The New York herald., 1869-07-04
SKETCHES or CHINA.

Line-Cape Towu--Aujer Point-Land Ho-
Chinese Pilot Bont--The Approach 20 Vic
tOria--Scenes in the Streets--Hona Kong
"Her Maiesty's" signboards - American
Commerce-The Commercial Importance of
Victoria - Chinese Theatricals - Expensive
Traveliing-Shanahae-It Growing Trade
Menis-Customs-ChenpL Living.
SBANGHAE May IA, 1902
We knew we were near Hong Kong, and we felt
satisfied that if the wind remained favorable we
should land ut Victoria next day. Our long voyage
was nearly over; It was now the 18th day OF May,
1865 and we had left New York the goth OF the
preceding December. We had been driven away to
the equator by fierce norwester and crossed the
line on the 10th OF January. with the thermometer
at lo6 in the shade. We had conformed to ali
the old usages in crossing the line, received our
visit from Neptune, aud all those who had not
previously been that way were duly tarred, shaven
and doused. On the 22d OF February we touched
at Cape Town, in the middle of their beautiful sum-
mer, and were entertained by our fellow Americans
residing there at public dinner given in honor of
the anniversary OF the birthday OF Washington and
were further leted during our stay Of Ave days. At
AMER Point Java, we also made a stay where we
met some fellow Americans who were on their way
from Shanghae to New York.
AS If 70 punish us for our temeritY in sleeping
ashore great many Of us caught the Java fever but
very soon shook it Off, After many weeks OF ship
board, and thoroughly wearied OF the sea- we often
times ongingly strained eyes along the line of
the western horizon, which the declining sun gilt
with his rays, for the first appearance of land At
length speck appeared on the western glittering
waters which the captain informed us was Chinese
pilot boat, and so it afterwards proved to be- for
just as the sun setting and the tall peaks the
cluster OF islands, one OF which Is Hong Kong, had
seemingly risen out OF the sea, the pilot Junk came
alongside and the plot and his assistants scrambled
on board.
Thus we first met China face TO face were all curl
oslty, and examined the Chluamen aud their pecu-
liar craft. Their broad leaved bamboo ilats loose
sacks, wide pants, heeess turned up shoes and the
strange largon, mixture Of English, Chinese and
other languages, called pigeon English which they
spoke, as well as their strange swan shaped craft
with latten sails, made from bamboo, and resem-
Ding In their formation Venetian Olind. were
matters OF wonder. That night we gided by num-
per OF hly barren, volcanic Islands, and at sunrise
the next morning were WITHIN about eight miles
Victoria. Beng impatient To reach the city, got
asanpan, pecunar craft something ike r0wboat
impelied by latten sail and lelo, which is long
oar OF peculiar construction, and worked g CHINA,
man aJ the stern CT the boat. We glided
swiftly along and in hall an hour the beautiful
harbOr ana city of Victoria, the former almost land
locked and crowded with the men-of war and mer-
chant vessels OF many nations and The latter rising
abruptly, street after street. and terrace after ter
race, IN crescent shape up the side OF steep ni
until all were crowned by Victoria feak, with the
telegraph and signal station, standing nearly two
Thousand feet nigh.
everything seemed. The semi-orienta dress OF the
Caucaslans, the queer costume vi the Parsees, de-
scendauts orthe fire worsnippers of Persia, and now
the smartesi among the money lenders and brokers
OF the East; tue plodQng ia every direction Of coolies
bearing sedan chairs, all cod one that he was indeed
In strange and far-otf land.
The Island OF Hong Kong was ceded by the Chi
nese to the British In lS4l, and the latter quickly
commenced 20 build the city OF Victoria t Is stu-
ated IN the twenty-third degree of north latitude
and 1aclng the mouth OF the great Pearl river
emporium OF the vast trade OF Southern and South
w Nlntn asnun tgEn naf
casan and 90 900 Chinese inhabitants. The streets
running from the waters edge up hill are very
Steep many OF them il-Daved and narrow; those
crossing are wide well paved, and lined with solid,
splendid public buildings and elegant private resi-
dences, built in the European style The various
villas scattered away high up the hillside are, In
architectural design, together with the garden sur
ronndings as beautiful as any In the world.
Being an English colony one constantly meets
with evidence or The Power on which "the sun never
SETS" and ''the tax gatherer never rests" "Her
ministers OF the "EstaDlshed Church." ''ner Ma
iesty'sn 'Jolly tars" and "wOoden walls" "her Ma
jesty's" defenders" in the shape OF .'red coats'
"her Majesty'sr everything in fact, hotels, ware
rooms and snobbsh subjects of "her Majesty"
The universal Yankee nation" is to be found. cal
culating speculatnV, notioning and making It's way
generally. AS TO The other open ports OF China, we
"going ahead' rapidly against all the prejudlces
and anim0sity OF John Bull. Twenty years ago the
American name was scarcely heard Of in CHINA; now
some OF the heaviest merchant houses are American
and many or the enterprises and most useful i'm
provements are instituted under the Stars and
Stripes. must say, however, that cannot admire
the adaptation OF English customs, habits snobbish
ness and caste absurditles which characterize too
many of our American residents in China, partIcu-
larly IN Victoria. It is mawKsb humiasing, and
the combination OF the Yankee twang with attempts
at the ordinary drawI Is insulerable.
The fmoort and export trade OF Victoria is very
great and increasing; II is the terminus OF new
line OF steamers to the East and will become, alter
our trans-conlnental railroad Is 1nished, place
OF the utmost importance to us, although inferior
In that respect, trust, colony of our own some
where near Shanghae.
visit to the Chinese portion OF Victoria is inter-
esting and Instructive Here Is seen celestial life
with all It's peculiarities its more repulsive forms
controlled and modified by Western civilization.
by all means the visitor should call at the pruci
pal curio shops and witness Chinese theatricals.
Imagine plays without scenery, and the various
subjects incidental to the plot such houses, walls
rocks apartments, animals, &C., represented by
actors VINO announce themselves as houses, walls
&c leaving your imagination to supply the rest.
Ninety miles from Victoria, up the Pearl river, is
the great city OF Canton with its million Inhabitants
narrow Streets immense bazaars and fine foreign
settlement would advise all parties visiting China
to 20 through the bazaars OF canton; there the beau
tifu silk and other fabrics. well the exquistely
carved articles OF all kinds In ivory, sandal wood
tortoise shell. &C., are exhibited in immense and
bewidering profusOn, and can make pur
chases BY giving about onethird OF what Is first de-
manded.
Two lines of steamers, one American, the other
English ply daily between Victoria and Canton.
We left Victoria on the Sno-Nada, very fine
steamer, owned by an American firm. The accom-
modations on board were superb and the fare
charged immense. Think OF IL, S95 Mexican, equiv
alent 10 slo5 gold, for three and half days'pas
sage from Hong Kong 10 Shanghae, and one can
form some idea OF the expense or travelling In the
East.
We glided along by the coast and had some very
fine views Of the well titled and beautifully terraced
hills and passed through several 1eets OF fishing
boats, some Of them numbering thousands, and en-
tctng the fish by the monotonOus beating together
Of two hollow pieces OF bamboo, making loud and
most peculiar nose As we steamed up TO Shanghae
we were delighted and astonshed at the beautifu
appearance presented. The range OF splendid hongs
or mercantile establishments, each surrounded by
tastefully laid out lawns, and extending In the
nearly two miles along the bund, road, that lines
the bay; the forest OF nasts and steamer chimneys
through which we gded to our dock, and the fleets
OF junks and sanpaps gliding Ia every direction, all
told that we had reached the emporium at present
and in future OF Eastern Asia
Shanghae helm q. e., approaching the seal lies on
the north shore OF the Woosung river at Its junction
with the Whangpoo, fourteen miles up from the
junction of the Woosung with the Yangtse Klang
and twenty from the 10 latitude 81 degrees
10 minutes north and longitude III degrees 80 min
utes east.