on
posts six or eight feet above the stream； are reached from the shore by
a path a foot wide； consisting of planks tied on to posts。 The
river…dwellings； I must add； are tied together with palm fibre rope。
One of average size can be put together for eleven shillings。 In front
of each house a log canoe is moored； into which it is easy to drop from
above when the owner desires any change of attitude or scene。
I ventured into two of these strange abodes； but it was dizzy work to
walk the plank； and as difficult to walk the gridiron floor in shoes。
Both were wretched habitations； but doubtless they suit their inmates；
who need nothing more than a shelter from the sun and rain。 The men
wore only loin cloths。 The women were clothed to the throat in loose
cotton garments； the children wore nothing。 In both the men were
fishing for their supper over the edge of their platforms。 In one a
woman was cooking rice； and in both there was a good store of rice；
bananas； and sweet potatoes。 There was no furniture in either； except
matted platforms for sleeping upon； a few coarse pipkins； a red
earthen…ware pitcher or two； and some calabashes。 On the wall of one
was a crucifix； and on a rafter in the other a wooden carving of a
jolly…looking man； mallet in hand； seated on rice bags； intended for
Daikoku； the Japanese God of Wealth。 The people were quite unwashed；
but the draught of the river carried off the bad smells which ought to
have been there； and； fortunately； a gridiron floor is unfavorable to
accumulations of dirt and refuse。 These natives look apathetic； and
are； according to our notions； lazy； but I am weary of seeing the
fevered pursuit of wealth； and am inclined to be lenient to these
narcotized existences； provided； as is the case； that they keep clear
of debt； theft； and charity。
Below this amphibious town there is a larger and apparently permanent
floating village； consisting of hundreds of boats moored to the shore
and to each other； poor and forlorn as compared with the Canton house
boats； but yet more crowded； a single thatched roof sheltering one or
more families； without any attempt at furniture or arrangement。 The
children swarmed； and looked healthy； and remarkably free from eye and
skin diseases。 There were Romish pictures in some of these boats； and
two or three of them exhibited the cross in a not inconspicuous place。
In my solitary explorations I was not mobbed or rudely treated in any
way。 The people were as gentle and inoffensive in their manners as the
Japanese； without their elaborate courtesy and civilized curiosity。
Having seen all I could see； I turned shipwards； weary； footsore； and
exhausted； my feet so sore and blistered； indeed； that long before I
reached a gharrie I was obliged to take off my boots and wrap them in
handkerchiefs。 The dust was deep and made heavy walking； and the level
straightness of a great part of the road is wearisome。 Overtaking even
at my slow rate of progress a string of creaking buffalo carts； I got
upon the hindmost； but after a little rest found the noise； dust； and
slow progress intolerable； and plodded on as before； taking two and a
half hours to walk three miles。 About a mile from Cholen there is an
extraordinary burial…ground； said to cover an area of twenty square
miles。 （？） It is thickly peopled with the dead； and profuse vegetation
and funereal lichens give it a profoundly melancholy look。 It was
chosen by the Cambodian kings several centuries ago for a cemetery； on
the advice of the astrologers of the court。 The telegraph wire runs
near it； and so the old and the new age meet。
On my weary way I was overtaken by a young French artillery officer；
who walked with me until we came upon an empty gharrie； and was
eloquent upon the miseries of Saigon。 It is a very important military
station； and a sort of depot for the convicts who are sent to the
（comparatively） adjacent settlement of New Caledonia。 A large force of
infantry and artillery is always in barracks here； but it is a most
sickly station。 At times 40 per cent。 of this force is in hospital from
climatic diseases； and the number of men invalided home by every mail
steamer； and the frequent changes necessary； make Saigon a very costly
post。 The French don't appear to be successful colonists。 This Cochin
Chinese colony of theirs； which consists of the six ancient southern
provinces of the empire of Anam； was ceded to France in 1874； but its
European population is still under twelve thousand； exclusive of the
garrison and the Government officials。 The Government consists of a
governor； aided by a privy council。 The population of the colony is
under a million and a half； including eighty…two thousand Cambodians
and forty thousand Chinese。 According to my various informantsthis
young French officer； a French nun； and a trader of dubious
nationality； in whose shop I restedFrance is doing its best to
promote the prosperity and secure the good…will of the natives。 The
land…tax； which was very oppressive under the native princes； has been
lowered； municipal government has been secured to the native towns； and
corporate and personal rights have been respected。 These persons
believe that the colony； far from being a source of profit to France；
is kept up at a heavy annual loss； and they regard the Chinese as the
only element in the population worth having。 They think the Anamese
very superior to the Cambodians； from whom indeed they conquered these
six provinces； but the Cambodians are a bigger and finer race
physically。
I do not think I have said how hideous I think the adult Anamese。
Somewhere I have read that two thousand years before our era the
Chinese called them Giao…chi； which signifies 〃with the big toe。〃 This
led me to look particularly at their bare feet； and I noticed even in
children such a wide separation of the big toe from the rest as to
convey the perhaps erroneous impression that it is of unusual size。 The
men are singularly wide at the hips； and walk with a laughably
swaggering gait； which is certainly not affectation； but is produced by
a sufficient anatomical cause。 I never saw such ugly； thick…set； rigid
bodies； such uniformly short necks； such sloping shoulders； such flat
faces and flatter noses； such wide； heavy； thick…lipped mouths； such
projecting cheek bones； such low foreheads； such flat…topped heads； and
such tight； thick skin； which suggests the word hide…bound。 The dark；
tawny complexion has no richness of tint。 Both men and women are short；
and the teeth of both sexes are blackened by the constant chewing of
the betel…nut； which reddens the saliva； which is constantly flowing
like blood from the corners of their mouths。 Though not a vigorous；
they appear to be a healthy people； and have very large families。 They
suffer chiefly from 〃forest fever〃 in the forest lands； but the rice
swamps； deadly to Europeans； do not harm them。
I rested for some time at a very beautiful convent； and was most kindly
entertained by some very calm； sweet…looking sisters； who labor piously
among the female Anamese； and have schools for girls。 The troops are
stationed at Saigon for only two years； owing to the unhealthiness of
the climate； but these pious women have no sanitarium； and live and die
at their posts。 Various things in the convent chapel remind one of the
faithfulness unto death both of missionaries and converts。 In this
century alone three successive kings rivaled each other in persecuting
the Christians； both Europeans and native； over and over again
murdering all the miss