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

amid thousands of boats, from the immense and
! unweIdly junks and chop boats, down 10 tlo
small dug out" as we at home call the toa,s
! cut from solid log. Some, going down tho
river, swept by the rapid current others an.
chored and waiting for the flood. Fish boats
: trade boats. flower boats, sampans and tankcu
boats, and RATS, all in a confused mass, with
their occupants making the best use of their
lungs and tongues. and INDUCING in the cheap
!, luxury OF slang and abuse Of the most complca.
ted nature. What Il babel of sounds what
confusion Here is long street of flower
boats, moored broadside to the current What
a inc mass they form, so compact, uniform and
secure. Good humor and mrth seem to reign
J every where, and their inhabitants seem mover
tired of sitting on their hams, smoking and
screaming, and enjoying themselves in the most
! enviabe manner, with, and at the expense of the
ever varying throng.
: There are number Of naked children on tho
platforms, OF all sizes and ages, including little
ones that can just totte about. There's a wee
one, and sitting On the veyy edge of the platform,
but there is no danger they are born and
brought up to these boats, and there, for aught
know, they die. One frequently secs children
scarcely able to turn about, standing up with
their mothers at the oar, getting their hands in,
and making believe to row. To see them, at
the age OF five or six, tugging manfully at their
little oars, is quite common. Should they
chance to fall into the water there is not much
danger. for they have each a gourd suns
around them, which would support them till
they could be saved, which would not be long
in so crowded "A place. Their parents seem to
be very fond Of them, and are continually hold.
ing them up to look at the Fdn-quies as they
pass, not unfrepucntly prompted to such moyo.
ments. in the hope Of receiving the coveted
cun,shd.
The crime Of nfantcde with which the Chi.
nese are so frequently charged, is, believe, q
calumny. | have seen many corpses floating
about in the rivers during my residence here
but never those of infants. Nor should | hav0
been surprised if I had, for where there is such
a population on the waters about Canton
winch is estimated by some to be two hundred
and fifty thousand,-t would not be strange If
some few Of the many children should meet
death by drowning. Then, again, if am not
mistaken, it is not unfrequent for persons who
are too poor to bury their dead, to cast them up.
on the water, so there is no proof that infants
which have been seen floating about, came to
their end Intentionally. | think that SO unfa.
vonbe conclusion must have been Jumped at,
without reason, by some quck-witted traveller.
who thought himself safe in making positive
assertions upon subject of which nothing de-.
cisvc could be learned.
Here comes log boat, with single inmate.
who is dressed like Joseph, in coat of many
| colors, and who propes his solitary and isolated
home, with a small paddle. Mark those tangled
, masses of dark hair: as they lift in wild disor.
der to the passing breeze, they discover brow
e and face, whose chalky wilderness forms
Y strange contrast to the sunbrowned features OF
n his countrymen. His fantastic head-gear, his
:, long beard streaming down over his breast, and
:. his outlined form are in admirable picturesque.
l. ness and keeping. He is perfect picture, and
= sight OF HIM would seud thrill Of pleasure to
a the heart of the painter Impressive and noble.
y though clothed in rags and misery.
5 But, away, Room for the leper," for he Is
e one OF that unfortunate class, upon whom pitt
II less mankind hath set its mark. There seems
d to me the melancholy of despair in his glance,
and he looks like one, as Willis says, whose
2 heart Is with an iron nerve put down" lilo
l. drags ont his existence in solitude. and is doom.
l. ed TO living death, for that boat is his home,
e and will be his coffin. They subsist upon char.
+ ny, which seems to he given them willingly-
o Many OF these unfortunate outcasts are seen
p upon the rivers One charitable person gives
e them little food another few cash, and 80
they spend their days-in the midst of their fel.
Il low creatures who avoid all contact with them ;
y and in the midst of hustle and excitement, from
y which they are denied all participation.
u see several flower boats in advance Of us,
It which are dropping down with the tide we will
l. 20 near them, that if there are any women
: there, we may catch glance Of them Look
IT, n at the window as we pass. There is party
:! on board. and men, women and children ara
~ moving about with considerable hustle. while
> ever and anon the sharp impatient squeaking of
y a fiddle is heard, accompanied BY lew snatches
y of songs. preparatory symptoms of coming enjoy.
:. ment' Tables and seats, upon which are vases
>, ot flowers, are ranged about the cabins over
head. and hung from the ceiling are foreign
= lamps. interSper>cd with Chinese lanterns willis
= foreign clock adorns a side table In the at.
~ tcr-cabin of this immense craft. are several of
= the tra daughters of Eve and votaries of pleas.
, nrc Some OF them are exceedingly pretty.
came up the river the other day in sail
, boat, and "a we came along side one of these
% boats we let down part OF the sail, as if acciden.
% tally, and so we were obliged to hold on to tho
l., craft until we could make sail, to prevent being
!, carried down stream By the current we pot a
p very COED view, not only of the boat. bat also of
>. its inmates. Some of the women were painted
v very lightly, and had their hair dressed with
/ white flowers. and all seemed to ba clothed in
q their gala dresses, They generally possessed
s straight noses, Tine arched brows, and consider
ID able regularity of features, while one or two of
,r them were so attractive that they would be ca H.
e ed beautiful any where. As far as am able to
It Judge, our standard of beauty and that of tho
r. Chinese here seem to be pretty much the same.
!. \ China woman that we would call handsome,
is handsome to them and a Chnarnan said to
II me, OF beautiful lady who once lived here inv
% truly thank-ee Cinema no have got so hand.
h some
n | do not know that small foot is considered
v as beauty, though it is generally supposed to
d be. 1t lis, however, an honor, arl is generally
f desired. 1t is the ambition Of every 'amy to
a have one of its members with SINAI! feet wbv
it is so, know not dnicss it be To make it an
:, pear that they are capable of supporting one who
IT is in great measure helpless and that it gives
k consequently, character and responsibility to
n such family. Some persons suppose that the
y custom was introduced in order to place re.
II straint upon the eadding propenstics peculiar
e to females, but that could scarcely be the case
It for females in respectable lie are so closely
s guarded, and allowed so little liberty, that such
p" restraint would be quite unnecessary.
II (Which Captain, can put-te anchor.' Let's
II 90 on deck Is not this a beautiful sight The
At confluence of the rivers forms beautiful bay,