Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-06-11
The Floating City Of Canton.

In light and lively book, just pub
lished in London, the author of which is
DR.. IVAN, we find the following picture
of Canton:
The town of boats occupies space OF
several leagues of the Tchou-kiany it
is divided into quarters like London and
Paris, and like our great cities has its
commercial streets and its fashionable
districts. The suburbs--that is to say,
the part of the river which is inhabited
by the lowest class are composed of
narrow, winding streets. all very much
alike. They consist of lines of tanks,
with their coverings of bamboo, moored
sideways, and presenting all the appear
ancc of the vessels have described else
where in speaking of Macao. During
the day, you never see a man in these
boats; the women and children alone
remain in the wrc;chcd dwelling, while
the father is engaged up the river load
ing the vessels of the barbarians, Or
disembarking the merchandise contained
in the junks which furnish Canton with
its enormous supplies. The fishermen $
street adjoins the quarter inhabited by
these laborious classes their habita-
tions arc more vast than those of the
F, poor carriers, and there is much more
animation In the place. AS soon as they
return from fishing, anchor has scarcely
been cast when the children, with naked
feet, run along the shore they pass
from one boat to another to stretch out
the nets. The men sitting down upon
the ground examine the nets, mend the
holes made in the preceding expedition,
and the women at the back of the little
house preparing the family dinner on a
portable stove made of plaster. The
fishermen in this amphibious society rep.
resent the horticulturists and gardeners
who supply large towns. Every morning
they plough the inexhaustible plains OF
the ocean, and furnish the market with
the principal object Of consumption. -
The tishermen's street has certainly the
most varied aspect Of any in tho universe.
When the weather is fine, each habita-
ton becomes detached from the one next
it. and this part of the floating city is
sometimes absent for days together
Then, when the fishing is over, the rails
ing tide brings back the travelling abode
to It's starting place, and the two rows of
houses resume their place in the floating
city. For the rest, Oh this liquid soil
the apparencc of the streets changes
every moment. A movement of the tide,
a gush of wind, sudden decrease in the
pressure of the atmosphere, and the posi-
ton of the town IS completely changed. -
For instance. at the approach of Il TEN.
pest the large vessels turn round, and
present to the wind the least assailable
portion Of their hull. The little boats
gather, and place themselves under the
shelter of the large ones and their
changes are sufficient to render quarter
unacceptable even to person who has
passed through it only an instant be.
fore. There arc, however, a few rows
OF houses which always preserve their
habitual physiog lomy. These belong to
merchants, private persons, and some-
times to public institutions. These
peaceful habitations, which could never
'set sail, and on board Of which it would,
be very difficult to make use of oars,
seldom change their position. They are
real houses, with only one side to the
water, and placed on the hull of IA vessel.
Tic entrance is at the back, il there can