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38
Tchi-ki District.

3,000 cash a mow a year. But land, generally, is let to the small farmer for a per centage of the crops. What this per centage is the farmer is found unwilling to tell; and, from the various reports, and, again, from the variety in weights and measures in the several districts, there is much difficulty in arriving at truthful statistics. For a good Carolus dollar, 1100 Copper cash can be obtained;—for a Carolus 10 per cent better than a Mexican, 1010 Cash—For a Mexican dollar 920 cash. Some of the buildings at Foong-je-how resemble palaces; and there is an excellent specimen of masonry in a large arched bridge over the stream.

Five N. W. from Fong-je-how, is the hamlet of Tchwo-San, of 60 families, and one mile further on the hamlet of Owydee. Thence to the ferry and Boat station, on a canal leading to the Tsien-tang, the distance, still N. W. is about 2 .

The tide, which by the way of the Tsien-Tang flows in from Hangchow Bay, runs up the creek or canal at which the traveller from Fong-je-how takes boat for Foo-yang. These boats, of about four tons burthen, are propelled in a curious way by a man sitting at the stern, and playing with his feet on the weighted end of a broad bladed skull. From a watch of half a dozen hours these men keep steadily at their post without any other movement than that of the feet, or a sweep right or left with an additional skull out of the stern held under the arm. The price for hire of one of these boats from the Ferry to Foo-yang, is 2,600 cash, together with what is called Wine money, which is a douceur of a mace or so for good behaviour. The general direction of the stream, though winding in some extraordinary contortions occasionally, is W.N.W. From the Ferry to where it enters the Tsien-Tang,