A P E A S A N T ,
Wilh his W ife and Family.
S m o k i n g tobacco is so u n iv e rs a lly p re v a len t in C h in a , th a t it is n o t u n u su
al to see g irls o f o n ly twelve y ea rs o f age en jo y in g th is re cre atio n .
T h e M o th e r is in th e d re ss o f the n o rth e rn p ro v in c e s ; the peak on h e r
forehead is o f v elve t, an d ado rn ed w ith a bead o f agate o r glass. T h e h a ir
is combed back so smooth b y th e assistance o f o il, th a t it more resembles
ja p a n th a n h a i r ; on the back o f h e r h e a d is a loop o f le a th e r, an d the whole
is k ep t together b y b o d k in s o f iv o iy o r tortoise -she ll. T h e g en e ral dress
o f th is class o f people m ale o r female is n an k e en d y ed o f vario u s colours,
th o u g h b lu e o r b lac k is most c om m o n ly w o rn .
T h e u su a l m e th o d o f c a rry in g in fan ts , b y m o th e rs wh o are employed
in a n y manufa cture , o r a t a n y m an u a l la b o u r, as scu llin g o f b o a ts, k c .
is b y attac h in g th em to the back in a k in d o f bag. Sometimes two c h ildre
n are seen fastened a t the sh o u ld e rs in the same m a n n e r. T h e F a th e r
wears ap p en d ed from h is g ird le , a tobacco p urse , k n ife case, an d h is flint
a n d steel, b y w h ic h th e Ch in e se lig h t a p ip e v e ry ex p e d itio u s ly . T h e
elde r G i r l has h e r h a ir twisted in to a h a rd k n o b at th e c row n , a n d o rn a m
en ted w ith artific ial flowers, she is p re p a re d for d in n e r, h a v in g h e r bowl
o f rice b y h e r, a n d h e r chopsticks in h e r h a n d . T h e feet o f c h ild re n are
prevented from g row in g la rg e r, b y h a rd bandages b o u n d s tro n g ly ro u n d
th em , th e fo u r sm aller toes are tu rn e d u n d e r th e foot, closely compressed,
a n d th e great toe forms the p o in t. I n consequence o f th is ex tra o rd in a ry
custom the feet o f a d u lt w om en seldom exceed five inche s an d a h a lf; even
th e p e a san try p iq u e themselves on the smallness o f th e ir feet, and take great
care to a d o rn them w ith embroidered silk shoes, a n d bands for the ankle s,
wh ile th e re st o f th e ir h a b ilim en ts d isp la y th e most abject p o v e rty .