The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-19
4 TRIP THROUGH CHINA.
A PARTY LOOKING OUT FOR A GREAT
RAILROAD ROUTE.
Travelling Along tho Grand Canal and
Yellow River Condition of Chinese
Roads-Various Grades Of Inns and the
Comforts They Afford.

Yellow River Condition of Chinese
Roads-yarious Grades Of Inns and tlis
Comforts They Afford.
Our party consisted Of Lieut.. F. W.
Eiu,ly permitted by Capt liiggnson OF tho
gunboat Moncacy to accompany Us; Wang
Fuych, a mandarin OF tho sixth rank; ii
Chung ling, Chinese Interpreter; Hsieh So,
an Intelligent mechanic from the 1ientsin
arsenal; a cook, two boys, q servant, two
"na;oos," or horse Eoys, anl six carriers,
making, with the writer, siXtee persons III
all In addition yre had six Chimes, carts
two mules to each, and six saddle ponies,
together with tho ne ,ess;sry supplies ot hour,
biscuits, sugar, timed soups, lisi, meats,
and vegetaLies for silty days absence, it
being understood that tho Chinese ulenDers
of tie party would get tier oaily meals az
the inns by tho wayslde
Our route lay aicIg the general course OF
the canal and Yellow river TO EaifGns foo,
the capital Of the providence OF Honan,
thence eastward TO Lung mum kou, tho
point at which the river lett its Old bel i'll
1.:5t4, and theace to lung Ming, where q
embanHnent last year. From this point,
there being 10 inns near the river, We
struck across tie country to Chi-ning Chou
OIL the canal, and from there maie visit
to Chu foo, the home and burial place OF
Confucius, and also to Cal Shan, the sacred
mountain of China. Retracins our path,
we returned to the canal Nan Shan, and
turning north foLowel it to the Yellow
river ut Shh-li pu. From this point We
skirlei the river as closely aS possible, going
northeastwari through plns yin and Chang
ching to ChiNIan foo, the capital OF SHAH
tunG After examining tie emoanEnlents
near tho city we rccros<el the river ut
CEi-ho and returned through Ter Chou fat
which place we intersecteu our route to the
southwark to Tientsin, having beeil gono
forty-liv days and Travelled something
over | 100 miles
THE CONDITION OF C;i[%E;E ROADS.
The roads were found to be in an excel
lent condition for Chinese roads, dry, nard,
and dusty, but very crooked, as is Senerally
the case throughout the country. There be-
iu5 no ienceS, no ho.g .rowS, or diCcles to
mark the boundaries of farms or gardens,
and apparently 10 WORK Goae upoa tie
roads either in thar original co:iS:ruc ion or
for their maintenance, every o2o t.'elS at
liberty to marx OUT i road for himself, and
this is liberty OF which eve.y on3 IS conl-
pc.l d 10 avail himself in tie rainy season,
when the al!uviai soil Of ihe plains becomes
sea OF mud. The consequence is chat it
is 10 infrequert occurrence to see u road 60
around three sides OF Il ted instead OF along
the fourth sile, or run Il gag liz, o ship
ia king against II ~avy wind. Eien the
roads laid down Oh tie maps as imperial
highways are unnecessarily crooked
Thy are neither pavel no. giiareiled, even
where the materials can Ue had, AMI
macadamizing seems to be entirely I'M
known. Indeed it is not too much 10 say
that roads in Chiua are never worked.
During our entire Quincy We saw only
one stre5:h Of road about ten miles long,
which showed that it had been Lid out,
hcaped up in the middle and ditch I'd, and
that was Through al unusually low and
desoate portion OF the plains, wiiict would
have been impassable otherwise dur ing the
rainy season. Judging from tho crooked
ness OF the canal embellishments, as well as
Of tho roads, it Is difficult to believe tnat The
Chinese who laid then ever had the slightest
conception OF the fact that right limo is
tho shortest distance between two
points There arc few running streams and
no mud, and as the pains are everywhere
rs lat and smootl as any floor, wleelel
vehicles can drive indefinitely in any direc-
ton. 1t is curious that the Chinese never
use springs in their carts, and, in fact, seem
to be ignorant Of their existence or of the
use which is male OF them in other
countries.
COMFORTS AFFORDED BY THE INNS.
The inns are generally found at the larger
towns, and are of various grades, but all
constructed on the same pian They con-
sist OF a comDound wall OF sun burned brick
rarely OF 1:re.buruei bricK-:the entrance
to which is through a pair of large doors,
which may De closed and barred. Some
times there is an inner yard or court. The
principal guest roous are III low, single
storieu house opposite Ghe entrance. We saw
on and ony one two-storied guest house on
the trip The Louse is divi led IN the better
inns into Two and sometimes three rooms,
tho middle ono containing 9. s'iuaro GAble
and two chairs or benches, and the end ones
containing u kans or TWO N,cstles, covered
with coarse mats, upon which the guests
own bed ing is spread by lis own servants.
The smaller houses have only single room,
in one end Of which is the kaGg or trest!e,
and in the other tho table and chairs. The
roolns are lighted from the front by square
windows, with paper pancs, and heated,
if heat is required, by pan OF charcoal
burning in tho mi.do OF the ioor, whi:n is
sometimes Of brick, but generally Of clay.
The lang is q raised platform across the
end Of the room, oil the saline kind OF brick
the nou,e itself is built OF, and that is gen
orally OF sul-dried bricH. In theory 1t is
supposed to b. provided with furnace and
a fiue connecting with tho open air, for Tine
purpose Of burning mllet stalks or grass,
and thus heating the body OF the kanG; but
III practice the furnace Is rarely ever iouild,
ard Wien found IL is generally Impossible 10
use Daring all our travels south of tho
yellow river wo saw only one kanS, trestlcS
bainc used instead. TN either siGe of the
compound arc tho rooms for servants and
carriers, and also for guests who do not ab-
solutely care for the bc,t. The carts are
placed in front OF the rooms, and the mules
ana horses arc fed in movable trouglls
which stand in the open court, or under the
sheds which are sometimes found Ino inn
keeper furnishes hot water, charcoal, and
Chinese meals for such guests as want them,
and provides for tho animals AMI all AZ
reasonable rates.
During tho night q watchmon goes around
the premises ire luent!y, beating piece Of
hollow wood with small stici: in i peculiar
hytnmicul nluue:, which is everywhere
tho same, and is sometimes, quite annoying.
The s:ene presented ~ an inn yard full Of
carts, horses, and mules is quite animated,
but by no means suggestive OF CXsraorIi-
nary comfort or cleanliness Tho inns them
selves in the winter are gen rally dirty and
cherries, and always cold and damp, SO that
thn tra vrlnr,S only rrCuru i; 20 90 u bed as