Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-09-28
CHING, CHONG, CHOW
THE CHINESE INTERPRETATION.

| THE CHINESE INTERPRETATION.
Our mission to China, placed in the
hands ofthe Hon. Caleb Cushing, has
excited great interest in the public
mind, and this has extended to all the
details of his outfit, from the silk flag
to the gold lace upon his costly court
costume. It is not expected that Mr..
Gushing will ever learn the Chinese
language, either written OF spoken, tho
a man Of his industry and research, is
very likely to do something at the for
mer. As our readers know, perhaps,
they are not at all alike. HewiIl there
fore be obliged to have an Interpreter,
and to procure competent one who
should be an American, the commits
sioner being completely in his power
is rather an important matter 1t re-
minds US of an anecdote of Capt Cros-
by, who formerly sailed ia those seas,
a doNn-easter, well acquainted with
the Chinese, but who did not know a
word Of the language, which is the
most monstrous and unintelligible, see
mingly, in the world, being nothing
but ching chong ching chong chow
chong ching, and SO on to the end of
the chapter. Several American vessels
were lying at Whampoa, when there
fcame down from Canton one of the
large Chinese junks, Of nearly thou
sand tons, with one immense mast
stuck up In the centre, aud single sail
reaching from the masthead TO the
deck, the queerest of all water-craft.-
The American captains, waiting for
their cargoes, were having fine times,
dining with each other every day, and
when this junk came down they pro-
posed to go on board. "But what
shall we do for an interpreter" said
they. 4" Crosby, can you talk their
lingo?" Capt. Crosby was of that
breed of Yankees who were never
known to plead ignorance to anything,
and SO answered yes, Of course. 1t
was Immediately determined that next
day the whole party would pay the
Chinaman visit. Crosby was in a
fix, but he determined to go through it
as best he might. So he called a bum
boatman alongside, and told him TO go
and tell the Chinese commander that
the American captains were coming
next day to pay him visit, and see his
vessel. At the proper hour they were
on board. They were received with
due ceremony. Z" Ching chong ching
chong, &c" said the Chinaman.-
q" What does he say, Crosby" asked
the American. "He says he is very
happy to see US abroad" "Well,
thank him, and ask him what the ton
mage of this vessel is" "Ching chong
ching chow chong, &C." said Crosby.
The Chinese thought he was talking
English, while his friends could not
: distinguish it from Chinese. " Ching
chong ching chong, &C." said the Chi
naman with inperturbable gravity. So
they went on, taking tea, and Crosby
managing by shrewd guesses to graft
fly the curiosity Of his countlymen: no
slight job, as we may fancy. At last,
Just as they were taking leave, one Of
them said, " Crosby, ask him how they
ever managed to get that great mast
into the junk Crosby was put to
his trumps, but he was not going to
give itup so. He went to ching chon-
ing and gesticulating furiously. Not
to be outdone in civility, the Chinaman
ching chonged in return with greater
volubility. " What does he say, Cros-
by" asked the eager AUDITORS
"Why," said tho Captain, looking a.
loft deliberately, Che says they found
that tree growing on the seashore, and
built the junk around it, and when they
got all ready to launch, they sawed it
off at the botttomi' 1t has been the
prevailing belief, ever since, that this is
: the mode Of Chinese ship building
We hope Mr.. Gushing may find as rea-
dy and ingenious an interpreter-N.