Connecticut western news., 1882-05-31
A CHINESE JUNK VILLAGE.
A Large Portion of the Chinese Live
 Upon the Water.


 A curious feature of life in China is the immense floating population which is found on the junks and small craft in the rivers and harbors of the Celestial Empire-a population which, it is said, has never been included in the census, as it is constantly on the move, here to- day, there tomorrow, carrying it's home and its belongings up and down the great waterways wherever the necessi- ties of trade may dictate. In the harbor of Hong Kong alone there are more than thirty thousand people who are always afoat, earning their daily. subsistence by fishing, or attending upon the ships lying at anchor. A vessel on entering the harbor engages boat to wait upon it during it's sojourn in port. It serves as a lighter, carrying and bringing freight, the boatmen are serviceable in many ways, and the women do washing for the captain and officers of the ship. It is an interesting fact that an act of dishonesty toward their employers is almost unknown among these simple people.
 The legend among the Chinese con- cerning this floating population is that centuries ago, no one knows when, a terrible inundation drove vast numbers of people to take refuge in boats. So long were they compelled to live on the water that trey lost all trace of their homes, and the people on shore became strangers to them, and resisted all their attempts to resume life on land. Ger tain it is that. from forgotten genera tions these people have lived afoat, the boat their only dwelling. Whole fam flies are born, live and die on the water; but it is singular fact that the dead are always taken on shore for burial.
 The life of these people is very simple. Many of the boats are entirely open, an awning of straw mating being the only protection against sun and rain and heavy dews. A small portable furnace, which is moved about the boat at pleas ure, makes kitchen wherever it hap, pens to stand. On this furnace large kettle is placed, in which 8 hodge -podge of meat-rat, cat, or anything easily obtained-and vegetables is always bub- bling. The kettle is covered by steamer containing rice. This, with fruit and tea, is the family menu year in. year out. But the people are happy in their simple way. The babies splash about in the water and learn to swim almost as soon as they can walk, and generation after generation lives and dies content, making no effort to change either habits or home.
 These water folk are very shrewd observers of the weather. The terrible typhoons which at certain seasons visit these waters are foreseen with great accuracy by these native sailors, and in due time the whole feet of small junks and boats scurries across the harbor to hide in the sheltered bays and inlets until the hurricane has blown itself out. 2 ~ r The men in these boats are hardy, bronzed fellows, with strength and daring for anything their manner of life may require. The women are often graced with considerable beauty. Their physical development is much superior to that of the women on shore. Their feet are never distorted and rendered diminutive by tight bandaging, and Rboir 1ifo in %bo o,,or oir oDJ 4ho;- o1~ stant exercise-for no boat-woman is ever idle-endow them with vigorous health and strength.
 In proceeding up the large rivers of China the traveller meets constantly with these floating villages. In some instances hundreds and hundreds of boats are grouped together, and on the rivers where trade is brisk it is im- possible to estimate the numbers. A traveller on the great Yang-tse-K -Kiang River once asked native boatman how many craft were floating up and down. The Chinaman looked very much puzzled. Big million," he said 1" tousand big million"
 In the creeks and narrow waterways block-up among the boats frequently occurs, and if the water is sluggish and the wind calm, the dense pack may con- tinue for long period of time. But the Chinese waterman is never in haste. He comes from nowhere in particular, and he is going nowhere. .H His bags of rice, if he has any on board, may be sold at one landing as we'll as another, and in his boat are wife, children, and 6reside, and he is content.
 Near, Canton, the city of sampans, or boats, presents curious mixture of flower barges, tea and music saloons, boats where all kinds of gay mercha2- disc may be purchased, such as odd carvings, elegantly embroidered slip pers, and silks and figured stuffs of gorgeous beauty, and queer-looking clumsy vessels laden with every variety of market produce. Here, entirely apart from the dwellers on shore, thousands and thousands of Chinese families pass their lives. A boat may be hired at any of the city wharves for visit to this floating settlement. Many of these small boats are rowed by Chinese girls, pie turesque in the neatest of costumes, with lustrous eyes, and with raven tresses adorned with scarlet flowers. Their arms are strong and they guide the boat skillfully through the narrow waterways which form the thorough fares of this river town. The floating tea saloons found here are very pretty. If it be evening, gay-colored lanterns light up the painting and gliding, and