Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-06
nr. Albert Smith a, Hong Kong.

Hone KoNG, August 22.-"lle:e We are ali
dGd by junks and pigsals, and noble ladies
and gentlemen. | have bought the enclosed
pictures from a splendid merchant woo has
come off to the side of the ship On three
planks, by the aid Of brOUmstick. We LETT
Singapore on the % ! ult. was immensely
deli GIFTED with it; 1t Is quite Chinese place.
The shed shops are sucn rich places, they sell
the most wonderful things ia theD,--toys and
gods and lanterns, aud very queer crockery.
The filth they eat 10 the eating houses Tar
surpasses that cooked at that old tratt0ria az
Genoa. /. consists for the most part, 0. ratss
bats, suals, bad eggs, and hideous fish, dried
in the most frishtlui attitudes. Some OF
rsstourateurs carry taeir COOK shops about
them on long poles, with the Kitchen at one
esd and Sdiie a-MldHger 1T the other These
are celebrated Tor soup made, should
tnink, from large caierpliiars boiled 10 thln
gravy with onions. The barbers also carry
| their shops abou. aud they snaye, cut boards
aud syringe ears IIgh; 10 tho middle OF the
street.
"a Chinese merchant asked me to dinner.
/ went, OF course, and after dinner We started
for the theatre. They played Chinese op'
era, with about 80 performers; there were
lots of devils In the piece, with tumblinS and
ii citing 10 every scene. Tney only had one
clarionet and two gongs 10 the orchestra, but
when there was cessation IN the piece one
fellow knocked two hollo" canes together to
show the audience they were to sppiauu-
The merchant lives IN first rate sty lie and has
wonderful garden. All the ruit trees are
very small; there were pine like caobases,
and quantity of large crccper, called mou-
kew cups because down tie stalk there are
regular pitchers aud tops filled With water;
from which JJckO reireshes himself IN the
woods. There were also among mis- live stock
Cashmere goats, porcuplnes, Kangaro0s, Pe-
kin pigs, aud Brahmln bulls, aud la the jon
| gle across the val ey tigers aud all sorts OF
novelties. l slept on shore that night, or
rather | went to bed, but could not sleep,
as | missed the noise OF the screw aud the
creoklug OF the tim oers, and the bed was too
steady.
tue last night before We got 10 Hong
| Kong we had an entertainment, On board, and
| was stage managrr We made hrst-rate
room Of sails aud flags, and the whole affair
went of capitaiIy. There are no hotels at
llorg Kong, but very nice club with bed
Rooms. | was proposed and elected as soon
as | arrived, SO that is very jolly. To-day
they hold Cnlnese tete 10 honor OF their dead
relations. They keep firing crackers all day
in the streets and burn those long pasti!ies.
| don't think they care much about their re-
llgioo; they 90 into the temples to get cool, or
. tu ri - I.tti
! frightened at the gods, they are SO hlieous;
| they roar with terror when they arc placed
10 front of them. The people walk about
with their hats on, and whistle aud smoke,
aud do what they lk,, the merchant selling
gilt paper and pnsti!es sit round the sides,
and sometimes tney beat gong to attract
customers. Nothing that Can write now
can give you the least idea OF 1nis wonderful
place; see every hour how very faithful
| Cooks descriptions were"