The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-07
THE CHINESE IN AUSTRALIA.
Their Character-Mining- - A Settlement
Described The Women

ArgOSy pleasant account of the habits and
character of the Chinese In Australia. He says
CHINESE MINERS.
John Chinaman now follows a rush, marks
out 'cla'm," and goes down two or three hun
died feet with a zeal aud intTepldlty that would
have astonlshed hun In the early days Of his
experience at the mines. Nor Is he at all behInd
in wct-sinking, slabbng, and timberlng his
shalt. Both ne does Win a neatness and skill
equal 10 the European miner. That he is 6t for
difficult allu'ial operations is shown by his
taking up large tracts o. abandoned grounds on
old diggings, and working them with highly
satisfactory results. He has also opened new
fields, whose wealth might have remained un-
discovered for years to come but for his careful
explorations iOr "surace ground" pursuit
which, i'll quiet and likely looking country,
presents to h1m unusual attractions.
1t was IN this way the important mines of
Ararat were developed. The Chinese were in
force at Armstrong;, and also at Cathcart
(diggings which had been worked years pre-
vIously). Some OF them spread around the
mount ana uD to the "Gap" others crossed the
range, and the great ives ern goldded OF Vic
torla was the splendid result OF their perseve-
rance, re- ward ng the pioneers by some OF the
richest claims. Besides the Canton Lead at
Ararat, the Stony Greek, Burr andong, Burnt
Creek New Lead, Chlnamans Flat, and a num-
Der OF minor fields were severaly discovered by
Chinese pIospectors
Is TRANSFERS AND TRADERS.
A good number are believed to have realized
an independence and retired to the Flowery
Land; but OF la e the success ul have shown a
preference for colonial enterprise. In this
spirit OF progress, taste for "coachingn pur.
suits has recently manifested itself among tine
community, and the MOngOlian Jehu may be
seen handling the ribbons with the skill and
sang 1rOld OF his predecessor, the Canadian, or
Blue Nose, who bo Slei his tour-ln hand through
the immense lOrests and along the up country
lines o. route inaccessible by rail. Some have
valuable horse teams, transporting goods from
the metropolis to the diggihgs or conveying
then less fortunate N
some seductive localry. Others again are to be
seen in stores stocked with all kinds of
Oriental and colonial merchandise, or per-
haps experimenting some thirty forty
OF Their Counrymen IN mining venture
ON the deep leads OF Baarat, or cutting
through the old flats and gulhes OF Mount
Alexander, the alluvium OF which, to
considerable depth, they put through steam
and horse machinery Most of the up
country traders are supplied by Chinese mpr-
chants in town, many OF whom are also ship.
owners, and i'm YOrt large stocks from the East
ern markets. One OF the largest OF these is the
firm of "Kong Meng & Co.," whose house has
been established about eleven years. Little
BOurke street Is the principal quarter OF the
Chinese in Melbourne. Here also Is situated the
"Cbinese tx ;hange,N which was established
chiefly for the commercial intercourse of the
traders OF the Sam Yup district, near Canton,
who number between four and five hundred.
Some again display their skill IN local nanufac
lures a-.d in the construction OF numerous fancy
articles. large proportion have devoted at
tention both to agriculture and gardening; and
in the latter pursuit their skiItul culture, pa
tence, and close economy have given the
monopoly oil the market-the greater part OF the
numerous mining toWnyhips being almost eXcu-
sivey supplied by "Chlnese vegetable mer-
chants
THE INTERPRETERS.
The interpreter is a person of considerable
importance on the goll fields Handsomelv re-
munerated, and holding a recognized official
position, the sryshly attlrud, Angliclzed Mon
gol directs his aggreved Gountryman with
phlegmatic order and compaCPnCy. Possessed
OF the litlgant's confidence, he is enabled to in.
trOduce a client 10 his lawyer with whom it
often happens that entente COrdlde is esta-
blished) and John Chinaman may be seen VITA
his boss ahead, figuring at court, and sup
ported DY an array OF tail testimony, prosecuting
his claim with the assurance OF a man conscious
OF the Justice OF his cause. He eravely takes his
oath by bio Wing out candle smashing plate,
or cutting of a cocks head, whichever process
is the most bindlng on his conscience. The in
terpreter, hoHever, has virtually the disposition
OF the case in his own hands, and sometimes
sacrifices his employers interests to his own,
pervertrng and altering the true purport of the
evidence to the court, so that John retires van
qulshed and crestlallen, wondering at tn inius'
tlce OF the British law, and dsgustea with the
stupidity OF the English barbarian.
NUMBERS
The numerical strength Of the Chinese in
Victoria may be stated at onefourth Of the total
mlnng population. Their immigration into the
colony commenced In 1866, aud oy the following
This number, during the next three wears
Increased to thirty thousand; IN 1853 their
number throughout the year averaged thirty.
five Il ousan0; IN 1859, forty-two thousand; and
in 1860 they again fell to thirty-hve thousand
but the several attractions OF Landing Flat ana
BurrandOng, IN New South Wales, drew away
ten or eleven thousand during this and the
following years, leaving the population through
out the past three years, in round numbers, al
twentytour thousand.
PHYSICAL CAPACITY.
The physical capacity of the Chinese in genera
CORRESPONDS with their inferior stature, though
upon the gold-ields number of sineWy, broa
shouldered individuals are to be met with whC
appear TO be equal to any amount of fatigue
With a stout bamboo pole slung across tht
shoulder. and occasionally shifted With kline
OF "hiichr round the back of the neck they will
sustain the whole burden of their mining imple
ments and camp appendages. Cradle, buckets
shovels, ropes; and tent baggage, on the, on
side will be balanced by q pudding tub O.
heavy windass barrel on the other lin aggregat
weight of perhaps two hundred poundsj: am
they NAV be seen travelling In single file, a
their uniform sling trot, upon journey OF som
SEVENTY or eighty miles, from one mining localit
to another. At the time of the Armstrong
''Iush," passed string of over two hundre
OF these people, extending in line for about
third OF mile. Each carried heavily Weighte
bamboo, and laughed and joked as be trotte
bareloOted along the slushy road.
CHINESE SETTLEMENT
The Burnt Creek settlement, in the MarybC
rough division is, perhaps, one OF the most prC
minent 'townshITs" up country, and durin
their celebration Of the Feast OF the New Yea
which is observed with great ceremony an