4
THE BATTALION.
the barbers shaved their customers’ heads just the same as
our barbers shave our faces. When their heads were shaved,
the barbers washed them in a very nice smelling ointment
and fixed up the wigs just as our barbers comb our hair.
Just as soon as a customer comes into the shop, he sits down
and very solemnly pulls off his shoes, lets his head fall over
on his breast, and never says a word through the whole per
formance. Being shaved is considered a very sacred perfor
mance by the Chinese. I almost laughed several times when
I looked up and saw the grave look on Mr. Adams’ face.
From the barber shop we went out into the residence
portion of the place. The houses were all very low and
pretty, and from all appearances I think that at least live or
six f mi'ies lived in each one. Some of the higher class of
Chinese women looked pretty in their dainty dresses consist
ing of a ver} T fine quality of the gaudiest silk that can be
made. Nearly all of the children that I noticed, wore tanned
eather shoes instead of wooden ones. The old men and
women are the ugliest human beings in the world. The in
sides of most of the houses are very neatly furnished, and
some of the people still retain the old habit of sleeping on
the floor.
It now being about dinner time, we drifted back to the
business portion of the town and ate dinner. Mr. Adams
could speak the Chinese language and he ordered the dinner.
During the progress of the meal I saw men eat rats. These are
considered quite a luxury. There is not much work done