Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-16
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.

SAN Francisco, August 9TH, 1871.
To the Editor of the Journal:
During the last few years great hue and
cry has been raised throughout the United
States, and particularly throughout California,
against the "Heathen Chinee." Perhaps a
few words in regard to them may not be I'M
interesting.
The Pacific Mail Steam Ship Co.'s steamers
which arrive here regularly every month from
China and Japan, bring generally from three
to five hundred Chinese. ANY one one who
once goes down to the wharf when they are
discriminating, will thereafter be likely to re-
tain a lively recollection of the circumstance.
When the ship is once up to the wharf they
do not at all stand upon the order of their
leaving, so that they leave. Every one has
as many boxes, bundles, straw hats, shoes
and everything else conceivable dashed to him
as can be hung on, dangling in all directions
and covering him as completely and loosely
as rags on scare-crow in a New England
corn field. AS they come down the long
gang plank from the forward part of the great
steamers, they are first met in this free and
enlightened country by deputation of reve-
nue. ofhcers, who Ego through" them thorough
n ly, from the crown of their hats to the soles
( of their shoes. Formerly, the search seldom
s failed to bring to light more or less concealed
n opium; but of late, the efforts of the officers
q have been so searching, that the custom Of
n smuggling on the person has to all appear.
Lam rhat 80.
), however, the old hiding ways and places hav.
ing become known, has only driven them to
some new and less easily detected, for they
e are very cute, and opium is their God. The
: methods of smuggling adopted by them here
: tofore have been very ingenious. They al
1 come to this country dressed uniformly alike
: fiat, pan-shaped straw hat, loose raw silk sacl
e or jumper made like shirt, and loose baggy
e pants, like two pillow slips sewed together
, For long while they successfully defraudet
; the revenue by saturating the thick padding
of their coats with thick solution of the drug
and by filing the soles of their shoes, which
were made hollow. After the officers hat
discovered these hiding places, they remorse
y cut open, for a long time, the clothing OF
all Cinnamon arriving here, until they broke
up the practice. They hollow out canes
barrel slaves, box castings, and even egg
shells have been so neatly filled and closed
as to defy detection without breaking. The
last named practice was so successful, that
for some time invoices of eggs passed through
the custom house without suspicion; but, as
is frequently the case, the success of the plan
proved its defeat. The importation of eggs
from China became so great and increasing
as to draw the attention of the inspectors to
~, the subject. 1t was claimed that the eggs
=. were brought here for Matching purposes on
10 inspection 1t was found that the top layers in
the cases were genuine eggs, coated over with
some preparation professedly to preserve
a them; the under layers had the same outward
e appearance, but when broken open proved TO
J, be egg shells filled with opium.
/, ProportioHately but few females come here
with the men. Indoors or out, they are all,
{ men and women, very clearly and neatly
dressed; never ragged or slovenly They are