Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-07-09

not tell you how welcome and priced are those
that reach Inc. beg you will not refrain from
writing meas fear you will-ior the supposi
ton that your letters will not interest me- That
is suppost;on based on the sands Of fancy, and
) trust that the storm of my protestations to the
contrary, has long since undermined and over
thrown it, like the house of the silly man in the
good Book
With regard to our situation here, I think,
Judging from the general manifestations Of i'll.
will on the part of the Chinese, and incidental
conduct which goes far towards supporting my
opinion-that it never has been more prccarous.
Some unseen agency seems to be at work upon
the minds Of the lower order of Chinese melting
them to a frequent and unexpected expression
of their hatred for foreigners. Give them cour-
agcous and energetic leaders, and that combine
tion-thc lack of which has been so apparent in
all their riots, and we should soon be unearthed
and driven from our factories. Our situation.
though not one of fear, is undoubtedly one of
great uncertainty. If you were to talk in this
strain to many persons here, they would laugh
at you, and say that such ideas were perfectly
absurd and that your conclusion could not be
supported BY facts.
When. however, any Of these persons take an
impartial and candid summary Of our inter-
slight provocations what trivial and contingent
events, have arisen most of their outbreaks -
when they recoect that these outbreaks have
been quite as frequent of late years they were
formerly, think. if they have any knowledge of
Chinese character they will be of the same
opinion. fancy that the foreigners will be al
ways prepared for an outbreak, though they can
not at any time prevent the mob from firing the
factories in the rear, where they are weakly de-
Tended and very accessible, being separated
from the back street only by brick wall
They defend their lives, but not their property,
which, the buildings once fired, can scarcely fail
to fall into the hands of the plunderng rabbe.
This, at best, uncertain state of life, is in itself
sufficient reason for ladies not being allowed to
make residence of Canton.
After dinner, especially in warm weather, we
are in The habit of going upon the river, where
We remain till dark, and do our best to keep
cool and comfortable. Most of the houses here
have each a large pleasure boat called Hong
Boat" which is more comfortable than any
thing of the boat kind | have ever seen else
where. The cabin takes up the whole boat cx-
ceptng space in front for the man to row, and
small room in the stern, where the cooking,
&c. for the crew is done The cabins are gem
orally large, are fitted up with green blinds,
cushions and bamboo pillars, and have couch
lie or sit according to the sutlcency of room
and inclination, and pass away the time in
smoking deal. talking deal, and reading a
little while not few give themselves up to
the influence of the drowsy God, and find food
/, for dreams and moschetocs.
After we have reached the junction of the
Macao passage and Canton river | think It's
more pleasant to 90 upon the flat roof of the
cabin, and if want rap, to spread out my
mat, and take it there. If do not, there | an
= with the great river stretched out before me
: and every passing object within my ken. say
c CT, what a Bringing hot day it is-altogeth
c er too much so to enjoy in an active manner
suppose we 90 upon the river-twll be
/. strange and interesting sight for you. AT any
It rate lets 60 down to the point and see what il
j going on. Do you see those large boats to thu
Y left; some painted and gilded, and some tina
e ought to be ?-they are the " Hong Boats" ant
: the gents are just going on board-rathcr earl,
d to-day. But come, lm not going in the Hon.
t boat, for see two of my Tyaas are on board
r and we might be d. trop without an invitation
besides we can do more As we like when alone
: together. How am going? Oh, there i
/ plenty of cOnveyances, and want yOu first t
q look about here bit This is the landing place
. and those little egg-shell craft are the Tanke
J, boats you have heard so much Of
j. The begging boat girls have caught sight o.
j. us. Did you ever hear such a clamor! M
boat-a, my buat-a, what for you no come m
v boat-a PIN chop-chop wak-y have &C
e number one good boat" Look at this girl, sh
j. has the dim, bescechng eve" and a Mania
d ni would say-"a demnd fascinating ankle
It she is talking 10 you. Gentleman, gentleman
: how YOU do! My chin-chin you come IN
Q boat.a Long teen my no have seen you
It handsome face y, what side you walk-y ?' M
e good Mrs. A-moon,' your iawnng tongue hA
r betrayed you into a gross error-this is m
= friend Il. student from Harvard, and who la
= never bctorc-eXcepting in thought-sct foe
n within your so ms-called Celestial dominions.
n The residents are gathering fast. This grouI
: as you cannot fail to observe, consists of Amer
d cans. There Is an air of nationality about then
all, as they stand, chatering in monotonou
a tones, especially in that one yonder in the brow
5 coat-conversational, rational and Independent,
o and rather touchy withal
t The person on his right seems to copy him il
;, dress; wears the same kind of hat, which h
h COCKS alter the same fashion, and has the sam
= devil-may-care look, but he too carries hi, ma
: tonality about hin, and any one can see tina
g he is German. There are also many Eng
II lishmcn about, some of them very fine gentle
o man-H Ike fellows, who represent their conntr
C with honor. Then there is little bullet-headcd
5 pert man, standing in pair of obstinate lookin!
2 boots lie seems to belong to the snubS, elias
n somewhat largely represented here--who remn
c me of bag-men and runners from Mancheste
o and Birmingham persons who exist in litt
world of conceit and preiudice who apply grea
r energy TO nnimportant affairs, and by whom or
v binary objects are represented as A" fearful, in
o credible and astounding"
# We'll we may as well be off, Be careful
b how you cross these planks, for at low td
5 there is any thing but bed of roses beneatl
= you. This shed here on the right built npoi
!. piles driven into the mud, and filled with laz,
it Cinnamon, cats and yellow dogs, is the hca'
: quarters OF" Old Head" IA person in his way OF
II some substance and importance. lie owns
O number of boats, which he lets to foreigners
@ besides which he takes care of their own boats
o finds hoatmen runs on errands, and is in shor
/. a useful character and quite a tavorite. thlnl
). we had better take a dollar boat" "DolIa
II boats" are built something like Hong boats,
t but are much smaller. The sheds which yol
: see about are mostly boat houses. Here arr
n some of the boats pulling and sailing-but mos
: Of them seem to have gone out. All here
n Old Head" "IIaad want-chee Dollar boat
n Every well, sir This is rather a nice sal
e boat, C., though the rigging is not quite a
IT ftit. " Head what for YOU no fix-cc that boa