The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-26
acknowledgement
a WnEELING MAN IN CHINA
Journey from Japan 20 the CclCs-
tiRl EInplre-IlOW the JOhnnicS
Appear ut Home Visit 10 Hong
HOnY md Canton.

OOuFney AEuIl tNI ISNlA ~ lHC NSlcHs
tiAl Emplre-IlOW the JOhnnicS
Appear ut Home visit 10 Hong
Kong and Canton.
Editors Inttlligcn1r:
On October 81. at noon, the Oregonian
steamed down the harbor from her an.
Ch0ruge at Yokohama. Although misty
the shores could be seen much more dis.
tinctly than when we arrived. The
rainy season is nearly over, and VIC no.
tice the green luxuriance Of the vegeta.
ton. There are numerous creeks and in.
dentations with cities and villages far
within them. We rounded Il point and
struck westward along the green undu-
lating mountains OF the coast with the
cone OF Fusiama looming up beyond
We passed numerous rocky islands, and
at dark lighthouse guided us on our
way along the dangerous coast.
After tossing two nights and u day on
the skirts Of TyphoOn, the vessel
wrapped in mist and rain, (the last
night with the glare OF two volcanoes
lighting up the gloom, the morning
rose fair, and coming on deck We beheld
the outlines Of the shore on either side,
gradually swelling up. on the right into
bold and PERCEPTIONS headlands and high
mountain peaks. We were passing
through the straits OF Van Dieman. The
first island to the left is low and Hat, but
beyond is one precipitous, and still
farther away, single volcanic peal;
bursting up out OF the ocean. On the
right We pass the entrance 10 a beautiful
bay guarded OIL one side By high, rocky,
wooded nights and on the other by con.
ical mountain peak thousands OF feet in
hight, u beautiful natural pyramid slop.
ing in all directions to the water. Look.
ing up the broad expanse OF the bay we
see myriads OF white sails &udding be.
tween its varied shores, while n lofty and
rugged mountain shuts out the distance.
Farther on we pass volcano, rising
precipitously out Of the ocean, its deeply
iurrowCd sides smoking with burning
lava, and dense white cloud Of smoke
covering its broken and irregular sum.
init, We pass 70 near its baPe that the
desolate and smoking prccipices seem to
swell OUT above us and threaten to i4ll
and oyerwhelm us in burning dGstruc.
ton.
After losing sight OF the shores Of For.
mosa the coast OF China soon comes into
view, which, IA we approach, is seen TO
be broken into iudenting bays, with bar
rem roCks and craggy islands, backed by
low.lying lands, with CLEANS Of shining
sands, while in the distance are waste
plains and barren peaks that hubble to.
gether half hidden mid the miatS OF an
unknown land.
Skirting the coast we come Il. length to
where the mountains are crowned togeth.
er into the widest confusion, and seem
to have pushed some Of their number ont
into the ocean. Right through the midst
ofthese our vessel finds her way, among
fantastic rocks and under overhang-
ing SUBMITS, the narrow passage
opening out further on into bay
englrt BY lofty peaks, whose
western SUBMITS are now glowing in the
light OF the setting sun. Sealing the
loltiest OF these Victories Peak is seen
the city Of Hong Kong.
On casting anchor we were immedi'
ately surrounded by innumerablc sam.
pans, filled with men, women and chill
dren, the whole household living in their
boats, where they are probably born and
die. They swarm around the vessel, jab'
boring their uncouth, gibbcrish dialect
their voices and gestures resembling lot
OF hogs expecting the swill,
Some Of them have friends aboard The
vessel returning from California and
their demonstrations Of joy at meeting
are ludicrOus in tho extreme. Taking
our seats in one OF these boats amid the
household implements OF the family
We were rowCd ashore and soon reached
the hotel. Here We first behold the
various people OF the East, Chinese, Par.
sees, HindooE, Sepoys-all dressed in
their different fantastic costumes.
The English government buildings are
massive and grand, and there are many
fine residents and beautiful gardens
TherN ia public garden on the terraced
side OF the mountain, filled with tropical
flowers and shrubs and trees. The road
winding up to It's shaded by trees and
tall bAmboosr overgrown with trailing
trumpet vines while from tho overhanS.
ing rocks float long fronds Of icathery
ieins,
Although surrounded by high noun,
tNins Hong Kong ia sometimes visited by
furious lyphoons; one not long since
having strewn the harbor with wrecks
and also doing great damage to the city
especially along the water front whcr,
- 1oJ I;(tol ~ ,kn ,as,oN, onA III.
them against the houses, destroying both
There Is said to have been three THOUSAND
lives lost.
On taking passage for Canton We wCr
agteeably surprised to find ourselves oil
board an old Hudson river boat, com
mandel by an American officer. Leay
ing Hong Kong We threaded mario,
passage among barren rocks and noun
Iains towering high overhead, soon open
Ing out into wide bay dotted with rock
islands and studded with native sail.
which add greatly to the interest Of tn
Landscape, whether standing out agains
the horizon or painted on background
Of frownipg cragS. These Chinese Graf
are queer looking affairs, and are OF al
shapes, sorts and aizes; junks, sampan
and fishing boats, and are sharp bowed
llat bowed and double bowed, but neye
without the eyes painted upon them
Propelled by bamboo poles, by oarp, o
by their curiously shaped mating sails
scudding swiftly before tho wind, or "
ing lazily at anchor with black fishin
nets trailing from the yards, looking lii;
silken sailc, they are always part Of III
picture.
At a distance, beyond the boats an
staked fishing nets, a huge black object i
seen rising from the water and loomin
up like cloud. This ia the huge rocl
called the tigers Head,p and the mar
row passage between il and the opposi.
shore was called Bocca Tigris, or Tiger
Mouth, now called the Bogne. Here ar,
several dismantled and ruined forts.
Catering the Tigers Mouth, the noun
taiRs and rocky islands drop behind ant
level and fertile valley opens anC
widens out, aanked on the left by higl
hills, some Of the peaks surmounted 5,
pagodas. Passing these, beyond broaG
bay and valley, the gentle slopes agar
come down to The river shore, this tint
oyeredwithterraces and groves, and ",
f i H. <