The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-08-12

/ long pipes as are uSeu Dy tlle men, anu
talking about old scandals The children
are PLAYING about the cabin and out on the
guard. which runs around the junk to en-
! able the sailors to use their tracking lines
and poles to advantage. Large dried gourds
are fastened to the bodies of the younger
/ ones to serve as kind of life buoy in case
/ they fall into the water. We found, as a
remarkable proof of the hardness of these
I iunkmen, that their food consists mainly of
( fish and rise, with sometimes little salt
cabbage Meat Of any description was
rarity with them Not few were addict
ed to opium smoking; but this was indulged
4 in as a sedative after days hard work.
/ The old pilot told us he smoked about ten
pipes day of native opium, and hewas GA
+ years old Indeed. we found that the use
/ of the narcotic was general among the float
+ ing population throughout the whole Of our
/ Journey. A brief description of this junk
may prove interesting. She was built of
( fir wood entirely; was about 10 feet long
and % feet broad. with fiat bottom, and
when loaded only drew 10 feet of water
The hold was divided into eight water-tight
/ compartments. The house on deck was so
/ feet in length, having m after-cabin for
+ the accommodation of the owner and fami-
T IL. The state rooms were small holes con-
tanning four planks, which served as bed
for the women The owners room, of
course. was the cabin, and had carved
aleoye fixed in it, together with silver hang
ines. purchased during some former trip
down the river. The sailors slept on their
own mats ON top of the tubs of wood-oil
slowed in the house, and managed to make
+ themselves comfortable in their own style.
STARTING OFF.
Taking leave of our junk friends, and re-
( ceiving wishes of good journey, we be
I took ourselves to eur own boat. At day
+ light We we're aroused by the sounds Of
departure hauling of ropes and the firing
I of crackers and bombs by our Chinese con-
tineent. who we're 'chin.chinning the river
god for a safe Journey. Around US were
number Of bOats conveying csbbages, tur-
nips and radishes Of an enormous size from
the various vegetable gardens situated upon
the alIuvial ground formed by the delta Of
the Han. The soil IS extremely rich. al
though il has been worked for many years.
I To our left ssood the town Of Han Yang,
( towering above which was the Han Hill,
Z serving as . protection 10 the city against
/ the evil influences Of wind and water,
Feng Shuil. The vast plain ON which
Hankow stands was 10 cur right. Here
and there upon its broad face were dotted
( bright patches Of green. and small houses
huilt of mud and thafehed with straw,
( forming the farm-yards Of the settlers.
7 Yearly these places are subjected to foods.
caused BY tbs rising Of the mighty river,
I bat sgill with a persistence worthy Of
3 better cause, the houses are rebuilt in the
sane spot, and work i resumed as IL moth
/ Ing had occurred. Large sheets Of water,
upoa which the water lily and lotus grow,
arr "a he secn az intervals. The lotus IS
grown for iss seeds, It's flowers, It's root, and
even slarnens and plstil, all forming part Of
the Chinese food and hguring in their
pharnAcog-aia. The water chestnut OF cal
lhr0p grows abandantly, and Is eaten at
every meal, especially during the summer
months, a. i; i supposed 20 possess cooling
virtues for the blood Oar boatmen pur-
sued their way along the banks Of the
river, using a long hne fastened 70 the mast
hesd for tracking purposes, and enliveued
their lab0rs hy small talk and remarks about
Their gorcign passengers At midday we
made fast alongside a large Eaft Of poles,
which was on iss way 70 Haakow for sale
Numerous beats laden with weed oil veg
efshlsS tallez aud tohaeco-leaf passed rs AZ
/ intervals.
FOREIGN DEVILS
Men. women and children were all con
si,lerably exercised in their minds as 10 the
object of the foreign devil" in visiting
this rca.ion, but catching sight Of our friend
I the Mandarin, and learning from cur ser
wants that we we're in Chinese employ, they
assumed a naoFe respectful tone The pop.
ulation around this district differ consider
ably in their physique from those Chinese
dwelling in California. They are sairer in
complexion. eIeanlicr in habits. and their
{ faces exhibi, more intelligence. The Prov
( ineeS Of Honan Hupeh and Human form
I the original Chung Kwoh Central King
dona), name BY which al China Is now
known. The men Of these provinces make
the best soldiers Of which Ghina can boast.
They are bIindly submissive 20 destiny, aud
n the same time are brave and ready to
+ follow 10 the death good leader. But, in
eammon With all Celestials, they have
strong imagination and crednlity, from
which their superstition springs Their
powers Of endurance were frequently oh
served by Us during our journey, long
DAYS work being accomplished by them
with scanty food. Taking these people on
the whole, they are far superior to the in
habitants Of the southern provinces.
After short delay We again moved on,
catching a glimpse in the far of distance of
range Of low-lying hills Perched upon
various peaks were temples Of Buddha, and
here and there pagoda stood sharply de-
fined against the sky The weather was
very pleasant for July, although We found
il rather warm in Hankow. A refreshing
breeze swept down from the hills. The
scenery became picturesque rs we journeyed
on. The fields were alive with men and
women busily engaged in various pursuits.
And here was the patient water buffalo.
yoked with donkey TO the rude and prim-
tive plow. The system of irrigation is as
old as the days Of the Pharoahs A series
Of buckets on wheel, which received its
impetus from treadles worked by boys,
served for this purpose. The tobacco,
which grows abundantly in the Province,
was now being cut, and lay on the ground
to get sun-1ried. The country, having
been denuded of trees during the TAPPING
rebellion presents monotonous appear
ance. Bamboo groves have been planted
around the temples, and the Chinese will
/ low. with its graceful, dropping branches,
/ by the side of some wayside shrine, served
as a shade for the field workers to rest dur
I ing their midday rapast. The simple wants
/ of these laborers are easily satisfied. Gen
orally the land cultivated belongs to the
family for generations. Here and there
are graves of their ancestors, green
mounds which are hallowed by the ashes
of the deceased, and to demolish which
would be saerilege in the eyes of the gods
of heaven and earth.
CHINESE DWELLINGS.
The dwelling house is generally con-
structed of mud and brick, with tiles for a
roof, and the whole surrounded by wall.
i Il.