years before. The Chinese messengers believed all the absurd
histories they heard about Buddha, and they returned to China
with a book which had been written about him. Ah! had they gone
as far as Canaan they might have heard Paul and Peter preaching
the Gospel. Alas! why did they go no further, and why did they go
so far, only to return to China with idols!




COCHIN CHINA.


Any one on hearing this name would guess that the country was like China;
and so it is. If you were to go there you would be reminded of China by
many of the customs. You would see at dinner small basins instead of
plates, chop-sticks instead of knives and forks; you would have rice to
eat instead of bread; and rice wine to drink instead of grape wine.

But you would not find _all_ the Chinese customs in Cochin-China: for you
would see the women walking about at liberty, and with large feet, that
is, with feet of the natural size, and not cramped up like the "golden
lilies" of China. Neither would you see the people treated as strictly in
Cochin-China as in China. Beatings are not nearly as common there, and
behavior is not nearly as good as in China.

The people are very different from the Chinese; for they are gay and
talkative, and open and sociable, while the Chinese are just the
contrary. However, they resemble the Chinese in fondness for eating. They
are very fond of giving grand dinners, and sometimes provide a hundred