In the next rank to the Indians stand the Chinese, who in this place are numerous, but possess very little property; many of then live within the walls, and keep shops.  The fruit-sellers of Passar-Pissang have been mentioned already; but others have a rich show of European and Chinese goods:  The far greater part, however, live in a quarter by themselves, without the walls, called Campang China.  Many of them are carpenters, joiners, smiths, tailors, slipper-makers, dyers of cotton, and embroiderers, maintaining the character of industry that is universally given of them; and some are scattered about the country, where they cultivate gardens, sow rice and sugar, and keep cattle and buffaloes, whose milk they bring daily to town.[155]

[Footnote 155:  The Chinese who carry on any trade or profession, i.e. almost all of them, pay a monthly tax to the government.  In Stavorinus’s time, this was about six shillings sterling a-piece.—­E.]

There is nothing clean or dirty, honest or dishonest, provided there is not too much danger of a halter, that the Chinese will not readily do for money.  But though they work with great diligence, and patiently undergo any degree of labour, yet no sooner have they laid down their tools than they begin to game, either at cards or dice, or some other play among the multitude that they have invented, which are altogether unknown in Europe:  To this they apply with such eagerness as scarcely to allow time for the necessary refreshments of food and sleep; so that it is as rare to see a Chinese idle, as it is to see a Dutchman or an Indian employed.

In manners they are always civil, or rather obsequious; and in dress they are remarkably neat and clean, to whatever rank of life they belong.[156] I shall not attempt a description either of their persons or habits, for the better kind of China paper, which is now common in England, exhibits a perfect representation of both, though perhaps with some slight exaggerations approaching towards the caricatura.

[Footnote 156:  Whatever may be their personal cleanliness in appearance, their moral impurity, according to all accounts, is most gross and detestable.  We shall not pollute our page by the slightest mention of the abominable gratifications in which they are said to indulge, contrary to the most palpable enactments of nature.—­E.]

In eating, they are easily satisfied, though the few that are rich have many savory dishes.  Rice, with a small proportion of flesh or fish, is the food of the poor; and they have greatly the advantage of the Mahometan Indians, whose religion forbids them to eat of many things which they could most easily procure.  The Chinese, on the contrary, being under no restraint, eat, besides pork, dogs, cats, frogs, lizards, serpents of many kinds, and a great variety of sea-animals, which the other inhabitants of this country do not consider as food:  They also eat many vegetables, which an European, except he was perishing with hunger, would never touch.[157]