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islands are fortified by stone forts & walls behind which cannon are hidden. Pirates still infest the river & at times plunder small steamers & river boats but no longer attempt to rob the large steamers which have their pilot houses sheathed in armour plate. Laying at anchor in the river opposite Shameen were 2 American [[strikethrough]] bo [[/strikethrough]] gun boats, one a cruiser & 2 British cruisers but no other nations were thus represented. Canton is by far the most interesting Chinese city I have seen & is well worth several days exploration. One of the peculiar sights of of [[strikethrough]] Ho [[/strikethrough]] the Canton River is the stern wheel paddle junks worked by man power by tread-mill