New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-23
A BUDDHIST MECCA.
THE WONDERFUL MOUNT OMEI.

Rev Virgil C. Hart, B. ID. illustrator iA'
DID, BOG. Boston: Ticsnor Co
All travellers agree that China IS one ., INC
beast pleasant countries through which ioreighcr
oar mass and the long tourney made by Mr. Hart
n the great centre of Chinese BUDDHISM Moun'
Ome; is LARGELY n record of mishaps and discom-
forts Yet the region traversed by him and Dr'
Marley. his companion. is described as iuh oil
natural beauties fertile blessed with an cquapic
climate and exquisite scenery Ii IN fact answers
"a tho lines of the hymn" Where all IN nature
plcases and only man is viie'-anu accoruine 70
Mr.. Hart the Chinese man is very we Se'ei'i
hundred miles had to be performed oy w",er' III
n native Junk and most Of the Navigation con
sisted in the laborious work OF tracking. ibis
method is described by Mr.. Hart in a lively way !:
We are near the right bank and have eighteen men
ON Soss at the end of 800 feet of bamboo rope The
boat vcers first one side then 10 inc o,neI h
door beating small drum though his life DEPENDED
upon the number OF strokes per minute All Is S
mil Ike mules jumping from rock TO rock Ike cats.
one more agile than the others. chambers upon sn
rocky peaks to dslodgc the entangle rope ready at
oment's notice 10 cast aside his shirt. his only gar
ment TO plunge into boiling rush ana loosen sne
ropc from a sharp juttng reef The men cacn woau
and repeat II in chorus minute. then give long
and heavy groan and end with short sharp ch"'A'
a man called the whpper" follows the struggling
team whose duty IL is 10 urge them on az me aleilo
rope at the proper time or seldom striking "a
man He sometimes rushes ahead knees doWh All, anu
"kotows, to the team, beats the ground runs DAN
and flies along the line though he would nog every
one but his frantic movements end IN Jew c Iio a
on fhe taut rome several sharp yelis. wnco aio
caucbt up by the frantic team. while few taps ON
the drum bring all this exuberance Oh energy " o."
abrupt end.
Another curious custom, which has Tor should
have) a special interest for the American reader,
because of its bearing upon the Chinese mode OF
celebrating the anniversary OF national lndepend-
cnce we have adopted, is thus described;
Whenever we are ascend a DANGEROUS rapid ID
and nearly all are so considered b. the native itinerary
anu nrnbsbv are at certain seasons of the year-a
boafman brings out old rusty fourbarreled oiuhuc
ouS rIS himself at The side the boat for the
most serious business connected with the ascent A.
boat strikes the first fierce breakers one dnJepd
upon deck, and the sailor tugs Tor Wns a, md md
ropes when have swung around and piousheo anu hI
plunged sufficiently with little progress, he drops MS
work whatever it may Pc o rs ino The loan the
third and fourth chambers likewise empueo IL 'ho
business is continued long enough nioss TO those
unacquanted with The Chinese ideas OF &
religious system IL will appear TO be the most natural
and necessary proceeding. Malicious spirits are III anu
~ i"cbjef They can be frightened by terrific sounds
ergo. passing all such spots the Chlnaman haiiy
any form pn' A Worship at weddings funerals in times
severe sickness the greater the noise me more heS
tho demons are TO hide themselves. The wafer Is
crowded with such demons, and they are either fright
ened or proptaied by the boaiman
Superstition indeed plays an important part in
Chinese life as Mr. Hart indicates in the story of
the Christianized Cinnamon who was accused OF
bewitching a neighbor and causing child OF the
latter to contract scarlet fever. The suspected
man in this case was required to make change
after change in the plan of house he was build
ing and complied until a demand that he tear the
new edfcc down altogether wore out his patience
and produced crisis.
The ascent Of the Yang-tse was full Of interest
and variety. browning gorseS strong rapids,
mountainous regions alternated with level plains
and rolling hills, clad with filth and forest and
dotted with large villages pagodas and stately
temples Many of these latter situated high
up on cliffs in the deep gorges through which the
river rolls, and the extent of its flood risings may
be gathered from inscriptions, cut On the temples
sometimes, to the effect that in such-and-such "a
flood the water came up to here" here be-
ing frequently hundred or more feet above the
normal river level One of the great curses oil
modern China is thus illustrated by Mr.. Hart
The sallow complexion of the people, their enact
acd forms and langud movements attract our Stten-
tion everywhere along the river l do NOT see a
beautiful face figure. nor rosy cheek; a dead
leaden color all faces old and young male and
cool clear breeze gaze the high; green hills, the
flowing rvuiets and the widesprcading trees over
hanging the hamlets Upon the mountain sides are
houses and hundreds of workmen approach those
busy aborers and you Will see this deathlke palor
The climate seems the acme Of peIfectlon-a long
bracing winter; yet there IS want of energy, and
life among the people, There is plenty OF food ana
peas. beans, corn, oils and fruits Of many varieties
all within the means Of the humblest laborer.
/ enter a large field near hamlet by the side OF a
luxuriant growth of ripening wheat The field Is
clean. not weed visible trt close together and four
decaying now. for their bright flowers faded month
fhe death paor IS upon all faces rom the shveed
form Of age 10 the bow legged child sitting In the cot
Who shall dare to stand up in the presence Of this
fast-fading degeneraing people and say the evil Is
Traverse the farcst portions OF all the provinces
not the cities alone. but the quiet, out of, the way
places all saturated and besmeared with the black
paste, even 10 the gods.
The cultivation of the poppy has so encroached
upOn that of corn-the very best lands being
taken for Opium-tbat 81 the price of rice has
risen 0ne-third within twenty-five years" in this
region. Also according to Mr.. Hart, the bulk
of the that is raised is distilled, instead OF
being used for food stock. The traveller
passed through district in which the principal
deity worshipped is Yen-lo-wang King of Tar
tarus 4 quaint legend is related by Mr.. Hart
of mandarin lin the fifteenth century, who
was appointed magistrate of Fungten. He
came down the river with his flag flying, and
went into port, but was amazed to find, anchored
near by "a boat similar TO his own. with flag
OF the same grade. thus claiming that the official
on board magistrate Of Fungten. How
can this be p thought he. Am l relieved be-
fore reaching my post has some one imposed
upon mc?' He sent his card to the boat and
requested an interview, that he might understand
the reason of what he He was politely re-
ceived, and informed that the OCCUPANT was
a magistrate of the district, to be sure--but of
the underground one, Tophet not Of the visible
town." This information relieved the magis-
trate, who received and accepted a cordial in
vitaton TO visit his internal colleague at the
home of the latter, and subsequently kept his
word and suffered no harm.
Among the strange things noted in Western
China by Mr. Hart the general cultivation
81 Tho Irish n1fatn On Mnunf Omei indeed this