The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-11-16
Horrors of the Coolie system.

y san Francisco correspondent Of the Chicago
T15lsEs gives the following account of the manner
in which Coolies are enticej away from China
Hulks are hired BY contractors for Coolies and
anchored in the harbors Of the various ports Of
China. Shanghai, Canton, or FoOchow, and gam
bling dens with music, lewd women, and all
modern improN emeuts . 10 attract custom. Bats
are then employed TO carry men on board free of
charge. and tie most extraordinary stories are ear
culated among the lower classes on shore Of sab
ulous sums won AZ the tables. The poor devils 20
out Of curiosity, having no money 10 bet. and are
son watching the game with IN intensity OF IN
terrSt which no Caucasian can feel. Gambling l.
the poor Chinaman's wee. his beseiting sin.
why don't YOU bet?' asks a caFFer Of the
eashless fellow. a. he stands by the table absorbed
IA the game.
Il would. but l have no money" i the
answer.
II will lend YOU enough TO make ven rich if
YOU win. on conditson thar you go Coolie' for
me II you lose: but you know YOU could not do
that " says the temp,er.
John i only to glad 10 accept the offer, and in
n moment more he has in his possession 50 Or -
in COPPER cash: mope BY far than he ever had be-
fnre IN his life. all put together. and i playing a.
reckleSly a. If he had millions more at his COM
mand. lie loses 1t all in q lew minutes or hours.
and the tempjer gives him a drink or two and q
Whit of opium Then says " Come, now You
must Tay the penalty ike a man - For how
long am / u go?" -Four years | pay the pass
age money" John signs the document which
cOnsign> him u slavery more pitileSs than that of
Uncle Toms. and with a sigh or two for home
friends and loved ones whom lie will see no more
on earth. walks on board the Coolie ship. which
always carries the Italian, Portuguese. or Peru
Wan flag. though built in the United States, and
purchased by the .COnpGHiG NGriiiHgG del Peru
in san Francisco, with full knowledge by the sell
lers Of the infamous purposes - which she Il u
be put. Crowded ON board the CoJlie ship. with
n -E..-n-l - vu.-. fTEa aans.--rrra-a= - = ans
ported across the ocean. Ii a rising Is ~attempted
by the poor betrayed victims, n few yOlleys of
mu-ketrv discharged down the hatchwav docs the
work of - q~uelling = the mutiny efiectually. The
poor creatures are not allowed 10 come on deck a;
all in a body, - that the officers and crew Lave
them always n their Tercy. Before being landed
in Peru. his clothing Is taken from him, save per-
haps. a single loose blouse and pair of thin cotton
trowsers, ON some pretext. or by main force. and
he i sent TO the depot on shore with hardly rags to
cover his nakedness. He Is sold 10 a sugar planter
or TO the guanO contractors, and goes 10 work like
tractor Is ready 10 furnish him goOds-at FIVE
hundred per cent. pruft-and charge il against
his wages of 81 per month. John buys the goods
and uses them. or CANDLES them away with his
hapleSs fellows. and 80 gets in debt, and all hope
of ever escaping from the clutches OF the task
master l. gone. If, bv chance, he l. more saving
and Industrious than his fellows, and does not run
in debt, does not commit suicide. OF break down
under the toll in an unhealthy climate, before his
term of slavery expires, he goes TO his purchaser.
when his time Is about up, and says: II think it
is time | was released. | have been here four
years." -Four years, my fine fellow. You
have been here only four months, Go back 10
Your work at once or it Will be worse for youi'
If he does not 20 back promptly. he l. whipped
and sent back perhaps in irons. From that mo-
ment hope dies within him. and there Is no release
except in death. The first Collie slave sent TO the
Chinchas or a French COLONY has Vet To return to
China. y few of them returning would spoil the
whole business.
1 know one ship which has been in the port of
San Francisco four times in as many years, under
4 different name each time, and mas landed at least
n dozen clrsoes of Coolies, clearing a. high
100000 in q year 10 her owners, the infamous
:. COnpGnIG Martina del Peru" The members
of this Company, by-the-by, are all English ami
Italian; TO the honor Of SPanish-Americans, be it
said, there are no Peruyians among them, though
the Company is organized under a Peruvian char
ter and their vessels cary r;he Peruvian flag.