Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-22
dQortester Daily Spp.
THE C0OLIE TRADE.
VISIT TO A CHINESE BARRA ACCOM-.

Slavery las always been an institution in
China. The very difficulty of gaining a sub
sistence in SO densely populated country,
leads many to sell their children, their wives
and even themselves into slavery, and associa-
tions of China 'brokers," have always existed,
whose business has been to buy and sell per-
sons from one province into another. Among
these companies of brokers there have been
many hardened wretches, who, taking advan.
tage of the privilege of selling human beings,
which, necessity in China has made legitimate,
not content with the fruits of voluntary en-
sayement, have carried on a system OF kid
mapping and man stealing as well. In olden
times, before the Mandarin Inspectors were
appointed, these brokers would bring their
victims to foreign vessels, force them TO ex
press willingness to go, and receive bonus
from the expectation companies, as IT they
were doing legitimate business. Now, hOwev-
er, so far as foreign shipment of coolies is con-
cerned, the case is very different and most
dreadful sight which l witnessed in the neigh
borhood of Macao, viz Three detected kid
nappers chained to posts on the public high
way, with burning punt or joss sticks, placed
near at hand, that all passers by might burn
their flesh, would seem enough to prevent the
repetition of such practices even were the COO
lies not examined directly before leaving by
their own authorities.
busy Chinese quarter of Macao, and can only
wonder at the cheerful, industrious habits If
this over crowded people, and the exquisite
products of their mechanical skill despite the
rude simplicity of their tools. The barracoon
is vast and irregular old mansion, with i'm
mense rooms, broad stairs, and paved courts
the whole reminding one Of the old Portuguese
palaces that crown the nights OF seven hilled
Lisbon We walk through the different
-nln
rooms, cook houses, &c. and we are struck
with the admirable arrangement and order
which prevail throughout. Emerging into the
court yard, we find about six hundred coolies
enjoying the acme of a Chinaman's happiness
"a good dinner Of "No. l chow chow" Rice,
fish, vegetables, and tea, dd H6., form their re-
past,and then dolce far niente with pipe and to-
bacco. They have clean persons, clean clothes
clean seeping-mats, and blankets. When we
remember that these same contented looking
Cinnamon arrived at the blrracoon in a starry
ing condition, many SO emaciatcd that lite
hung merely by a thread, we cease to wonder
that their old ideas of exclusiveness are grad
ually giving way to the desire of emigrating
TO lands where work brings at least the neces-
saries of life Engaging in conversation with
these through our interpreter we find them
happy in their present comforts ready and
anxious to start for the land they have CON
tons i'll regard to the chow chow this chow
chow being the first and last idea of a China.
mamie seems indifferent to most anything
else; and to stop his chow-chow for only one
meal Is the very worst punishment you can in.
hlct) OF that country, and quite willing to ac-
knowledge the impossibiity of their keeping
body and soul together in their own land.
Many of these coolies are from the immedi-
ate neighborhOod of Macao, and have present
ed themselves at the office of the barracoon,
requesting to be received many have been
brought by parents and relations, and others
have been brought from interior provinces by
brokers. In this latter case their expenses are
paid by the brokers, who forward them for
the price (SlS or S20) which the Company of
ters as bonus for enlistment. On applying
at the office, the coolies receive, written in
Chinese, the terms under which they will be
taken, which are on printed form of contract
TO be signed by them. They agree, for so
much down and so much per month, to allow
tn 9mselves to be transported to designated
foreign country, and there to work to the best
of their ability for said Company, or for who
ever else to whom said Company may hire out
their services, for the term of or years, as
the case may be; said company promising to
give clothing, food, medical attendance,
etc, during such time The coolie is given
this contract, which is signed before witnesses
by the company's agent and by the Mandarin
Inspector The coOlie and his friends agreeing
to this it only becomes necessary that the APP
plicant be over Is years of age, perfectly
healthy in body and mind, not confirmed
opium-eater, nor in any way detormed, for him
to gain admission into the barracOon. He is
now stripped of his old tattered garments, re-
ceives pure white or blue suit, consisting of
a pair Of loose pdjabmdS or loose trousers,
jacket, shoes, bamboo,hat, and long reed
pipe, tobacco-pouch, chop sticks, &c. He is
then shown his sleeping place, given his sleep.
ing-mat blanket, and pillow. The Chinese
sleeping apparatus is of the simplest descrip-
ton, consisting merely of a plated mat to
sleep on, a bamboo pillow, and one warm
blanket. In the northern part of China they
have stone platforms to sleep upon, with ovens
beneath, where they build fires, and thus give
a pleasant temperature to their beds. Ghe
coolie is assigned his mess. These messes
consist of ten men each, one of their number
having charge of and being responsible tor,
the utensils used while eating.
No work save that of necessary cleanliness
is required of the coolies, either in barracoons
or in the ships transporting them; and, when
not washing, eating, or sleeping, gambling,
theatrical representations, or acrobatc exer-
cises afford them plenty of amusement So
universal is gambling, so much part of a
Chinaman's being, that the companies have
found it necessary to allow them so much
"cash' per day to play with. "Fan TAM or
the game of quadrating cash, appears to be
the most popular game of chance. The bank
er places a pile OF cash under bowl, and calls
upon the players to guess the remainder that
will be left after the pile has been divided by
four, whether l, 2, 3, or nothing this gives
the coolies great delight and as they bet heav-
ily, the profits to the banker are large
Theatrical representations also constitute a
common source of amusement, and the COM
panies have erected stages in their barracoonS
for such purposes. Boys take the female char
acters land very pretty women they make, tool
and though the scenery is very simple, requir-
ing much TO be suggested by the imagination,
still, as the acting is chiefly pantomine, and the
initiative faculties of the players excellent the
general effect is very good.
The Chinese are very passionately fond of
music, and are supplied with all the native in
struments by the companies; and, although
their music sounds harshly at first to Western
ears, yet there is wild sweetness in it at
times. The "Sin-ta," one of their national
airs, would pass muster with even some of the
sweet melodies of Norma
Though those coolies are sometimes one or
two months in barracoon, they manage to
amuse themselves vastly, and without much
disagreement. Two of them will sometimes
fall out, and go it, with great variety of ges-
tcuation and loud vocieration of opprobrium
but soon blow off their wrath, and separate
without much damage. In the hight of
quarrel, the disputants bring their faces close
together, and jabber their gutteral sounds into
each others mouth, each with the blatant noise
of an auctoneer selling goods to large crowd
in the open air. OF sudden, they will turn
about and make set speeches to the audience.
in which the whole head and front of their