The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-28
INTERESTING FROM CHINA.
Our shanghac correspondence.

Our ehanghae Correspondence.
SHANGHAE, Jan. Ii, 1856.
4Asrica! at Mo0sxng- anticipating the Mals-1Ne
Opium Trade-Adrenture in the Chinese Sens
The Missionary E.tablishments-7n Foreign
Settlements at ShSnshae-Ingenuity OF the Chi
nese Observation-Disclosures Life of the Homgs---
The Streets of a Chinese City-ModA Baths
and IFashhousss-O Opium Dens-A Joss House
"A Chinese Tribunal Charitable Inst tutions--
Cab Houses, &C., &c.
Had listened for O moment to the observations
made by many of my friends at Hong Kong and
Canton, should have lost the opportunity of visit
ing this important port Of Chinese trade for inya-
riaby more especially by ose who had never beeu
to the north ward, heard the remark among South.
ern merchants, /" You will zee nothing worth noting
at Shanghai" but my reply was, it was on my
tourist list, and was bound to 60 there and Judge
for myself Need say that have been amply re-
paid, for the trip, by what have seen, gives me
better idea Of the traits and customs Of this highly
interesting people in single day then could have
learned in months at Canton. Arriving here week
ago, my time has gone instructively in ranging
through every hole and corner in and about Shang.
bai--cver the rice fields in the neighborhood,
and through many of the boats and junks--
lorchas and native craft in the river.
Although the Chinese here speak another
dialect, and the men are much more athletic, they
are, to all intents and purposes, the same. only
another phase Of this prolific people-les piratica
less enterprisng less inclined tn sDeer ct foreigners
but nevertheless ready to benefit themselves by i'm
proving their condition in working for them. But
before run ahead Of my time, lot me keep up the
I;vly focI
it at the mouth of the Yangtze-king, when making
a note Of NY trip up the coast.
About ten o'clock on the morning of the 18th the
Erin came to anchor at Woosung, small village
about IL miles from the port where the shipping
generally anchor and wait for orders; but in this
our steamer only stopped to land her cargo OF
opium into of the several receiving ships in the
river where the captains dispose Of it by selling to
the Cinnamon who come off to purchase, or deliver
it On orders from the merchant in town, who has
generally received his pay in advance. The moment
boat stopped her paddle wheels, the captains OF
the opium ships board to get the letters for
their respective firms all Of which had been assort
ed by the purser and were spread out upon the table,
These of course are the loose letters dropped in the
late mail bag and those brought up in the hands Of
passengers The regular mail goes up in The cap
tains gig while these letters are taken ashore and
sent post haste to town by pony speed thus getting
two or three hours in advance of the others; and
when news of great importance is at hand. carrier
pigeon whistles over the distance, and in few
minutes instead of hours, announces the change of
markets
find at Woosung that there are six opium ships,
all full rugged, well manned and heavily armed
all British and all well stocked with the intoxicated
Indian poison-whose suffocating, sickening smell,
as went on board one of them, gave me a head sea
nausea aud an aching Of temples which did not
leave me during the day. Long usage may accus'
tom those on board to endure the disagreeabe SEN
sa!ion, but the novice is glad enough to get away
Captain De Busshe, Of the Ann WEIGH, takes
charge Of the letters for the American firms, and
the masters of the Emily Jane, the Folkstone, MINI
rod Swallow and Sea Horse, came for their respec-
tive houses and friends. These men all seem to
enjoy this semi-piratical mode Of life-defrauding
the Chinese revenue-and some of them have been
here for many years, and much respected by the
community. Depriv1ng themselves of none of this
worlds goods, and always keeping open house. the
captains Of the opium ships too generous not to
be jolly-too independent not to be good natured
If not at Woosung at of the other ports these
men can entertain you for hours in relating some
of the most thrilling adventures that owe their
origin to the haphazard life of the China
seas. For more than century the coast
has been active with pirate horde, and whenever
an opium ship or treasure boat can be surprised
these horrible rufians of Asia pounce down upon
you ana if successful leave no marks to tell of their
bloody work. If you want the reality ofhair breadth
escape and fearful danger, hold the master of an
opium ship by the button for an evening, and you
will be more entertained than by reading Ainsworth
or LATTE, longer time. Do You not remember
when Dents and Jardine's opium ships Caroline and
Omega were captured, and the crews murdered?
With the tide in our favor and light breeze, as
sisted by crew of Chinese boatmen-nine Of whom
were at the rudder, sculling- our puny looking,
ban boo masted latteen sailed square at both ends
ard high in the middle constructed craft Cor
horse boat) carried past the wild geese and ducks
in the distance-past the damp, swampy, miasma,
unhealthy appearing lowlands-past the mountains
far beyond the rivers bank, till the missionary vii
lage first breaks the monotony, with its trim sGod
protecting church, surrounded by the bishops mar
sion, and dozen more we'll built, neatly arranged
stone and mortar houses, the result of per-
severing deacons in taking round the mission
box for the extra quarters Of the good ma
tured congregations Of our New England churches,
whose pastor stilli resides in the little flower sur
rounding, one and half storied modestly made
cottage under the hill-well satisfied with his three
hundred dollars income because, perhaps so little
aware of the comfortable and roomy dwellings
which his own scanty earnings have helped to build
for his more enterprising brother who roams away
to distant seas and heather shores, on an errand
worthy Of better success and happier results. But
more Of this later on but even here You must not
ceLsure me for saying that already have made up
my mind not to give any more quarters for the pur
pose of evangelzing the Chinese. In the little
Methodist church in Waltham, years and years ago,
oftentines expressed wish to trace the history
OF the contents Of the missionary box and now, as
our boat Is whirling past these staunch and hand
some buildings, see where portion of my money
was invested We have got by these pleasant little