Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-04-11

river which is not siaked to assist the fhermen in
bis craft. There is no lake, no pond, which is not
crowded with ash A piece of water is nearly as
valuable as field Of fertile land. Atdaybreak ev
cry city is crowded with sellers of live fish. who
carry their commodity 10 buckets of water, saving
all they 90 not sell to be returned to the pond or
kept for another days service.-And the LIKES and
ponds of China not only supply large provisions OF
hsh-they produce considerable quantities Of edible
roots and seeds which are largely consumed by the
people. Among these the escueut srum, the water
chestnut (Scirpus tu5srosass and the lotus (neLum-
blum, are the most remarkable.
THE WATER POPULATION.
The enormous river population OF China, who
live only in boats, who were born and educated,
who marry, rear their families, and die-whO, in
word, begin and end their existence on the water,
and never have or dream of any shelf other than
the roof, and who seldom tread exc pit on the deck
or board OF their sampaus-shows 90 what an ex-
tent the land land is crowded, and how inadequate
it is 10 maintain the cumberers of the soil. In tue
city Of Canton alone il is estimated that 300, 900
persons dwell upon the surface OF the river; the
boats, sometimes twenty or thirty deep, cover some
miles, and have their wants supplied by ambuls story
statesmen, who weBd their way through every
cessitle passage. Of this vast population, some
dwell in decorated river boats used for every pur
pose OF lcence and iestVity-for thestres-for con-
certs-ior feasts-iOr gambliDg-for lust-for soil
tary and social cations some crafts are en-
ployed 10 conveying goods and passengers, and are
in a state of constant activity; others moOred,
and their owners engaged as servants or Aborers on
shore. Indeed, their pursuits are nearly various
as those OF the land population. The Immense va
rety of boats which found in Chinese waters
has never been adequately described. Some
OF enormous size, sud used magazines for SAT-
or rlce-others have all domestic accommodations,
and are employed for the transfer OF whole families,
WITH ell their domestic attendants and accOmmod
lions, from one place 10 another-sOme, called CEN
tipedes, from their being supposed 10 have loo
rowers, convey with extraordinary rapidity, the
more valuable cargoes from the Inter warehouses
to the foreign shipping in the pOrts-al these from
the huge and cumOrous juuks, which remind one OF
Noah's ark, and which represent the rude aud
coarse strUctlons of the remotest ages, to the
fragile plaDks upon which solitary leper hangs
upon the outskirts OF society-boats of every form
and applied to every purpose-ex 1ihIt an incalcu-
liable amount of population, which may be called
amphibious, il not aquatic. Not only are land and
water crowded with Chinese, but many dwell on ar
tifcial islands which float upon the iakes-isands
with gardens aud houses raised upon the raiters
which the occupers have bound together aud on
which they cultivate what is Leedul for tie supply
of LIES daily wants. They have their poultry aud
their vegetables for Use. their flowers aud their
scroos for ornaments their household gods for pro-
lection and worship.
THE CHINESE AS AGRICULTURISTS.
In all pirts of China to which we have access we
ind not only that every foot of ground is culGvat
ed which is capable of producing an ythiug but that
from the value of land and the surplus of labor,
cultivation is rather that Of gardeners than OF hus-
bandmen The sides of hills, in their natural de-
civity often able, are, by succession of ar
~ Il
Every little bit Of SOIL though it be only few feet
in length and breadth, is turned to account; and
not ouly is the surface of the land thus cared for
but every device is employed for the gathering to-
gether of every article that serve for manure
Scavengers constantly clearing the streets of the
siercordcOus filth; the cloace framed by specu-
latofs IN human ordures; the most populous place
often maize offensive By the means taken TO prevent
the precious deposits from being lost. The fields
in Chiua have almost always large eartbenware yes
sels for the reception OF the contributions Of the
peasant or the traveller. You cannot enter any Of
their great cities without meeting mulIitudes of men,
women. and children conveying liquid manure into
the fields and gardens around. The stmulants to
production applied with most untiring industry
10 this colony OF Hong Kong l scarcely ever ride
out without finding little bit of ground either
newly cultivated or clearing fer cultivation.
righteousness.
The Chinese, again, have no prejudice whatever
as regards food; they eat anything and everything
from which they can derive nutrition. Dogs, espe
cislly puppies, are hsbitualy sold for food; and
have seen in the butchers shops, large dogs skinned
aud hanging with their visceTa by the side of pigs
and goats Even TO rats and mice the Chinese
have no objsction-beiiher to the flesh OF monk Us
and snakes; the sea slug is arstocTatc and cost
ly efficacy which is never wanting, any more than
the edible brGs' nests, at feast where honor is in
tended TO be done to the guests. Unmatched ducks
aud chickens are a avorite dish. Nor do early
stages OF putre6cation create any disgust; rotten
eggs are hot condemned to periiIion; FISH is the
more acce[ table when it has a strong fra rance
aud favour TO give more gusto to the rice.
AS the food the Chinese eat is for the most part
hard, coarse, and Of little COST SO their their bevs
RACES are sirgulirly economical. Drunkenness is
rare vice in China and frmented spirits or strong
drinks seldom used. Tea msy be said to be
the national, the universal beverage ; and though
that employed by The multitude does not cost more
than 30 to Sd per pound. an Infusion OF less costly
aves is commonly employed, espe cially in locale
ties remote from tea districts. Both 10 eating and
drinking the Chinese are temperate, aud are salts
fed with two daily meals" the mornng rice {" at
about 10, A. NJ, aud the evening rice a, s. 7.
II. The only repugnance have observed in Cnna
IS to the use Of mlk-an extraor inary pr j1dice,
specially considering the Tarter influence which
been ling dominant 10 the land but never
cav or heard of butter, cream, mink or whey being
introduced at any native Chinese table.
MATRIMONIAL PECUHARITIES.
The marriage OF children Is one of the great cor
,erns OF iamilies. Scarcely is child born in the
higher ranks Of life ere the question of is future
sspousal becomes fr quent topic Of discussion.
There is large body o, professional mateh-tnakers,
whose business Is 10 put all the preliminary arrange
ments in train, 10 setIe questions Of dowry, 10
commodate differences, 10 report on the pros aud
cons Of suggested alliances. There being no he
reciLary houOrs in CDina-except those which reek-
on upwards from the distinguished to the father,
the grandfather aud the whole line of ancestry,
which may. be en1obled by the lit rAIy or martial
genius OF descendant--ihe distinction OF caste Is
unknown, and a successful student even OF the
lowest origin would be deemed fit match for the
most opulrnt aud distinguished female IN the con-
muniIy. The severe laws which prohibit marriages
Within certain degrees OF affinity they do not how
ever, interdict /, with deceased wtes sister, tend
10 make marriages more prolific, aud TO produce =
healthier race of Children. So slrong IS the objec-
ton TO the marriage of blood relations, that mau
and womaa Of -tae same Sing or family name can
not wed.