The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-20
CHINA AND TUE CHINESE.

Our foTeign files contain much interesting
information in relation 10 China and the Chi
nese. The town of Canton is said TO be nine
miles IN circumference. |, is the residence
of Viceroy, and is divided by walls, into
the Chinese and TaHer towns. The popula-
lion is reckoned at 400 900; it is calculated
that 60, 600 persons live in the boats, and
about 800, ,OO0 in The immediate vicinity
Each trade or calling has It's especial street,
so tha, in one there is nothing but crockery
ard glass; in another, silks, &c. Between
the bouSes small temples are oien seen, but
they do moi differ from the surrounding build
ings THE gods, loo, occupy the ground floor,
The upper stores being inhabited by simple
mortals. A traveller who sometime slnce Wis.
tied Canton, gives this sketch:
The hustle ia the streets was Astonishing,
especially in those set apart for the sale oil
provisions. Women and girls Of the lower
classes wen, about with their purchasers, just
as IN Europe. They were all unveiled, and
some OF them waddled like geese, in conse- :
quence of their crippled feet, which, as be.
fore observed, extends 10 all ranks. The
crowd was considerably increased by the
number Of pouers, with large baskets OF pro-
visions on iheir shoulders, running along, and
praising in a loud voice their stock in trade,
and waning The people to make way Tor
them At other times the whole breatlh OF
the street will be taken up, and the busy
stream of human beings completely stopped
by the litter Of some rich or noble parsonage
proceeding to his place oil business. But,
worse ,nan all were The numerous por!ers we
met at every sep we took, carrying large
baskets of unsavory matter
After threading our way for at least two
miles through a succession OF narrow streets,
we al length emerged into The open space,
where we obtained full view Of The city
walls, and from the summit of small hill
which was situated near them, toleraby
extensive one over the town ilsel'. The city
walls are about 60 feet high, and for most
part, go overgrown with grass, creeping
plants, and underwood, that they resemble
a magnificent mass OF living vese,alio n The
town resembles chaos OF small house, with
new and then solitary Tree, but we saw
neither fire streets nor squares, nor any re-
markable buildings, temples, or pasodas-
A single pasoda, five stories high, reminded
Us Of The peculiar character OF Chinese arch.
ileciure.
The Chinese have many peculiari;ies.-
They begin their wiring at the right haud OF
the page. The men wear a loose dress, and
carry fan. The grandtathers often walk on
stills, and amuse themselves by flying paper
kites, while the boy look graveIy on. The
following from the writer already quoted,
will be read with interest
When we had nearly reached The end OF
our excursion, We met funeral A horrible
kind Of MUSIC gave US warning thar some
thing extraordinary was approaching, and we
had hardly time 10 look up and step on Que
side, before the procession came flying past
US at full Sped First came the worthy mus
lclaus, followed by a few Chinese, next TWO
empty lil,ers carried By portsrs, and then the
hollow trunk OF Tree, representing the cot.
tin, hanging to long pole. and carried in a
similar manner; last OF all were some priests
aud crowd of people.
\ few days later visited tea factory
The proprietor conducted ne himself over
the workshops, which consisted Of large
halls, in which six hundred people, includ.
iug great many old women and children,
were at work. My entrance occasioneG q
perfect revolt; old and young rose from
work, the elder portion httins up the younger
mem bers OF the community in their arms and
pointing a, me with their fingers. The whole
mass then pressed close upon me and raised
so houirs cry that began TO Do alarm
ed. The proprietor and his oversser had
difficult task to keep oil the crowd, and
begged me 20 eon,en, myself with hasty
glance at the different objects. aud then qui,
the building as soon as possible.
In consequence OF This, cosld only man
age TO observe that the leaves Of The Plant are