Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-01
MORNING LEADER.
Buckeyes in Chiua---CeIestiaI. ar Home.

The Elyria Democrat publishes an interestin!
letter written in the Celestial Empire BY Mr.
c. A. Ely, Of Lorain, who has Just made
trip to the FIOwery Kingdom accompanied by
Mrs. Ely, daughter Of JoHx a. Foor. Esq, o
this city. The Demoerai says--Mr. Ely an,
his estimable lady are now in California whert
they will spend tho winter, and during the mex
summer will return home. having completed
/ their voyage round the world
The letter is dated Hong Kong, June 22d
1858. and mlny readers will be pleased and in
structed by the account Of the voyage thither,
the Chinese at home aud their peculiar iustitu
tons, given by an intelligent, observing gentle
man, whois leisurely making the voyage round
the world fOfhealth and pleasure. We append
the letter Of Mr.. Ely:
We left New York the 10th Of February, il
the fine clipper ship Samuel Russell, Captain
NInchel. She belongs 10 the house Of Low &
Brothers, and Of Is vessels owned by them is
their favOriie, and most successful ship. IIeI
Captain is true New Englander, a most excel.
lent navigator, and a thorough sailor Among
number Of passengers who s'l contributed 70
make the voyage pleasant and profitable, !
must especially mention DR.. McCarter. OF
Philadelphia, who having spent about l3 years
IN China with hls eyes and ears open, and his
mind awake at every point, 50 that being ''reaIy
To communicate" and that too in an entcrtain.
ing manner, we were able to gain more from
our intercourse with him to prepare Us for what
was before US, than would be possible to be de-
rived from books. OF these, however, we had
good supply, SO that with their aid, aud the
usual incidents of sea voyage, the time pass
ed so agreeably that we were almost sorry to
arrive.
We had very good run t. the straits OF Sun.
da. making "Jlva Head" 1900 miles, in "a
days. The scenery here Is beautiful beyond
description; and especially to US whose eyes
had so long rested on the bleak uniformity OF
sky and sea, it seemed as if the land Of dreams
had suddenly been made real, and spread be-
fore US. Almost every traveller attempts to de-
scribe the magnihcence Of the scenery of these
islands, so that will pass it By in silence, for
even Humboldt, with all the richness and clear
ness of his descriptions, does not give an ade
quate impression Of its particular beauty.
At Anger the Malay boats came off with We
getables, fruits and fowls, which, after our long
deprivation, were most acceptable; but not
withstlnding the cagerness with which We vel.
coined the rich productions Of The tropics.
looked with more interest on the creaIu Iures that
brought them, the first representatives / had
ever seen Of this dark-skinned race. They are
small, but well formed and athletic; but their
yill1inOus heads and vicious countenauees make
It seem not strange ihat they should be found
incapable of civilization.
The winds here did not favor Us, so that we
were several days among these islands; ''where
every prospect pieases, and only man is vile"
and frequently saw the native "proas," the oc-
cupants Of which were eontenting themselves
with taking fish, for want Of anything better in
the shape of "brOther man. to eat. 1t seems
t. be amcng the mysteries which our present
knowledge cannot explain, that here, where na-
ture has ponrsd cut her riches mos Abundant
ly, man, his Creators image, should show the
toughest points OF savage nature. Through
the Java Sea, the Gaspar Straits, and the Chi
ma Sea, our progress was slow, it being the
time OF the change of the "MonsOOu," OF trade
winds; so that we were 90 days making the
rua from Anger, which has been done in six.
We arrived at Hong Kong, May POI, Just
100 days from New York, and having Iun lust
II 200 miles, with the usual succession of
storms and Gains, winters cold AMI tropical
heat, strange sights ami fearful sounds, but on
the whole delightful, and for the season,
quick passage.
How shall describe Hong Kong; or should
say Victoria, for Hong Kong is the name Of the
island, though the town Is generally known by
that name. It IS not an English city, it Is not
a Chinese city, 1t is Chinese city under Eng
lish Government, and inhabited by every Euro
pean aud Asiatic race. We arrived in the night
and anchored about mile from the city, and
in the morning | went ashore in one ofthe nu-
merous slmPlres or passenger boats that
thrOnged around us. | was landed II the foot
of one Of the small streets leading up to the
Queens Road, which is the Broadway Of Hong
Kong Here the scene that opened upon me
was novel beyond description. The buildings
on either side were Of every style of European
and Oriental architecture, and the whole of the
broad smooth street, from side to side was fill
ed with moving mass Of humanity; the Chi
nese of course PreLominating. Water carriers
with their huge round jars; the almost naked
coolies, who are the beasts Of burden in this
country, with their loads suspended from either
end of bamboo pole resting on their shoul-
ders; the blre-fOoted mechanics in their flowing
"paniamas" and loose sacks; the shOp-keepers
and donnSties With long stocking tied over the
paniauas az the knee, the Overslek Of white or
blue; and mershents and scholars with their
long white robes covering all the other grada-
tons Of dress then moving among these and
adding picturesqueness to the living panorama,
where TaTtars aud Malays, Siamese and Manila
men, SepOys Of the regiments that the English
have stationed here, together with the Bengalees
Of all classes, from the half naked Lascars to
turb5ned merchants and long robed Parlees,
with their curious Eats ike inverted coffee pots,
Portuguese watehman and Spanish traders.
Dutch and Danish sailors, Russians and Ital-
~ L. Il
lytes" But with all this confusion Of sights
and sounds, pedlars crying their wares and ira
veling BARRIERS calling ior their victims, sort Of
silence seemed to reign in the absence Of rat
ting wheels Coolies shoulders, as | have
mentioned, taking the place of rambling carts
and draws, and so also of hacks, omnibuses
and carriages. Sedan chairs borne between two
long poles, being the only vehicles. In these,
pass the luxurious Englishman and lounging
American, even here on mems backs indulging
his tavorite position, feet elevated and putting
his segar.
l proceeded, in spite of the novelties attract
in attention, about the business that brought
me on shore, and was disappointed at finding
no letters nor friends, those We had hoped to
meet having left; no hotels fit 10 stop at, and
no accommodations 10 Re had IN those there
we're So there seemed no alternative bot 10
remain on board the ship, until We had "done"
Hong Kong, and then proceed to Macao, where
are said TO be good hotels and a delightful eli
mate. But on Monday after seeing DIR. and
Mrs MeCarter on board the Scr " IIanytze,'
for Shanghai, and bidding them farewell, We
were surprised by an invitation from Mr.. VIM.
Speiden. u S Naval Store keeper at this port, |
10 make his house our home while we remained; |
and during onr whole stay his hospitality was
as generously exercised as ii had been prompt |
ly offered.
Monday being the Queens birth day, was
by deafening salutes from the fort, |
and men of-war in the har5or. All the English |
ships were gaily oruamented with flags Of all |
nations, and with signals and streamers of ev-
cry hue. In the afternoon there was grand /
review Of all the troops now stationed here, con-
sisting Of the SD and the greater part Of two /