The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-12
SKETCHES IN CHINA.

Courtesy and COusldeFu tlOn@TraccN Of Coal
Female Onaaenis-Csrnorant Fishins-
Canton-Chineso Fessival-A Row In the
Streets-Prisens-Exec utisns-Foochow-The
Tea misunderstanding Facts About the
Tea Regions.
FOOcHOV, May "a, 1869.
Our Journey from the sunting Lake was south
easterly, over a mountainous district. In some
places the scene was wild and grand, precipitous
rocks rising up pile on pile rugged barren and gray;
deep gOrges, down the sides OF which ran countless
cataracts; but there were also some heights which
undulated upward clothed with the oak, the larch,
the camphOr, the cottonwood, the cedar and other
species OF trees; and beautiful valleys watered by
many murmuring streams, clustered with hamlets,
embowered In the graceful bamboo and bright with
the azaiia the Oiiander and various species OF lilies
and camelias.
Our transit through this region was interesting
from the interest we excited. 1t was literally the
interior OF China. Some male bipeds of the eau
casian race. such AZ missionaries and spectators
In tea, from Canton had passed through 1t before,
but IN party were included the first "white"
ladies that had ever appeared there. Our fame pre-
coded us; we were met by crowds IRON each town,
who pressed around from all sides In the most eager
curiosity, and in more than one instance II went so
far that the Chinese local authorities politely
quested us through our interpreter, to permit the
ladies to step for few moments from their sedan
chairs Jour mode Of transit to satisfy the curiosity
Of the multitude. i must say that in no
place were we treated with the least dscOurtesy;
were unarmed, In great measure unprotected; but
beyond little pardOnabe curiosity about, to them,
such strange animals, all was courtesy and amenity.
We were the recipients Of many presents generally
food, and the curiosity which exceeded all others
was to see the ladies eat In fact, was told after
n ter nj ihpro m n
money were offered for that privilege,
We discovered traces Of coal In many places, and
in some judged from the outward appearance that
there must be immense deposits. We also noticed
that the women ornamented their heads with Jumps
of virgin gold, linked together and on inquiry found
that they were made from grains Of gold found In
the sands OF the mountain streams which, combining
form the North river.
After ten days of travel and rest we at length left
the Switzerland Of China and engaged couple of
junks to take us down the North river to Canton.
This portion Of our tour was rather monotonous,
livened only by such amusements as we could d.
vert ourselves with, such as puzzles, conundrums,
&c. However, We had some beautir ul views, and
was frequently much interested In the cormorant
fishing. 1t Is wonderful how well John Chinaman
has those birds trained. You will see eight or ten
standing still on the side Of boat until he gives the
word Of command, when CT they dive simulta ne.
ousy, and In few moments return, some two with
q big fish between them, others carrying fishes OF
various Sizes and yet some apparently crestfallen
with none. THIS haul Is laid squirming at the bot
tom OF the boat; the more lucky ones are rewarded
with small quantity Of fish and all again resume
their sentinel positions. awaiting another order.
Of the annual festivals Of the feast of Ian
terms. Nothing could be more beautiful than the
designs studded the hills to the back OF the city,
and cleaned like q line Of light; hung In the most
fantastic designs from al the houses and sparkled
from every portion Of the native craft and strewed
the water for miles, The exquisite beauty Ofl1the
sight was neutraiized, however, by the discordance
Of the sounds; never was night made more hideOus;
never did hear such din; gongs, myrlads OF
them, beat incessanty frecrackers went or by the
tcuIarIy babel Of tongues, made One one wish
M his g sst w IT. az SoEd hs bearing
diminished neads. / have heard you at your worst,
and you never could approach 1t.
In the daytime during this festival there vari-
Gus games. That OF racing in the dragon boats was
the most exciting The boats were some of them
sixty feet long ane not more than three wide. In
oar, ana at q given word all started or each one
yelling his utmost. The boats flew like the wind,
their dragon tails ditto presented fine appearance
One boat during the race broke In two and thirty
Chinamea were drowned. 1t created no sensation
whatever. "Maskee no makee mucher that thing:
plenty more likee."
While passing through the streets Of Canton we
one day came across Chinese row. Such jabber-
ing, such gesticuiati0ns, such antics among us 1t
would have come to blows long ago. but q China
man will do anything but strike. At length few
pgtails were pulled and the native police coming
on the scene quickly made use Of these same appen-
dases. They gathered the late belgerents together
into groups OF about six, and then, tying ali the
celeslials' narratives together, followed them In
squads TO prison. Would not the wearing OF such
an appendage by our rOughs be an excellent ideaS
We also Visited the prison at execution hour, which
is about eleven O'Clock A. NJ every DAY There
into
feet square. The sand with which 1t was deeply
strewn was much discolOred and emitted q sickly,
fetid OdOr. The walls around the courtyard were
lined with Cinnamon. who banded Jokes and seemed
highly delighted with the scene. The culprlts were
placed IN a row, about ten feet apart standing up
and unbound. They then ordered to wind up
their queues and place their hands on their knees.
All this they did promptly and calmly; not the least
even joked with the surrounding crowd The exc
cutioner, brawny, big usty fellow now came
with dexterlty evidently attained by long
practice clipped or one head after the other as
quickly as YOU would the heads OF many thistles
Ae never failed nor gave second blow. The CORY
trunks sank quivering, the heads bobbed about
iitte as one Oh our party remarked seemingly look
After stay of couple Of weeks in Canton we
steamed down TO Hong Kong. and thence to the
great tea empOrium-FoOchow. The scenery up
the river Min to FOochOw IL very beautiful and has
been compared to that the Hudson, but the hills
on either side are higher and the river deeper and
more rapid. FOochOw has q large foreign settle
ment and exports immense quantities or tea, over
seventy millions Of pounds this year. Three steam
ers ply between here and Hong Kong. and one TO
NingpO, all under the English nag We visited the
great tea districts extending along the hillSdes for
many miles, and examined the various plantations
and the various modes Of preparation OF Tea.
This plant, originally called by the Chinese IN
and subsequently Cha and by the English originally
Jay, has been IN by the Chinese partially since
almost the Christian era and In general use among
them for the past eight centuries. 1t ls Of the
mela family; has dark green. thick, oily leaves OBJ
long IN form, about two inches long when fully
grown and half an inch wlde The blossoms are
single, white, inOdorou5 and possess none OF the
qualities OF the leaves. The plant when growing
Wild AZ 1t has been found IN Assam sometimes at
talns height OF thirty feet; but on tea plan
tatOns Of China and Japan, where It Is cultivated
and etunted 1t IL from four to SIX feet In
height, and contains many branches thickly
covered with leaves. The seeds three In num-
Der, contained In nut, ana OF such oily, rich
nature that they spoil. These seeds planted
thicky, as many rot before they terminate, and
when the young plants come mp they set In rows