Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-11-05
Primitive Methods in the Old and New
World.
REPORT ny CONSUL scRuees OF CANTON, CHINA


The points of identity between the artis-
tic forms of peoples living in countries
widely separate, under circumstances di-
verse, and often unconscious of each other s
existence, are sometimes very striking.
Perhaps they are the more so because gem
orally thought to be exceptional. The
mummies of Peru and Egypt are familiar
tho Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and those
in many parts of China. So, too, of tho
fragments of pottery exhnmed from the
ruins of IN extinct civilization in Central
America and those found in some parts of
Central and Southern Asia.
My personal observations in China lead
me to suspect that such identities, in forms
and appliances of art, are much more mum.
erous than is generally supposed. Nor are
they conhned, as some suppose, to pre-
historic periods. Take the common hand
loom, for example. 1t has been in com.
mon use in China from time memorial.
And yet, MS respects mechanical form and
appliances, it is identical with that used in
Eastern Tennessee and Western North
Carolina. Or, in other words, it is pre-.
cisely what our Colonial ancestors used in
the Atlantic settlements nearly three cen.
turtles ago. l have been unable to detect
tho slightest difference, except as to the
style and finish of workmanship. There is
tho Same system of beams and treadle
levers; the same complicated gearing for
opening the web to receive the woof; the
same distendiug braces for preserving the
uniform width of the fabric the same
swinging baton, with reed or sley of BAN.
boo splits, for driving tho wool; the same
loaded shuttle, movable spool; the same
parallel cylinders, one for giving off the
web, the other for receiving The newly.
made CLOTH All the silk fabrics, including
the finest satins of Chinese manufacture,
are woven on these primitive looms and
it will probably DO full half century to
come before any other method will no even
considered, much less adopted, by this con-
sentative people.
Our pioneer ancestors probably inherited
this rude contrivance from their European
progcnitors. But whore did tho Chinese
obtain it 1? There is not even reasonable
conjecture that it had either European
origin in China or Chinese origin in
Europe.
1t is generally known to educated men
that tho notarial instrument still in use in
our common schools is nearly identical
with the obacus of the old Romans. That
may be accounted for. We owe much of
our civilization to the land of the Caesars.
But how do we account for the fact that
this arithmetcal cuntrivance has been in
common use in China for at least twenty.
two centuriesY We Can hardly assume
that it had common origin with the two
peoples, because they had no knowledge of
each others existence before the time Of
Justinian. Moreover, those adventurous
monks who stole the silk cocoons and con-
veyed them to the Roman Emperor in
bamboo walking sticks were surprised
beyond measure to see this instrument in
common use among people then unknown
to the world. Now, il we substitute n
series of knotted threads for the delicate
wires and polished wooden or ivory bulbs
of the abacus, we have near approxima.
tiou to the aritbmetical Continuance Of tho
ancient Psruvians. The principle is exactly
the same.
Every one who has travelled in South
America is acquainted with the Qnenchn
method Of spinning cotton aud hemp. II
may DO witnessed almost anywhere in the
Andes. A small tapering spindle with .
large rim or stay, which is likewise the
balance wheel, is tho only machinery used.
The motive power il the thumb and fore,
finger Of the right hand, the other hand
being the distaF. The Indian woman Of
the plstsaus will thus spin and reel her
household fabrics - she trips along, bare.