Besides dollars, little bars of pure unstamped silver are used as a circulating medium; small portions, varying in size, being cut off them, according to the sum required.

The counting-house is situated on the ground floor, in the comprador's room.

The Europeans have nothing to do with the money, and, in fact, never even carry any for their private use.
The comprador has no fixed salary, but receives a stated per-centage upon all business transactions: his per-centage upon the household expenses is not fixed, but is not on that account less certain.

On the whole, these compradors are very trustworthy.

They pay down a certain sum, as caution-money, to some mandarin, and the latter answers for them.
The following is a tolerably correct account of the mode of life pursued by the Europeans settled here.