The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-04-23

APRIL %, 1910.
of these dwellings in some parts, tina
! they often conceal a large surface 9
/ the element on which they rest, an
appear jumbled together almost in
!. solid mass. In other places they ar
: regularly arranged, with their side
contiguous, and extend from eacI
ashore, SO as to leave about third o
j the river clear in the middle. Group
E of them are often detached from til,
land, and moored in regular rows
affording the facilities of communica
Z ton among themselves, and prevent
ing intercourse with the shore. 81
: lis a singular fact,'' says Mr.. Abeel
. that the Chinese look upon those
who dwell in boats as distinct race
from themselves. They consider
them low alien people, and refuse
to intermarry with them. Tradi
+ ton says, that they came from out.
3 side the mouth of the river. The
grandfather of the present emperor
is the first who naturalized them. Be-
:, fore his time they were not permitted
to land.
! The late DR.. Morrison, in his view
Of China for Pathological purposes,
/ published at Macao, furnishes the fol.
J, lowing facts with reference to this
curious race. "The Tan-hoo, or peo-
pie who live in boats, in this province,
are considered a distinct race, whose
origin cannot be traced; fishing was
originally their profession. In the
fourth century, they amounted to up-
wards of $4,000 boats; after Tang,
/ "a. D. 83l,) they were numbered
and taxed. In 1870, they were unit
ed along the sides of the rivers, and
put under the charge Of an officer,
called Ho-po-so, the electromagnetic
| officer and paid tax on fish. In
marriage they made no previous be-
trothment. The man who wanted a
wife, placed platter Of straw at the
end Of his oar, and the female who
accepted his offer, did the same with
a basket of flowers, after which they
were united in singing barbarous
songs. Young-ching, about 1880,
allowed them to live on shore and
cultivate the land. Poor people on
shore, still consider it degrading to
marry with them.'
By "a statement made a few years
ago, it appeared that the number Of
family boats subject to an annual tax,
in the vicinity of Canton, is computed
at fifty thousand, exclusive Of eigh-
teen thousand larger vessels plying
between the city and Whampoa.
"Of all the craft Of every descrip-
tiou, there are very few destitute of
shrines, images, or some inscriptions,
and the necessary apparatus for their
daily offerings. Every morning and
evening, and at whatever seasons
evils are deprecated, or special bless
ings craved, they fly to the altar, ap-
ply piece Of consecrated paper,
oiled for the purpose, to the burning
lamp or incense stick, and when it
blazes; throw it into the water, and
bow to the imaginary spirit Of the
deep"
Besides the population living in
these floating residences, there are
many houses erected on piles, in the
stream, and extending considerable
distance from the shore opposite to
Canton.
/" Who ,uiN get the Nation out of the
Mud"--It was related few days
since, by gentleman from the west
ern part of Illinois, that an old gem
tleman Of that State, who had been a
stanch supporter of General Jackson,
and even Of Martin Van Buren, in
1886, called to see friend Of his in
Springfield, warm Harrison man.
"And you think that old Tipp can
bring the Government back to its
former purity y said the Harrison
man.
81 do" said his friend. ssFor re-
member, many years ago, when dri-
wing my team to Mad River Mills,
that my wagon got into a mire-hole,
from which the horses could not draw
lit. While in this dilemma Gen. Har-
rison came riding by. Without de-
lay the old General dismounted, pull
ed off his coat, and putting his shout
der to the wheel, helped me to getmy
wagon out of the rut. The Peoples
wagon Of the Government is in the
mire-hole Of corruption, and firmly
believe that General Harrison is the
only man whose services the People
will accept in helping them to get it
out once more on hard ground"
DIFFERENCE OF CRtME.-The st.
Louis Gazette, in noticing recent
execution ormurder, says that more
murders have been perpetrated with
in the last year in and near that city,
with its $4,000 inhabitants, than in
Boston with its 100000 for the last