The girl wore a yellow petticoat of treble satin (mandarin yellow) with
broad box plaits in front and behind, exquisitely embroidered with
flowers in shades of blue silk, with narrow box plaits between, with a
trail of blue silk flowers on each. Over this there was a short robe of
crimson brocaded silk, with a broad border of cream-white satin, with
the same exquisite floral embroidery in shades of blue silk. Above this
was a tippet of three rows of embroidered lozenge-shaped "tabs" of
satin. The child wore a crown on her head, the basis of which was black
velvet. At the top was an aigrette of diamonds of the purest water,
the centre one as large as a sixpenny-piece. Solitaires flashing blue
flames blazed all over the cap, and the front was ornamented with a
dragon in fine filigree work in red Malay gold set with diamonds. I
fear to be thought guilty of exaggeration when I write that this child
wore seven necklaces, all of gorgeous beauty. The stones were all cut
in facets at the back; and highly polished, and their beauty was
enhanced by the good taste and skilful workmanship of the setting. The
first necklace was of diamonds set as roses and crescents, some of them
very large, and all of great brilliancy; the second of emeralds, a few
of which were as large as acorns, but spoilt by being pierced; the
third of pearls set whole; the fourth of hollow filigree beads in red,
burned gold; the fifth of sapphires and diamonds; the sixth a number of
finely worked chains of gold with a pendant of a gold filigree fish set
with diamonds; the seventh, what they all wear, a massive gold chain,
which looked heavy enough even by itself to weigh down the fragile
little wearer, from which depended a gold shield, on which the Chinese
characters forming the child's name were raised in rubies, with fishes
and flowers in diamonds round it, and at the back a god in rubies
similarly surrounded. Magnificent diamond earrings and heavy gold
bracelets completed the display.