The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-25


uo.tov which. until January /, 1870,
'', ,,N ,,,,,n,s fhnle OF foreign traders on
W. W N,rct>o river, is situated on
~ yorfioD Of the valley formed by the
~. tI,p which Joins the great river ~
-, The magnificent promenade or
,uN - ,bo English concession ut this
60, nori /, the objcc, " admiration from
an visitors who frequent The port eSpe-
III, aur{r- 'he fea Scason. only IN re-
80, Vc,rs has ihe work been IN Sucl
So. condiiioo. when II = considered
,ha, no SIMMER level Of The langtse
tsT,r.v.tyvo feet above that OF The wls'er,
80 ;,oe ,nsy Do conceived OF the dlincutY
-, Ioc.,,n,, a structure OF that kind IN re-
,,air large sums have been spent upon u.
r.. o,,,,ro l,nsth II the boulevard. as III
.,a, ~. called. i planted with dcciduouS
80. In thn spring and autumn the! loon
wei. but The fierce heat OF the summer iaueS
and hurn, the foliage. II i ut lianho" 'hal
Tho large steamers load their valuable car
r,cs II tea for conveyance 10 nng'and ana
lie continent II Europe. The riverside
j. lined with boats Of every size ana shape
trnm The towering Honan junk, with us
four Immense lron.wOod maSts, 10 the
small oustsz. or bOat for passage 10 ana
from various points. Tie current runs here
during the summer months al tcrrlhc
rate. due 10 the melting OF The SHOWS IN Tie
mountain ranges of Nunnan and 1hibet'
SPUR Of the liimsIayas, in the heart oil
which the l1nctse takes lis rise. As al
UaukoW, the traveller sees the last remnant
~ western civilization in the way OF COM
fortabls houses and delcacicS OF the table.
lie can count no more on cold brandies and
>od9. or c'arct-cup. until his roturn.
q a 81 e. no u
service. ny freud ana were provided
with pa>>po;. Of immense slzc, stamped
VITA the official seal OF the Nlccroy, re-
,piondeut with
DRAGONS AND OTHER MYTHICAL MONSTERS
rrip,ed around the borders, setting forth
10 an officers. Whoovor they may be. orders
fo.>>i>t M every way, and 10 obtain any
Thing requisite fer the use Of the English
W,n
% the great Ching nation. 10 turn'sh
l,st. n rrarer rate, and other conyeyanceS
for Them and servants. and generally to do
ANYTHING necessary for the Government
..rvI.e &,. The passport having been
sent 10 ,.c T8o,ai Of Haukow (lntenGcnt OF
oircui'l. toacthor with our cards ono Stif
li,fle uq<'cboards. but genuine red Official
cards with orr names i'm Chinese stamped
thereon. We found. upon sending our SER
wants ahead. That the boats INTO which our
dry goods. eatsb'e,. and books were slowed
had arrived I'll The mouth Of The river Ian,
about hslf mile away. our party consisted
81 two Tngl.,hmcn. four German artisans,
and ours servants. The party included no less
than SIX hundred soldiers. who were de-
tailed 10 assist IN transporting the heavy
m4chiucry IN our charge. our squadron
consisted 4 i've boats for the foreigners and
thirty boats for the soldiers and machinery.
Leaving the mouth OF Han river At O'Clock
L. NJ, our bOltmen gave up the task Of
tracking aad pulling in about one hour. a.
orr way was 80 impeded by an enormous
raft Of long poles and maSt-pieces floating
down stream that we concluded TO make
fast for the night and start early in the
morning.
ASwe wished 10 see q little Of the genu-
iuc bost-populalion in this, the centre Of
Chins. and compare notes upon their habits.
nv friend and | walked down the banks Of
the river. The Han, at its mouth, is about
ihree.quarfels Of mile broad, and upon
il waters are gathered iunks OF every de-
scripl.on. Here Is the square bow and
towering stern Of that big fellow from
>ha'>Z: he belongs 10 Honan. His junk is
huilt on a curve, the stern being about five
feet above the line Of the bow. Let Us 90
on board and have 4 glimpse at the internal
arrangements The sailors are grouped
around the gangplank, smoking their
pipes, having knocked of work TO
see the foreign devils Evidently,
these mariners never had such a close inter-
View with foreigners before. They feel
our clothes, admire our boards, ana remark
10 one old man ir the crowd. Why. they
are older than YOU are; they must be ffty."
The old man said: "NO; those devils
boards grow quickly As gOOd-tempered
answers are the best 10 give these people
replied in Chinese TO the old man, " Did
YOU ever zee q deyilY" They stared
agla,t at my speaking TO them in their own
dialect. and remained silent for some little
time, when one of the youngest sang out,
"He speaks our Chinese language" and
the spell was dissolved. Immediately the
usual set phrase came forth, What isy0ur
honorable name and a2e?" and the multi
tuGe Of other questions, 10 all OF which we
responded cheeifully.
Now came our turn. We asked for the
owner If the boat, and
THE OLD MAN,
Who was captain or pilot, took IL into the
stern, where we found the owner, sur
rounded by hi, family, quietly seated at
table balancing his books. He arose and
demanded auerily why we had been allowed
20 come on board; but our usual charm,
speaking in their own tongue, prevailed,
and he politely Saluted our company. The
little ones. BOYS and girls, together with
three won en whom we caught pecping at
"a, from behind the cOitOn-clOih door
screens, now came Shyy OGt from their
rooms. aud Al the fathers command
The children surrounded IL and gave
the customary Chinese SaluialiOn. The
women, like al those OF the cen
trail provinces, were very fair, with
painted face, and small feet. They were
dressed in simple cotton clothes, reServlng
their hes. ones for the performance OF their
religious duty 10 Joss on bOtrd, or for rare
visits on shore. They handed us tea and
cakes, but the old man sud The sailors who
were crowded round the door Of the stern
cabin looked amazed when they saw that
We did no, eat The tea-lcaycs. which i the
custom I'D the central province, where Tea
j. grown. From. the owner we learned
that The junk was then tweniy-seycn
wears old. having been built BY his
father; It's capacity was 5000 piculS
about 40 tons, and il was engaged
in carrying wood. oil, hemp. and coffin
wood. lie could make on an average four
voyages year from point 10 point on the
great river, and his earnings would probs-
bly, be- $1,000; perhaps il be went 10 Chin
klang, $50 miles from liankow down the
river, aud back 10 Sha'sz with Government
salt. he might make $6. 900. But, he added
with a sigh. " You foreigners have fire.