The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-06-09
From Lippincott's Magazine.
A GLIMPSE OF SAN FRANCISCO.

We could hardly realize that we were still in thu
UnIed States, the whole surroundings were so IN
familiar. Chests of tea covered with bieroglypbics
pies OF curlOus-shaped and colored garments form
Ell hitting background for the noiseless movement;
oI e the attehdants as they went about their work
Inc atmosphere was heavy with opium smoke
rising III curling clouds from the tnv pines held by
two lmpassiye figures seated on either side Of the
little table, which held the inevitable burning lamI
ana tiny transparent cups to he found in every Chi
nese domlcile. Mr.. Choy Chew himself a cour
teous, agreeable gentleman, seemed vision, the
creature of Dreamland, as he sat perched up on I
hlgh stool opposite our party His smooth face
shaven head and pgtail the dark blue color anC
curious fashionng ofh is broadcloth ''blouse," and
above all, his restless cleaning black ewes, were in
marked contrast to the familiar appearance of the
sentlemen OF our party, with their bearded faces
closely-cut halr and American style of dress.
1t was hard to shake off the feeling that this was
but vision of Shadow-land. We looked out of the
windows, but gained no help there, for the street
was full OF quickly-movng figures clad in the same
odd attire, with their boat-shaped shoes, walking
up and down, intent on their own affairs
we could but turn our eyes inward once more
and wonder if our ears heard Alright the we-spoken
English IN which Mr.. Choy Chew was chatting
direction to the busy clerks, who transacted bus
ness, gave orders, wrote in the huge ledgers. and
watched us all the while with unconcealed amuse
ment and interest.
The two smokers pulled placidy OH the LIGHT
before the tiny idol burned mildly the atmosphere
grew DREAMER and treamier-civilization progress
rush. hurry, hustle, whirl all seemed things of the
tar past. 1t could not be that we were still por-
ton of the great Yankee nation-still under the
benefcent rule of the warrior President We look
eu over at the municipal authority vested in our
pleasant travelling companion, the mayor of o.,
and tried like the famous old woman in Mother
Goose, to settle our own identity.
AT few words-all tang and chang and wang,
except those that were ski chi-an Oldish China
man handed to us, on tea-boX lid, some curious
drled brown objects, not unlike black walnuts In
appearance. Following Mr.. Choy Chew's example
and crushing them between our fingers, there de-
vcloped IN inner kernel, resembling a dried prune
in looks and taste. These, we were informed,
were a species of Chinese fruit. Our host then
wrote for us ON Chinese paper his name and ad-
dress III English and Chinese, using a camel's-hair
brush and India ink, and writing Cor painting
would be more applicable term) with as great
rapidty as though the best elliott pen and writing
fluid were his implements.
The evening previous to this visit while prov
ing around SACRAMENTO street, and watching the
curious Celestials in their everyday life our atten-
ton was attracted by a singular arrangement on a
doorstep, and we stopped for a nearer view. Nine
tiny lights were arranged after this fashion,
upon the two ends and in the middle of the door.
stone. While pondering and commenting, the
door suddenly opened, disclosing a Chinaman with
4 bowl containing ashes and fire in one hand, in
the other Il huge wSp of burning scented paper
This he waved over the tiny lights, performed
some rapid hocus pocus, bumped his head on the
d0or-sW, and vanished, the door closing with the
same quiet celebrity which marked its opening.
The lights burned brighter, and save for that no
token remained of this performance. We look
ed at each other more bewlldered than be-
fore, and took up our line of progress in a dazed
manner, mentally querying whether we had not
been unconsciously dropped into some strange
land, and not quite recovered our equanimity until
some distauce lay between us and the scene which
so puzzled us.
With this occurrence viyidy before lis. we queretl
of MIR. Choy Chew as to what it might mean. He
told us that their people worship the moon; that
once year, when the moon is ''at its bigness and
roundest,' they 'make holiday " and that evening
had been the fullness of the harvest moon; so their
people had celebrated it, and the performance we
had witnessed was burning of incense in honor
of pale Cynthia. We then inquired if strangers
would be allowed to visit the Chinese temples, and
were told they had no temples in America, but
only miserable little .oss-houseS, where we would
find not much to interest. If, however, we would
take the trouble to go, there was one up court
Just above Stockton street. And so we made our
aClieuX, exchanging shakes of the hand with one
after another who came forward smiling etfllsvely,
and departed to find the '.joss-house." On the way
we meet How Yang, an acquaintance made the lav
before. and under his guidance we proceeded to the
court, into little house, up stairs to Il back ROOM
entering through small ante-rOom; and here we
found JOSS So far rs we could learn. "Joss" is
corruption of the Spanish "Dios.'' and stands AS
and that which is generally performed, seems 10
be of an appeasins nature. The evil spirits are
those Whoare Worshpped-those who will do harm
if not conciliated by offerings and incense-burnngs
and genufleeons. The room was 4 small one an
oldish and exceedingly dirty 'Chinee' California
vernacuar) was clearing up generally making the
toilet of the excessively ugly and saturnne-ooking
idolship that sat i'll the centre Of long low table
covered with cloths stiff h quaint embroderes.
A large china bowl, very similar TO a mammoth
puncll-bowl. was filled with ashes in which We're
',ioss-sticks" burning slowly, and filling the air
with their heavy, incenselike perfume. Round the
room, in every possible place hung strips of paper,
Of that red color so we'll known to us all the out
side Of packs OF ire-crackers and covered with APP
parently identical characters. These the pray
cfS, written out and pinned up in quantities. In
one corner stood an uncouth representation of a
tiger, the jaws widely iistended and stuffed full of
comestibles; rats and raw meat seeming to hold the
hunger on the part of Mr.. Tiger, and possible de-
vouring of humanity But for the all-peryading
perflmed smoke from the burning ''joSs-sticks," ;"
the air of the room would have been unbearable.
Outside the door, in the little anteroom, was an
other bowl. also stuck full of burning sticks.
We were told that at certain seasons this room is
filled to oyertlowng with the articles offood brought
and offered to their idols.
All the intelligent Cinnamon we met deprecated
our intention of going to see the 'oss-hollse " saw
ing it was not worth while; that they had no place
of worship in this country; that what We're here
were only temporary substitutes. The men do not
seem rcverent. How Yang, we noticed, looked
round the place " It'll caTciessness than
we did, and seemed to feel utterly Indifferent and
certainly was pretended to be entirely ignorant
to the name and title of the presiding deity, and
could not or would not answer any OF our numer-
Gus questions.
We have since seen stated that the women among
the Chinese, as in most communities, are the de-
vout worshippers; and we have also heard that they
are mpelled to extra eXertion in the matter by the
fond belief that in the future condition the most
rnpOIIS will he elevated from feminine intpriOrtV