Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-29
OPIUM EATING.
Evils of Opium in South Eastern Asia.
BATAVIA, March 25th, 1884.

DEAR SR,-A few evenings since, accom-
panied friend to town, called on respecta-
bic Chinese merchant and under his guidance
visited some of those places which are SUCH
powerful comment upon Jer. IL 9. was in
duced to this from desire to witness a httie
something of the degradation to which human
nature unchecked in its depravity, VIII stooP;
and also to learn, from actual obser vauon, wneth
err il was possible for the habltuai use OF any
other substance to be more oeieterious o'i l'ie
system, and more uepdsihS W '"e ino' AIS ''"
ardent spirit.
We first stopped before an open shed where
the gaming multitude were deriving gratihca-
ton from witnessing the turnings, and twist
ings, and cOurtesyings of the body, and OF the
arms, and ringing the hands, and wrlthing OF
the countenance, and murderlngoi singing, o.,
a Malay dancing GIRL" $50 called) Like all
of the craft she was decked out in gaudy, TIN
sepd finery, and accompanied with the small
lava drum. gongs and other kinds OF music
There are many who follow this mode of life,
and may be seen any day walking ABOUT
town, with half dozen or more men ana boys
as musicians in their train, with as mucn un-
blushing impudence as the same depraved be-
ings, under a different name, parade your own
CITY, and they exhibit their powers whenever IN
yited Although we often hear their music from
our house. vet the term "dancing glrl Is here
only another name for that by which the refuse
females of the United States are designated
They are here the filth of the world ana the
off.scouring Of all things" and by way OF
obtaining livelihood, have no more IMAM one
string to their bow.
True il is, that none but the lowest class OF
the native population attend these eXhloiuons,
but so frequently are they, that one can scarce
ly ride to town without seeing or hearing one,
two or more of them.
Not far from this place we found one of the
opium shops. And shall tell all saw in these
dens of vice-these anti-Chambers Of hell am
aware IL exhibits the worst side of human ma
lure, which at the best is bad enough; but the
truth must be tod-not for the sake OF shock
ing the sensibilities of the refined, but to show
the dealers in this drug how they are degrading
degradation itself, adding fuel to the evil passions
that are consuming the spark OF goodness in
the human heart, hurrying souls by thousands
where the smoke OF their torment will ascend
for ever and ever.
In little front shop, entirely separated from
other parts of the building, were two counters,
behind which four Chinese men were dealing
ont the poison, ready weighed and folded up in
parcels, as rapidly as they could count the mo-
new. The crowd was great Here line look
ing half cast Chinese woman, who ashamed
shrunk back into the shade as We came IN there,
a ragged, miserable object, with all the ooio-
ness and aacrity of promised sensual gratlh-
cation, seized the precious parcel as II 1t con-
tanned life lease. Here hard laborng me.
chanic, who seemed to be laying down in the
handful of silver the purchase of Kingdom:
there another, who a stranger would suspect
would have dried many tear, had ne exPend-
ed his money at the bakers or the butchers s..
Each came and went as rapidly as desire for
a taste of "the good creature" could impel
them. II was not unlike scene which every
inhabtant of Massachusetts has in former years
witnessed, who has spent halt an hour about
the time of sun rise at a country grog shop, eX-
cept that the impatient eagernesS and the WICK
edness of appearance were as much more as
the crowd was greater. Close beside tins was
another front shop, rather larger. Inc walls
were black with smoke, and all was as hlthy as
unmitigated nastness could make II. The smo-
XIV. dingy atmosphere, which almost suffocated
the lamps and prevented their rays from eX-
tending across the room, together win the no
less dinsy countenances and half naked oodles
of the natives; would have precluded the neces-
sity of imagination, had Virgil been there IN
nainting a sDescensus Averni." Near the door
were some dozen Chinese cleaning the pipes
which had been used in the house, and selling
the vile trash to those who were too poor to
procure the pure and costly poison. FROM TINS
room two low narrow arched ways lead oack
into the more private reCesSes. These consist
Cd of rooms about sixteen feet square, dimly
lighted, black, dark, smoky, dirty, connected
nv the same small arched ways or long narrow
Messages Each contained from two to four
bally bally's,* few of which are enclosed. In
these were from one to four men, with II iri
of the house" to prepare the opium, light Inc
nine. ct cetsra. Through the whole range OF
apartments there was no circulation of air.foui
as it was, it remained from day to day and from
night TO night unchanged save but by the fumes
of the intoxicating drug, as it poured from the
mouths and nostrils of the congregated multi
tudes, after having been retained on tne nerves
as long as respiration could bear. But darker
yet were the minds and hearts of these votares
of sensuality, and more foul and polluted the
words they spake. Malays, Chinese, &c, men
and women, old and young; in one heteroge-
neous mass; some just entering upon the sha-
dowy dream; others unconscious to all around;
others just rising from their stupor only to again
annihiate existence; others still engaged in
deeds that dark walls and darker hearts should
never pollute the pure light of day and purer
hearts Of the upright by revealing. Here some
lettering on the brink of the grave; there others
in the prime Of life and the heat of youthful
blood. Here some loathsome in disease; there
others ruddy in health-a mingled in one COM
mon herd, wallowing in their filth, beastly,
gross, sensual, devilish Oh! it was seemingly
an anti-chamber of hell! 1t was human ma