The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-31
a Voyage mp the Yanr..s-E,.nE River


denee JOarDal:
We he'd passed far beyond the line of dark
deep ses, and for many miles had steamed through
the yellow turbid water; yetnether ahead nor on
the right, nor on the left, save the dim tips of
Parker's Islands, just now dipping below the
horizon line behind Us, was any land to be seen,
vet we were in the mouth Of the Yangtse Kiang
river, journeying landward. Verify, we thought,
no wonder this highway OF nature, rising In Cen.
trail Asia more than three thousand miles away,
and bisecting the Chinese Empire, should be
called the Son of the Sea-
Soon, a long line of trees, looking like a pro
cession Of junks seemed to rise from the sea, FAR
away to the left (the south) and after while the
low mainland above which they stood was visible
The land which could be discerned so far e"ay 10
the right was not the main, but the island OF
Tsung Ming. The deposits Of coll made by
these great Chinese rivers, the iangtse hlang and
of Ts1ne Ming, now Supporting population of
more than a miIlion souls, and itself point of
much traffic, ihree generations ago was washed
by the tide.
We have come near the main land, have
passed around the huge corner that juts out into
Inc sea, and crossed the bar at the mouth Of the
WhaDgpu-sometimes called the Woosung. after
the name Of the village Cd its western bank-up
which we must pass twenty miles, to reach
Shanghai. The land on either side is low ard
level, scarcely above the surface of the water,
and must be overlooked by any rise in the river.
The river bank, and far beyond, is covered with
beautiful growth OF green. The soil seems to
be in high state of cultivation, every available
spot is used, and the beds and burrows and drains
have Deatness and precision that would not be
amss on an American model farm. Here and
there are small groves Of trees, out from which
peer the grsy.tiled roofs and corDices of Chinese
dwellings. Over the whole face of the country
are scattered mounds, or earthly eXcrescences,
covered with growth of thick grass, and of all
shapes and es-hemispherical, cone like, pyrs.
midal, square. high, low, and as we look over the
land this is the peculiar feature. They are the
graves or tombs OF buried celestias, and although
they must exceedingly interfere with the pro-
cesses CT agriculture, yet presume, agriculture
would cease, and China sink, before these shell
tiers of the dead would be profaned by living
hands. On the death of one of The poorer classes,
the coffin is deposited above ground, in the open
field, and there remains. Occasionally along the
bank we can see these collins, the wrappiDgs Of
straw rope beached and rent by tne storms which
beat upon them.
The turbid river and its low and fertile banks
bear strong resemblance TO the Mississippi
about New Orleans or Baton Rouge The COM
parison has been frequently made, and is very
apt. The southwestern bank Of the river Is
marked every few yards by Chinese fisherman and
their apparatus. narrow walk perched a few
feet above the river on bamboo stakes, leads
from a small hovel on the bank, in which the
Chinese fisherman nonchalsntly sits, holding a
cord attached TO a long bamboo-like q well
sweep-by which he raises or lowers into the
fish caught by this rude continuance, yet presume
from their frequency that 1t is not hopeless vo-
cation, and here we pass modern and western
looking building, above whose corrugated roof
extends tall square cbimney-no common sight
in this Chinese land. In the dry dock adjoining is
a large steamboat undergoing repairs. How much
it reminds us of New York or New London. We
are told by the pilot il is the Plymouth Rock.
well remember crossing Lake Erie, from Detroit
to Buffalo, eleven years ago, in the Plymouth
Rock, then propelled by the same engines that
now carry this other Plymouth Rock far up into
the rudeness and barbarism of this Chinese en-
pire.
We are now Just below Shanghai, or that settle
ment OF foreigners which takes its name from the
adjoining walled Chinese town. Except the rude
boats that lazily pass up and down the river,
there Is nothing Of China in the scene. On both
sides the river are storehouses, and buildings of
modern exterior, bearing across the front huge
signs indicative Of ownership or purpose. Now
we pass sailing vessels at anchor in the stream,
and farther beyond steamers fast u their moor.
iDgs. The shipping increases, the buildings along
side stand closer together, wharves of familiar
type jut out into the stream-shipyards and dry.
docks are passed from the tops OF tall chimneys
near by the black smoke is whitfield away in the
stmosphere-and here, where the river makes an
elbow, we come 10 anchor.
The stream turns sharply to the southwest. On
the left the land is low and morass-lke, yet ia
quite thickly settled, one of the prominent build.
ings being the machine establishment Of two
Americans. This locality is called Pootung.
On the right is the American settlement, known
by its name Hung Kau, more Familiarity, Hong
Que, taking its name from small stream thar
runs through it. Between the masts Of an English
steamer, and over the buildings on the WHAT,
can see the gothic Understanding me Of st.
Paul's Pawtucket-of the American Protestant
Episcopal church. The only church east of the
Cape of Good Hope where is heard the prayer
for the president of the United States.
A little farther beyond, and near the middle Of
the bend in the river, is quite an extensive
dIaw-bridge, crossing the Suchan creek-on
WusuDg Kang, as the natives know it-which
divides the American portion of the city from
the part known as the English and French con-
cessions. Here the right bank of the river looks
not unlike the levee at Cincinnati, or Louisville.
The street along the river front is finely laid out
makes an elegant drive, and is known as the
"Bupd.n Along the Bund are a portion of the
mercantile establishments, and residences of the
foreigners. now located in Shanghai. Few cities
that / have seen present q finer appearance
than the river front Of Shanghai. The buildings
are large and spacious, are of various styles Of
architecture, though generally Of the continental
European, and are surrounded by ample grounds.
The Masonic temple is an exceedingly fine
building.
In the center of this line of buildings is the
Chinese custom house, with its gate of tour roofs
of tiles. and its angled and curved apartments
beyond structure more characteristic than any
other have seen in China. Further beyond is
use of the club. A small creek called the Yank
ing pau, divides the English and French settle
ments.
The Bund along the French portion of Shanghai
even much finer than the English part, and like
the whole foreign settlement. is lighted with gas
The large government buildings here, aud the
early course pursued by the French, indicate an
original intention Of making this an extensive
French colony. Still further beyond, and some
distance from the river bank, is the walled city
of Shanghai. Itself q curiosity, q study, and YET
loathing, we will reserve it for inspection unit
another time:
To this point the river is filed with beautiful
specimens of American and European sailing
/ craft with the hulks in customs use, with coast
asd ocean steamers, and with the large and ma
| jesse American steamboats, that have won thu
river traffic throughout China, and which nov
bear thu unintelligible names Of HUI Qusng, kiane
Soong, aad the like. Beyond here the river Il
crsmmed With junks, whose scolloped pennons
1tter in the air, and whose oiled sides glisten II
the sun. that Navigate the coast, and with smaller
craft whose province Is in the streams which per
meate the country.
AL of this foreign settlement is of considerable
| extent making it,alf ouifa citv hqQrinl