The New York herald., 1868-06-20
AUSTRALIA.

The stranger who by accident turning down the
Qheatre Royal right Of way In Bourke street at dusk
would probably experience. similar sensations to
chose which the young Abou HaSsan felt when his
carpet dropped on the terrace OF Aladdins palace,
And would stare around him with as bewildered an
Atr a. did the Prince Of Morocco when the magic
horse slighted In the streets OF Pekn. One-half OF
Little B0urke street II not Melbourne but China. IL
Ds as though some dJtnD or ge'ste had taken up
handful OF houses from the middle OF one Of the Ce-
bestlal cities and hung them down, inhabitants and
al. In the antipodes. It Is hafpast ten O'Clock. and
being the feast Of the god Fo twhoever he may bel.
khe Chinese city Is somewhat lively China proper Is
has outlying dependencies at Emerald Hill, sand
ridge and "the parts AbOut' the upper END OF Ste-
Rhsn street. Colonies exist In various dlgglings'
and have In amanner seeded hom the main BODY
and hoisted the dragon OF independence. Win these
last however we have nothing to do Our researches
are confined to the 'department' Of Little B0urke
street.
The god 70 appears to be somewhat popular.
Paper lanterns. gayly decorated and painted. swing
from dO0rpOsts; illuminated designs are frequent
being the oa sa
ment; lights twinkle In unhoiy houses, where the
lottery tickets are drawn or where the mystic game
lamps. The persons we meet in the streets nearly
all Chinese; some few wOrkmen or "cadgers" may be
but these are rare, and even the sOrdd, miserable
looking women who, standing at the end Of filthy
% ings. are ali "Chinamens AZ women. @ The aspect Of
the city is not very cheering. All Cinnamon who
can afford to live elsewhere do so and the only re.
spectacle houses OF the blue stone sort are rented as
stores and closed at night time. We must make
some notable exceptions, however. The Joss house
and one or two Of the gambling houses are In stone
buildings. and are clean and comfortable.
We commenced our tour OF inspection by visit to
secVe We were Instantly admitted At the SIDE Of
the door was boarded partition, where an almond
eyed Celestial OF the better class was retailing lot
nknfQ fiaRQ Qfo nia n nra
paper, containing eighty squares letter being
marked in each square. They are sold at various
many Of the signs according to the price he pays For
sixpence four or five squares are allowed, the num-
ful period Of ''drawing" takes place the proprietor
sitting before table on which number OF papers
stamped with signs are deposited takes one at ran
responds with Of those on the purchased ticket,
and when eighty have been drawn the lottery is
numbers on ticket does not entitle the owner to
prize. Four is the usual averages but should any one
succeed in taking all, even half the winning man,
bers his gains win be very great the interest paid in
Creasng with the declaration OF every new square.
Some OF the Cinnamon spend all their earnings
In this amusement, and although nearly starving,
will reserve sixpence TO buy ticket Of four num-
bers with. The profits made by the owners is some
one gaining high prize. The temptation is great,
however; f400 can be gained for six shngs and ESQ
for two shlings and siXpence ifthe purchaser shave
duck" the chances Of his having being largely
An favor OF the bank. Passing through large and
doty hall he house had been two stored store in
the days gone by) we were apprsed by the rattlng
OF coins that the gambling tables were near. The
doorway Of the room chOked up with Chinese,
some in wadded silk coats some In fustian and MOLE
skins-al however, wore white felt wideawakes;
and the array OF dened gray crowns clustered round
tie table reminded one OF troop Of Confederate
sharpshooters. There were two tables in the room,
one only being occupied, the rules being that after
twelve 'throws'' the company adjourn TO the other.
The game was the celebrated fantan. 1t Is wonder
fu that spirited European has yet introduced
the game into polite society 1t is as simple as blind
hockey, as exciting as roulette and the stakes are
unlimited--three advantages which recommend it to
tie sporting public.
Fan-tan is played with counters-pieces of tin d.
vided into four squares, each numbered. Each
player bets on number, and the game having been
.made" the banker nngs handful Of counters upon
the table and proceeds to withdraw four at time by
means of fOrked ivory rod. The number that re-
mains ON the table when the last series Of four has
been withdrawn wins the rest lose. Nothing can be
more SIMPLE. A solemn parsonage, very yellow
about the teeth very red about the eyes and very
brstly about the head, sat behind the banker and
In any way take part in the game. Several incom-
prehensible blotches on red and yellow paper deco
rated the walls and conductor informed that
these nvocations to gods presumably favorable
to players, and conservatory maxims from Confucius
illuminated sheet placed over the bankers head
contained the rules of the game The noise
stalking the skrieks of delight at winning and the
Hcreams of disgust at losing were terrific, while
tae fumes of bad tobacco almost hid the players from
view. The twelve throws were over about ten min
ues after entered, and the crowd rushed frantic
ally to the other table, In order to secure good and
<Hucky'' places. We stayed for some time longer,
but nothing out Of the common was to be seen there
was very high play going on, and the losers bore
their losses with equanimty.
Declining all offers to take handn we left the
place, and crossing the road entered an opium shop.
There were some twelve or fifteen persons in the
place when we entered and the peculiar acrid smell
OF the burning opium was almost uncomfortable for
the first few moments. The interior OF a Chinese
opium house has been frequently described, and the
ianguid eyes, wthered faces and hopeless aspect of
the confirmed smokers descanted upon dd rousednn.
The scene In the house we visited was OF the usual
straw mating, are placed in little alcoves. on
each bench reclines brown and withered figure,
whose u1strung muscles, leaden eyes and corpse
ike visage proclaim him always slave to the in
fuence OF the drug. 1t is a common mistake to
of Gp' eStraordinary beauty. This is not the
case save In some rare instances. The influence OF
hdchts or OPIUM when C eaten, I not & smoked Oh viii
instance to alleviate pain, to produce temporary
excitement of the nerves similar to that effected by
the moderate use of alcohol. One pipe leads to an
other and 80 seductive is the power Of the poison
that fortnight is long enough TO rivet the chains OF
this terrible vice around the victim. Should he at
tempt TO break or the habit he has formed the terri
be pains that follow drive him nearly TO madness.
All The men we saw in the establishment were old
and hardened smokers. and they were lying In full
enjoyment of their brief respite from pain. The eager
looking faces Of the new comers became calm and
composed after few whlffs at the pipe and one un
fortunate who had been hanging about the door with
a horrible expression OF longing and pain on his
haggard features, upon receiving few shlllings
rushed in and having applied his lips to the huge
bamboo stem with impatient greed, pulled volumes
of the acrid smoke through his nostrils, and sank
back upon the mating with smile and inarticu-
jate moan Of delight that was absolutely painful
% witness. He had been debarred from the use
of his stimulant for two days, and after praying
In vain for relief had been twice elected from
the house with blows. The drug Is sold in little
boxes at one shilling each. Each box contains suf-
1icent opium for three pipes. The opium Is prepared
In the form of paste, which has sweet and peculiar
SMELL and looks much like treacle. The smoker
takes It up with iron pin, and lights In the ame
,oi a lamp. The burning drug s then placed In a
small hole In the huge clay bowl OF the pipe and the
smoke inhaled through the bamboo attached. The
next place we visited was chemists shop. The
Od0r In this place was int0lerable. The proprietor
and two friends, however, were drinking tea In the
back parlor and seemed rather to enjoy the perfume.
The shop was filed with packets OF drugs, carefully
labelled with Chinese characters, and various draw
ers contained the made up" medicines. "Joss''