Chapter III

Frenchmen pleasant travelling companions—Their limitations—Vicomte de Vogue—The innkeeper and the ikon—An early oil-burning steamer—A modern Bluebeard—His "Blue Chamber"—Dupleix—His ambitious scheme —A disastrous period for France—A personal appreciation of the Emperor Nicholas II—A learned but versatile Orientalist—Pidgin English—Hong-Kong—An ancient Portuguese city in China—Duck junks—A comical Marathon race—Canton—Its fascination and its appalling smells—The malevolent Chinese devils—Precautions adopted against—"Foreign devils"—The fortunate limitations of Chinese devils—The City of the Dead—A business interview