The New York herald., 1879-07-04
AROUND THE WORLD.
General Grants Journey
Through Asia. Z.
LIFE IN CANT ON.
Temples, Monuments and
History.
MEMORIES OF THE TARTARS.
LIFE IN CANTON. :.
MEMORIES OF THE TARTARs.

500 AT SEA, May IL, 1879.
We had many pleasant hours in Canton. notably
the hours taken from entertainments and given to
he shops. The weather was warm. and this In a
lensey built city. where the air cannot come and
he people have familiarity with the grosser forms
Df nature that the European cannot acquire. an
Inconvenience. There many sights to be seen.
and the Doctor and l. leaving Mr.. Borie and Mrs.
Grant among the dealers In silk and ivory. started
out with list and an interpreter to see them. But
the interpreter had wooden ideas Of duty. and not
knowing English. disposed to march us Off to
shops where cats and dogs sold to the execu-
lion ground where Yeh, the old viceroy who fought
the English. cut of 10000 heads Of the disurbers Of
the peace. to the Temple Of Horrors and other
rusful shows. We found. however, that there
was nothing interesting in Canton as Can
ton ITSELF that all was new that it was
better to wander at will and pick way
back again to the European quarter. We had taken
chairs. but the chairs burden. and the coolies
dragged them after until the rain came, and we
were glad to take refuge in them. can see how
stroll through Canton would grow in interest If only
you were allowed to stroll. But somehow the COM
ing Of General Grant has upset the town. and our
appearance in the streets signal for the people
to come out of their shops aud the boys to form in
procession ana escort US. have some idea of the
sensation Of Crazy Horse or Red Cloud going down
Seventh ward. The moment we appeared in street
acrowd swarmed. and if we went into q storo the
doors at once blocked with dense mob. staring
and chattering and commenting us with free
dom which it well we could not understand. But
you 60 around the stores and into the workhops in
free and easy manner and pull things about. and if
you not pleased you have only to say "chin-
chin" and leave. nothing in our journey but
courtesy-ony curiosity. far we could make it.
and yet we lost ourselves in the town and went
where pleased.
TEMPLES MONUMENTS
One notable sight was the Hall of the Five
Hundred Disciples of Buddha. The street boys
divining intention. ahead. and after
some knocking the gate opened and we
entered under a covered way into . penstyle.
attendants and priests personally giving
welcome. We passed through granite cloisters and
into the hall where there 5Oa statues of clay.
gilded, to the memory of certain disciples Of the
Lord Buddha. famous in the religious history
Of China There are images of Buddha. or rather
Of three Buddhas; one Of the Emperor Kienlung
highly beloved monarch whose image sits on the
dragon throne. The other statues are OF Buddhist
disciples. whose names given. each statue
being as distinct from the others as the
Apostle Peter from the Apostle Paul in
Catholic religious decoration. Each of the
shippers. Before some Of them noticed people in
alteration meditation prayer. Before others we
noticed gifts placed in propitistion entreaty
after the fashion of Buddhist devotion. There was
nothing striking in these statues except their indi
viduality. Each was type, portrait, the repre-
ssntation of some human type that had been in the
artists eye. Icould understand how there could be
awhole literature of theology based on images so
diversified and peculiar. could only enter into
the legends of the Chinese faith Some of the statues
were merry and laughing; others were in tears
Some showed by their apparel wealth
and high station; others were in rags
like mendicant friars. Some wore shoes,
but the majority were shoeless. They were said as
disciples of Buddha to have had various snpernat
ural gifts-the power of subduing beasts. destroy
ing reptiles and, like the apostles In the Scriptures
the power Of being able to speak in strange tongues
without any previous application. In this they re-
sembed st. Francis Xavier, whose footsteps we
crossed in India and Malacca, and who was blessed
Uth this unique and convenient power. The wor-
ship of these Five Hundred Disciples is encouraged
says Archdeacon Gray. because it is in their power
not only to bestow long life on all who do worship
them. but to dspel all vexaton and bring to the de-
votee peace and JOY
CANTON STREETS.
The streets in Canton very narrow and very
On the occasion OF our visit they had been cleaned
up. but they were with the cleaning. in con-
ditfon that would crafty New York Tammany
Alderman In the days of the empire of Tweed They
are paved with long, slabs of stone with no
sidewalks Every house that we passed on our way
was bazaar. and consisted OF one open door, that
led into spacious room. In some OF these there
were spiral stairways that led TO storerooms or
dwelling chambers. We found some idea of the
wealth of Canton and of the wants of the country
which II supplies. when remembered how vast q
trade these bazaars represented. In looking over
plan of the city had been struck with the names OF
the streets the poetcal aud devotional spirit they
txpressed. There was no glorihcation of mere
human kings. and you couid almost fancy that
you were reading Of some allegoricai city.
like what Bunyan in his dream
There Peace street and the OF Benev voencc
and Love. Another by some violent wrench the
Imagination. was the street OF Refreshing Breezes
Some contented mind had given q name to the street
of Early Bestowed blessings. The paternh senti.
ment, 30 sacred to the Chinam~n, found expression
in the street of One Hundred Grandsons and the
street OF One Thousand Grandsons There was the
street of Thousand Beatitudes which, let us pray
enjoyed by it's founder. There were streets
eonsecrsted to Everlasting Love. to q Thousandfo ID
Peace. to Nine-Fold Brightness, TO Accumuat
Bile sings while practical soul. who knew the
value OF ADVERTISING named his avenue the Market OF
Golden Profits. Chinese mythology gave the names
Of the Ascending Dragons. the sarsing Dragon and
the Reposing Dragon. Other streets named after
trades and avocatlons. and 1t is noticeable that In
ous callings cluster together. There is Betenut
street wnere you can buy the betelnut. OF
which much In Siam, and ths
cocoanut, and drink tea There is where the
Chinese hats are sold and where you buy thc
hnery OF mandarin for n dollar two There is
Eyeglsss street where the comp ~ In sold and n
you choose to buy compass there In no harm In
remembering that we owe the invention of that sub
tie instrument to China Another street IL given "a
the manufacture Of bows aud arrows, another tc
Prussian blue, third TO the preparation of furs
The stores have signs In Chinese characters gold let
ter n arr inc n
front foot two from the wall, and droop betor.
you as you pass under them, producing a peculiar
effect, ~ of an excess of ornamentaton, like Par
fete day. The habit to which you accus
toned in Paris OF giving the store fanciful po
etic name prevails in Canton. One merchant CALI
has house Honest Gains" Another. more ambitious
names his house Great Gains" One satisfied sou
proclams his store to be a Never Ending Success.
while his neighbor's is ''Ten Thousand Times Sue
cessful." There IN the store called Ever Endur
ing. and others adopt aspirit not common ia trad
by speaking OF their shops az Heavenly Hapri