Wed 27. [27 April 1898] Up at 5, breakfasted 6, fine but grey and cold.
Launch left at 8, we were lying in the mouth of the river with a flat green
coast on either hand - it looked exactly as China looks in the map!
Lots of junks curiously rigged; some 3 sails, one big one in middle
and a small one fore and aft, most 3 sails big one in middle, medium
sized fore and tiny one aft. Sometimes a 4th sail sticks out at right
angles from the main mast, shaped like a triangle. With their curved
out hulls and the eyes painted in the bows they look like great fishes.
Up the river for 2 hours nearly, I talked to Mr Campbell, an agreeable
Scotchman, tea merchant I think, and Mr Smith who is in Holt's (blue
funnel steamers. Jardine Matheson, the muckle[?] hoose[?] are the
red funnel.) Very cold. Fine band at Shanghai, American, English,
French. Took rickshaws and drove to the silk shop where I got
nothing, then to the Chinese town. Walked and battlemented.
Passed over a ditch under a gate and found ourselves in a very
narrow street covered with a filthy black ooze, shops all along, nearly
meeting overhead and a jostle of people and disgusting beggars. A
guide took us to a mandarin's house with an amusing garden all
rockwork. Then back to our rickshaws. M. [Maurice] and I drove
round the race course along Bubbling Well road, lunched at the Astor
House where we found Mr Hall. Launch returned at 1. Boat nearly
empty, 4 American women, 4 Spaniards, Mr Danby and a fat German
both of Hongkong, Mr Bryer a curly haired merry American and a Mr
Smith another American who lives in Yokohama. Off at 3, down the
river for a bit. Went to sleep and slept till dinner.