Canton, (China,) Dec. 20, 1831.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--When I have given you a short account of
Canton city, and told you a few things about my boys, then I must
close these letters. Canton is a very large city, situated in 23
degrees 7 minutes north latitude, 113 degrees 14 minutes east
longitude, from Greenwich. It is distant from the open sea, about
70 or 80 miles, and stands on the north bank of the Jake, which
the Chinese call Chook-eany, that is, the Pearl River. The
city is built wholly on one side of the river. Opposite to Canton,
is the island of Honam, on which stands the celebrated Honam
Joshouse. Indeed, all the way from Canton to the open sea, is part
land and part water, and forms a great number of islands.

A part of Canton is enclosed by a wall built of brick and stone,
about 20 or 25 feet high, and 10 or 15 feet thick. The part of
the city which is enclosed by the wall, is nearly square. Each
of the four sides of the city, I should think, measures about two
miles, perhaps less, perhaps more. On each side, there are three
or four gates, these are always guarded by day, and shut and barred
by night. Foreigners may not enter the gates. On the south, the
wall extends within about 20 rods of the river. On the north side,
it extends to the brow of a hill, which terminates the range of
mountains which rise and stretch along in the rear of Canton. There
is a wall which divides the city into two parts, the north and
south. The south part, is about one quarter of the whole, and has
been built since the other, and is sometimes called the new city;
but this distinction is not necessary.

The space between the city walls and the river, and a
considerable extent of the east and west sides of the city without
the walls, constitutes the suburbs of Canton, or, as the Chinese
say, the city outside, which, as to its streets, houses, shops,
&c. is all the same as the city inside. So the Chinese have repeatedly
assured me, and this, I believe, is the opinion of the foreigners
here. Usually, the streets are not more than eight feet wide, and
often not more than four. Their houses and shops are seldom, if
ever, more than two stories high, and often the top one is only
a kind of half story. The shops are built close on the streets,
and not unfrequently project over them. When the shops are opened
in pleasant weather, the whole front is removed; this displays
their goods to great advantage. Some of these streets are very
beautiful. Dwelling-houses and shops are seldom built on the same
street.

Dwelling-houses, and the gardens and yards around them, are usually
surrounded by a wall which is built close on the street, and so
high as to prevent any one passing along, from seeing the houses.
At each end of the principal streets, there is a gate and a watch-house
built above it. The gates are closed at night, and the watchmen
keep a constant look out, and beat with their gongs or bells the
watches of the night.

The population of Canton is very numerous. I think, not less
than a million of souls. Many people think this number too great,
and perhaps it is. Including those who live on the river, and all
those within and without the city, the number is very great. Though
the houses are not high, yet the people live together very thick.
They marry young, and live to a good old age. In the same house,
you will sometimes find great grand-parents, grand-parents,
parents, children, grand-children, great, and even great, great,
grand-children, making in all a very great number. From personal
observation, I should not think that more than one tenth or one
fifteenth part of the whole people of Canton live on the river.
But if to the 40,000 boats, we allow only three persons to each
boat, we shall have 120,000 on the river, and if this is only one
ninth part of the whole population, it will amount to more than
one million. But, my young friends, I will not trouble you any
more with these hard reckonings; your teachers will explain the
whole for you.

Foreign merchants have for several years traded to China. Only
a few rods from the south-west corner of the city walls, there
are twelve or thirteen large buildings, or rather rows of buildings,
and each of the rows contain three or four, and sometimes more
houses, built like the houses in the United States, and herewe live; in all, I suppose, about 100 persons, English, French,
Dutch, Americans, &c. These houses are sometimes called
factories, and sometimes hongs. The English have a chapel and
clergyman, and worship on the Sabbath. While Mr. Abeel was here,
and also since he left, the Americans have had worship on the Sabbath
in a large room in one of the private houses.

We live very comfortably here, though cut off from some of the
greatest domestic and social enjoyments. No man can bring his family
with him to Canton. All the work about house, cookery and every
thing, is done by Chinese men servants. The servant that was with
me several months after I came to China, did his work well enough,
but did not like to read; besides, he was quite old. So I mentioned
one day, that I should like a lad that would learn to read and
write. A servant of one of the gentlemen with whom I lived heard
this, and immediately wished me to take his little brother, then
ten years old. His name is Atsan. In a few days, he made his
appearance, a fine, round-faced, sprightly-looking boy. He knew
something of his own language, but not a single letter of the English.
Just at this time, Afa came and wished me to take his little son,
Atih; and in a few days, the boy came, poorly clothed, with great
head, flat nose, and crooked shoulders. His first appearance was
not very promising. He could read and write his own language well,
for a boy of his age, but knew not a word of English. I wrote out
the alphabet for the two boys, and they began to learn; two or
three days after this, they wished to introduce another boy. This
was Achang, fifteen years old, and had been to school about three
years. He had learnt also a part of the English alphabet.

In this way I became acquainted with the boys. This was a year
ago. They have done, and still continue to do, exceedingly well.
They read, write and recite, both Chinese and English, daily. If
they continue to learn as they have done thus far, they will make
excellent scholars. They read daily in the Scriptures. They have
learnt the name of Christ the Lord, and I hope ere long they will
choose him for their Saviour. Atih says he loves the Savior now,
and prays to him every night and morning, and when I ask Atih if
he did not fear men would laugh at him, he answered, men do laugh
at me, but I do not fear them that kill the body, I rather fear
Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. And now, dear
children, farewell. I beg you will not cease to pray for the dear
boys, and all this nation, and more than this, I hope you will
continue to send them the Bible and missionaries. And still more,
I desire that some of you may come here, may come as good
missionaries, for hundreds are now needed to preach the gospel
to these heathen. Say, will you come? I once knew a boy, younger
than some of you are now, who, having read an account of the heathen,
such as you have now read in these letters, desired to be a
missionary, and go to the heathen, and the Lord has granted the
desire of his heart, and now he is a missionary, laboring to make
known the glorious gospel of the blessed God.

Farewell. Your true friend,
E.C.B.

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