Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-11-10

cur is situated, as you are aware, with
out the walled city of Canton, towards
that part of the suburbs which lies to the
South along the river. This narrow,
dirty street, which is about 100 metres
long and Is wide, is called by the Eu-
ropeans the ''Potter's Field" All the
houses on each side are, in fact, inhabit-
ed by workmen who make common SER
vices of porcelain and those portable fur
naces which you have often seen in the
poorest houses and in the floating resi-
dences on the river. For fear that a
Chinese scholar like you may dispute
names with me, must tell you at once
that this dismal place is called by the
natives "Tsien-Tze-M Ma-Teou," or the
"Quay of the Thousand Characters" in
allusion to the numerous signs which
are seen there from the river.
We arrived there at ten o'clock in the
morning, and took our station in front
of a shop belonging to a mender of old
stockings. This was an excellent posi-
ton to take survey of the whole cere-
meny, and we remained there quietly
till noon; at which time soldiers and Of
6cers attached to the service of the
Mandarins arrived to clear the street
and thrust back the curious. As in
Europe, the persons who came to see the
spectacle were the vilest dregs of the
populace-dirty, ragged people, with
sinister countenances, who wandered
about this ensanguined soil, where most
likely they had already seen the exc
cution of number of their companions,
and perhaps of their accomplices.
In a short time the toll of the tam
tam announced to us the arrival of the
whole procession. Mandarins of every
degree, with the red, white, blue or yell
low ball, riding on horseback, or carried
in palanquins, and followed by an escort
of musicians, sbirri, and standard bear
ers, alighted at a short distance from
the place of execution. Contrary to
their ceremonious habits, they arranged
themselves in the dismal enclosure.
Then arrived the criminals. They
were ffty-three in number, each shut
up in basket, with his hands tied be-
hind his back, his legs chained, and a
board inscribed with bis sentence hang
ing from his neck. You have often met
in the Chinese streets a pair of coolies
carrying a pig stretched out at its full
length in a bamboo case. Well, Just
imagine human being put in the place
of the unclean animal, and you can form
an idea of the ffiy-three unfortunate
creatures in their cages. When the
cages were set down, they were opened
and emptied, Just as when pig is turn
ed out at butchers shop. l examined
these unfortunate wretches with atten-
ton; they were worn out with hunger,
and looked more like skeletons than liv-
ing beings. 1t was evident that they
had suffered the most dreadful priva-
tons. They were clothed in loathsome
tatters, wore long hair, and the dishev-
elled tail attached to the crown of the
head, had been reduced to third of its
usual length. They had evidently be-
longed to the insurgent bands, who had
| adopted the fashion of the Mings, and
allowed all their hair to grow.
Many of these unfortunate persons
were very young-some were not six
teen years of age-while others had
grey hair. Scarcely were they thrown
on the ground pell nell, when they were
compelled to kneel; the greater part Of
them were so debilitated from suffering
that they could not keep in this position,
and rolled in the mud. An execution
er's assistant then picked them up, and
arranged them all in row, while three
executioners placed themselves behind
them and waited the fatal moment
You doubtless recollect those horrible
figures whom we have often seen to.
gether in the cortege of the criminal Judge
of Canton-those figures dressed in q
red blouse, and wearing a copper crown
adorned above the ears with two long
pheasant's feathers. Well, these were
the executioners, who now waited the
signal with a rude and heavy cutlass in
their hands. These enormous weapon:
are about two feet long, and the back Of
the blade is two inches thick; altogether
it is cumbrous instrument, shaped like
a Chinese razor, with rude handle oi
wood.
A mandarin who closed the cortege
then entered the enclosure. He was
adorned with the white ball, and held in
his hand a board, inscribed with the or
der for execution. AS soon as this man
appeared the frightful work began
The executioner's assistants, each cloth
ed in long black robe, and wearing a
sort of head dress of iron wicker work,
seized the criminals behind, and passing
their arms under the shoulders of their
victims, gave them a swinging move
ment, which made them stretch out
their necks. The executioner, who was
now in front, holding his sword in both
hands, threw all his strength into the
weapon, and divided the cervical verte-
br@ with incredible rapidity, severing
the head from the body in single blow.
The executioner never had to strike
twice; for even if the flesh was not COM
pletely cut through, the weight was suf-
6cient to tear it, and the head rolled on
the ground. An assistant then levelled
the victim with kick, for the corpse
would otherwise have remained in a
kneeling position. After three or four
| i Al