Wichita eagle., 1888-11-15

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| / was in China at last; and now began q
year of adventurous travel and sight seeing;
episodes of thrilling adventure, fraught with
many dangers, seen and unseen, both from a
vicious and revengeful people, and from
diseases and filth beyond measure.
l soon found that the elaborate outfit had
prepared before starting was energy and re-
source thrown away. The conditions in
China were entirely different from what my
past experience had led me to expect / had
brought huge Saratoga trnnk filled with
clothing and toilet supplies sufficient for a
five years siege. l discovered that clothing
could be had at Shanghai made of English
cloth by first class Chinese tailors, at one
third less cost than | had paid at New York.
Besides my trunk was elephant on my
hands soon parceled out my surplus ward
robe to Americans | met in China and ex-
changed my Saratoga for an English hand
bag. All one requires for such a journey is
one well made suit of stout cloth corduroy
the BEST and the necessary changes of linens.
In China there are now no railroads The
one mentioned above, and over which | had
the pleasure Of riding, was bought by the
natives and destroyed. 1t has not been re-
built and probably never will be, for tha
same causes which led to its destruction still
exist in full force, and are likely tc
exist as long as China lasts. | notice
that Gen. James W. Wilson, late Of the
United States army, has hopes that China
may yet establish railroads | think neither
the general nor his children will live long
enough to ride upon railroad in China.
The only thing that will ever overcome the
barrier viii be the absolute overthrow Of
every belief and tradition of the people, and
nothing short of war and revolution, abso-
lutte conquest and dismemberment OF the
present empire can do that
The Chinese have, if not great respect for,
at least an all controlling fear of the dead.
And in some four provinces embraced in the
Yang-tse valley from the sea to the River
Han, over which l have gone quite ex-
tensively on foot, having hunted deer and
pheasants from Silver is and, above Shang-
hal, to Hankow-I was never out Of the
presence Of graves They are located pro-
miscuously over the fields at such places as
the spirits of the dead may designate.
The Taooist priests IA large religious body
whose teachings are currently accepted by
the people generally have the power of con-
sulting with the souls of the departed, and
form medium of communication between
the living and the dead.
When, therefore, this priesthood sees in
modern innovations the dawn of an age Of
reason, they foresee that, like Othello, theiE
occupation will be gone, So they resort tO
the most powerful influence known to per-
petuate their own sway. They appeal to the
dead for help and get it. These priests gave
the people to understand that the rumblin.
noise of that steam engine over the graves Of
past generations was extremely detrimental
to the repose of the dead, and that unless
the thing was stopped at once there would
be trouble Did this have any effect! Well,
rather Money is a good standard of a mans
faith Many men believe much as long as it
costs nothing And these Chinese merchants
and officials and hterati put their hands into
their pockets and bought that road, cars and
all. and took up the rails, and thus ended the
first and only railroad SO far in China The
fixtures of that road have, l understand,
lately been taken to ForInosa to be utilized
in coal running.
There is also seven mile tramway ct coal
mines at kaiping, the cars of which are
drawn by mules. This track is seven miles
long, and connects with canal. from which
the coal is carried in boats to the coast for
use on the man f-waEsnen
All the alleged schemes for opening up the
country to railroads are bosh. 1t will not
be done voluntarily by tho people of China.
The country has no roads for carriages or
buggies, and none of either of these vehicles
even if they had roadways. The only e1-
ception to this state OF things is in the great
plain in the northern portion, between Pekin
and tho fateful Yellow river. Here crude
springless OK carts are used in the plain, but
not in the cultivated districts.
China is prominently a land of boats.
Her rivers, lakes and canals enable nearly
every province and important city to be
reached by boat Her floating population
is very great.
All tourists in China, therefore, depend
upon the houseboats, upon which life can be
made quite agreeable For overland trips
and excursions inland from the waterways,
other modes Of conveyance are at hand The
most general and ali things considered, the
best means of reaching inland places, is to
walk
The Chinese have mechanical device for
carrying passengers and freight-a wheel
barrow. Travelling in it Is a rather slow
way to get on and not particularly comfort
able, yet made ono short journey upon one
of those vehicles just for the novelty. The
contrivance consists Of large wheel with
the carrying frame so constructed that the
entire weight Of the load falls upon the axle.
The man walks between the handles to guide
and propel, but has none of the dead weight
of the load.
The passenger sits with back 10 the center
over the wheel and moves forward sideways
like crab. Often one meets with travellers
on one side of the barrow and their luggage
on the other side of the wheel to act as bal
last. | have seen as many as q half dozen
people on one wheelbarrow going through
the streets with as much Importance as one
would assume getting on horse car.
One novel feature OF this wheelbarrow is
that il is fitted with an adjustable mast, and
when the wind blows in the right direction
few yards of canvas are flung out II is an
amusing picture to see column of these
crude vehicles creaking along the narrow,
zigzag roads, with sails spread and man be-
tween the handles of each one to steer and
balance it upon It's one wooden wheel with
cargo of people, or mixed cargo of freight,
live pigs and people. In some localities where
mules are to be had one sometimes sees a
mule drawing III front and the sail spread
to the wind and a man between the handles
steering, and mis- entire cargo probably no<
more than four or five hundred pounds.
II the northern provinces few caInelG
ere found. but in the great agricultural
provinces in the central and southern por-
ton of the empire the only means Of transis
outside of boats is walking. occasional dom
key or pony riding, wheelbarrows and sedas
III.