blematic figures, which resembled in shape, and color, and design nothing which Caucasian mind ever conceived, or could comprehend if described—and I don't know how to describe it—was lying in the street in front of the line of joss-sticks, and, as he arose to go, a boy touched off a pile of fire-crackers concealed within it, and in an instant it disappeared in a blaze of glory. This appeared to be a part of the programme.
We followed along the line of joss-sticks, and found that it terminated at the entrance of the narrow passage which leads in between two gambling-houses to the centre of the block, where stands the Buddhist temple, erected by the famous Chinese physician, Li-po-Tai, in demonstration of his gratitude to a Supreme Intelligence for his escape from instant death some years since by a gas explosion, which killed his companion, and disfigured him for life. A crowd of visitors, Chinese and Caucasian, were moving in and out, and we passed in with the throng. At the end of the passage we came to a stairway, which zig-zags up on the outside of the tall brick building to the upper story, terminating on a balcony hung with Chinese lanterns of the most brilliant and striking patterns, each as large as a flour-barrel, from which you enter the temple proper. At the last landing, below the top of the stairway, we stopped to look at a gigantic statue representing a "devil-man" sentinel, placed in an alcove, in a half-sitting, half-standing position, menacing the intrusive unbeliever, seeking for the Holy of Holies, with outstretched arm and
