Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-09-07


soon became almost dead letters
Vessels were known, in 1856 and 1857,
10 kidnap full cargoes within sight of
Macao. Owners of vessels from Amer
Jean points would enter into contracts
with parties in the West Indies of
South America to transport Coolies
at from fifty to eighty dollars a head
froighting the ships often for some
other than Chinese port, but evontu-
ally arriving at Macao or Hong Kong,
fitted and ready for the trade.
THE HORRORS OF THE TRADE.
Such was the condition of tho trade
ia 1857, when the ship NorUdy, OF
nearly 5000 tons, sailed from New
York loaded with coal for the United
States naval squadron in the China
Seas. 1t would be little to the pur-
pose of the narrative to enter into a
detailed account Of the outward voy-
age, the waiting at Hong Kong, the
transportation of laborers from China
to the Australian mines, or describe
the thousand incidents of long stay
in n Chinese port Enough TO say
that nearly threc.iourths Of year
elapsed ere our human cargo was
ready. During the latter part Of this
time extensive preparations was made
to receive them.
Down the whole length Of both low.
er decks were built tier after tier OF
bcrths, or rather shelves-for they
were without sides or dividing part.
tions. Large quantities Of beef pork
rice, etc, were slowed away. Hun
drcds of water casks filed the holds,
and on the upper or spar deck were
erected galleys for cooking Over
every hatchway save ono were set
iron gratiugs to prevent too free ac-
cess from below TO the upper deck ;
that one, the main and nearly cen.
trail one, was covered by the ordinary
housing. As the covering Of these
matches was aflcrward OF vital impor-
tancc to us, a word Of description will
be necessary. The gratings were
made of bars Of iron, arched in the
centre, and having a circular opening
Of eight or nine inches in diameter at
the summit Of the arch. The housing
was merely the continuance OF the or
binary ono in which were the gallcys,
the door Of it opening outward In
addition TO these preparations on the
spar deck a barricade was built, run
ming athwart ship, from rail to rail, a
short distance in irontof the captain :
cabin, twelve feet wide, ten high, and
arranged so that a guard OF armed
men could, from their station on top
command the whole deck, while with.
in it were accommodations for thciI
sleeping. When all was ready We
sailed for Macao, from the vicinity oi
which port the cargo was TO be
received,
TnE WAY THEY ARE COLLECTED.
Thousands have been collected from
every quarter of the kingdom, under
every pretext, and crowded into bar
racoons, amidst no less horrors than
characterize those Of tho slave dis
tricls OF Africa. Many had been in
duced to leave their homes uudcr The
most cruel misrepresentation, ant
once at the barracoons, cowcd by th,
lash or torture, were taught TO reply
at their masters command TO III,
questions Of Government officials who
at long intervals, came to inspect
them. The barracoons are termed
I Chu f-ekuaR, "Pig Pcns'-and from
their usual filthy condition well de
serve the name. Many Coolies diot
Of diseases incident TO such confine
ment, and suicides among them wer,
not uncommon.