The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-07-13

mometer at 80 deg. in the shade it is
not favorable to cxertion. 1t is ten of
the clock, on a breathless, blazing morn
ing, and broad white glare lies over the
hill to the south, with the deserted con.
vent on its summit-over the tiled roofs
of the Portuguese houses below, the inner
harbor, with its scanty feet of junks
lorchas and tanka boats, and the bare,
stony hills of the island beyond. The
Chinese beggar woman who drives US to
desperation with her piercing, monoton-
Gus wall, has taken her station ir the
shade of the house and no amount oi
"cash" (the cheapest aims IN the world
will drive her away. She will only howl
the more pertinaciously for more. What
can be more trying to the nerves than
her eternal: "Chin- chin-a-a! poor
man-a-a! how kin do-a-a-!'--
But praised be Fo and Confucius Our
band the Susquehannas band, the braz,
en- throats of whose instruments have
been lazily groaning for the last ten min
utes, as if harmony were an impossible
effort-gradually coalesces into the ring
ing chant of the Portuguese National
Hymn. The old beggar rctires from the
field in confusion. A few tawny Portu-
guese, with close-cropped, blue-black
hair, pause to listen, as they pass through
the almost deserted streets. The music
awakes no chord of patriotism or pride
in their breasts; Macao has out-lived e.
ven that. The strain ceases, and now
the rich, lyrical throb of "Hail Colum-
bia" rises exultingly into the still blue
air. The stars and stripes hang motion
less from the peak Of the flagstaff, at the
American Consulate, below US. Though
| hear our country's anthem every day
my heart beats more quick under ali this
summer languor, and my thoughts turn
for a moment to that dear land on the
other side of the world.
/ [ prefer Macao to any other place in
China, partly on account Of the pictures
que beauty of its position and partly be-
cause it is less Chinese. 1t is a history
of our race: It has human associations
with which we can sympathize. The an
nails of the Ming, and the IIo and Hang
dynasties are no more to me with the
exception of the reign of that splendid
invader, Kublai Khan, than those Of the
Man in the Moon; but the memories of
Camoens, the Poet, and St. Francis Aav-
Ter, the Apostle, embalm Macao forever
in the eyes Of tie European race. L
vas the first beacon whence the light ot
Christianity and the liberalizing infuen
ccs Of commerce went forth into the darL
places of the East. And now, useless
and worn out as it seems, with its com
merce destroyed, its palaces vacant, it
graudeeS beggarc3, and its Importance a
a foothcld of civilization totally gone
there is a mournful charm in the silence
of its grass-grown streets, and the memo
ry of its former power and opulence still
clothes it with a sbadowy dignity. Here
at least, there are traces Of Art and Taste
and all those monstrosities of Chimes
Uutaste, which would make China liz
ing purgatory to any one with kee
appreciation of the Beautiful, are thrus
into the background, and do not spoil tn
harmony of the picture.
The Portuguese settlement of Macao
comprises ridgy peninsula about fou
miles long, attached to the Southern en-
of large Chinese island, by narrow
; sandy neck, across which wall wa
thrown in the early days Of the colony
The city is built in dip of hills, nca
the extremity of the peninsula. and t
cast faces the Roads, the usual anchor
age of foreign shipping. 1t has anothe
face On the west, looking upon the lime
Harbor, a narrow strait shut in by lott
islands. Another channel called the Ty
pa, between two barren islands, about on
: mile and half to the southwark, is ii
usual anchorage of vessels during the tyI
hoon season, on account of its Sheltere
situation. The view of the city from IL
Roads is very imposing, and with the i
land-mountains in the back ground, hi
t been compared with that of Naples fro
the bay, but [ could see scarcely a sing
point of resemblance A crescent shape
bay, nearly mile in length, fronts Il
hdICT, anu pCIluN NV All dcHLNS StOHN PAS
or Praya, rises row of stately buildiD.
of a pale yellow or pink color. The fc
: iage of tropical gardens peep out behil
5 them, and the ridge is crowned wi
= the square lowered Cathedral and sever
churches. At the northern point is
. Almeda, or public square, planted wi
= trees, above which rises a fortress
3. Further to the north, on the top of lc
ty hill, is the Fort of Guia, or Del Mon
and larger but somewhat dismantl
: fertilization looms behind, on the midc
IS ridge of the peninsula.
S Even before landing, one notes
Y deserted aspect of the place. There a
. no crowds on the Praya; the houses la
= decaying, moldy appearance, and }
1t listen in vain for that hum of life VIII
float about the centers Of trade or ind'
try. The solitary sentry at the foot
the Portuguese flagstaff seems to be d
ing at his post. Now and then SO
.. Chinese portors pass, or four serVa ':
st carrying sedan chair with all the Dill
st down. As it is now summer, when m