Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-11-12


dolivoranco Of their friends from purgatory, to
a rich and handsome wife or rich and worthy
husband. Beside every shop 10 an idol of the
god Of wealsh,-and overy house has a god of
longevity, to which devout and daily prayers are
offered. Most of them are utterly ignorant Of
tho existence Of future state; but they receive
instruction gladly.
In tho streets, the Chinese appear just as they
are depicted. They walk with a swngger, and
their long tails present an almost Irresistible
temptation to seize and pull them over. While
the legation were amusing themselves with look
ing about town. it was announced that they were
about TO be visited by four high officers of Can
ton. Every thing was prepared for their receP-
ton. On the day appointed, terrible discord
was heard: two i'll looking follows, with wire
caps, one with a whip and the other with an axe,
wore seen leading tho procession. These were
execuiionors, who always accompany high offl.
cess.-Then camo some twenty dirty. ragged
soldiers; noxt mon on wretced ponies; then band
Of music; and finally tho sedan chairs, on which
were borne four large fine looking persons, who
proved to be tho officers. They entered with
their caps on-shook their hands at us, and
the chief presented the letter. 1t was read by
tho interpreter; and after a short silence, they
commenced tho conversation by asking our
names.-Informed upon this point, they next
asked our ages. Our guests nte but little, but
they evinced q wondrous fondness for those bar
barian drinks, champagne ond cherry bounce.
They spoke in astonshingly, loud tone of
voice,-oasily hoard in the street;-and as each
was required by etiquette upon cvery toast to
empty his glass, they soon became as elevated
~ thoir voices. Ciyiiitics woro exchanged with
tho grcatest urbanty. 1t is the fashion for each
to help himselG--and the very highest mark Of
regard is for one to seize morsel with his own
chop stick, and thrust it down tho throat Of
friend whom no desires most especially to honor.
As thcy are by no means nice in their eating,
this wo would gladly have excused; but there wa 8
escnpe, and oil that left was retaliation,
which we accordingly practised. After an
hours entertainment we retired to the verandah;
and here we were favored with moro oftheir dol
icate attentions, for they began to examine our
apparel, piece by piece, and with the utmost Curl
osty. As DR.. Parker informed US that this was
the very acme Of poitenoss. we submitted and
recprocated with all duo diligencc.-After two
hours of this intellectual converse our guests re-
"19Q.y .","s p.o.s"". anu INSTRUCTIVE
course with tho Chinese. is of course impossible.
They are tho reverse of US in every thing. They
are ignorant of everything that we know, and
they desire information which we possess.
Our Minister resolved TO acquire the Manchou
Tartar, the language Of the court: and Mr.. w.
was despatched to Canton for Tartar, rs a
teacher. The voyage is pleasant-made in boats
kept and hired for tho purpose, and very prettiiy
furnished and managed with tho greatest dextori-
~. Smaller boats, by which tho others, which
cannot approach the land, are reached, arc con-
stantlv kept by women who thus obtain living,
and who pass their lives on board. These boats
are very numerous and Of oil sizes, many of
them are fitted up 40 as to appear like immense
blocks Of houses floating on the water. Shops OF
all kinds arc kept in them; and thus at least 300,
600 persons obtain living-.born upon tho water.
living therc all their lives and finally dying on
board their boats. About GO milos above Macao
is the mouth Of tho river. Forts stand OH other
sido, and ON Tiger island in the centro. These
r. H. L. t~,,A 70 hn
quito useless. They are simply walls, open at
the top. and not placed upon the summit Of the
hiI--so that they aro easily commanded from
the top. They have humorous port holes, as
largo each of them q barn door. and no guns
ut all mounted.
Tho population Of China is very variousy esti-
mated. Tho Chinese accounts have not been
received as correct, and Mr.. Webster said he
could not but think injustice had been done them
Thoy have every means Of ascertaining tho ac-
tual population; and whom we compare tho assert
cd population of that Empire. with that of Wes-
torn nations, thero can be no good reason for
Withholding credit from them. France for in
stance. with surface Of 2OO, 900. square miles.
has 50, 900 600 of peopIe.-or $50 to each squa re
mile. Her soil, climate, &C., arc no more favor
able than those Of China; nor arc her people moro
frugal or temperate. China proper,
is rs fertile and we'll cultivated as France.
liz L Va: q, n%s cd whom Caesar conquered
Gaul, as now. Her people arc the most indus
Irious and frugal in the world. For 200 years
Ihey havo not hoard Of war; marriage is encour-
aged and emigration is strictly prohibited. Chi
m proper is thus capable Of maintaining popu-
lation eight times that of France. In Chinese
Tartary, tho people arc moro nomadic. and are
Of course comparatively sparse.-Suppose then
that this part is pcoped two-thirds as densely as
Russia, which has 20 to tho square mic.-lf Chi
ma proper 10 as dense rs France, it would havc
24O, OOO, 900; and Chinese Tartary 20 millions
more. making $40. 100000 in all. Or giving to
Ill alike density Of one-third that Of France.
he population would exceed 90 ,OOO. OGO. These
are very large and seem almost incredi-
bio, but when tho facts Of the case, and the
means the government has Of acquiring infor- |
nation arc considered, thoy will not be deemed