The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-03-29
Street Scenes i'm Hong X ong.

The most striking figures on Hong
Kong streets are the Sikh policemen,
tall, finely built Hindoos, with the
classic, finely cut features of that race.
In summer they wear a military uni
form of white duck. and at this time
coat and trousers of dark blue cloth
with silver buttons. At all other times
their heads are wrapped up in the
huge turbans of bright red muslin, a
broad four-yard strip being wound
around their heads in some way that
they only can do. The Sikhs have
great authority over the Chimes, aud
at fires they keep the screeching heath
ems roped off at good distance, and
maintain order that ''our finest" might
envy. Other Hindoos, in less showy
and more primitive clothes, pass by
with the multitude, and on the higher
terrace roads one sees Indian ayahs,
or nurses, out with hocks of little
children. The ayahs' scant winding
gowns and head-cloths are generally
white, and there is something ghostly
in these slender, silent figures. The
ayahs carry themselves well, and their
tinely-cut noses and gaZelle eyes show
what fine and noble race they spring
from.
The Parsees, with their black horse
hair, chimney-pot hats with step in
the crown, and their close turbans OF
camePs hair exquisitely woven and EN-
broidered with fine gold thread, and
their prOtruding eyes, are the most
serious beings in existence, yet they
suggest something comic to one. 1t
may be all in the cut of their coats.
which are a straight sack, buttoned
from the chin to the hem in front, and
falling straight and tight at the back
without Il flap, q cross line, or Il curved
seam. This coat reaches nearly tC
the, knees, and the man has something
the look of wearing coffin. In eac
of the side seams under the arms there
is q pocket hole, and altogether tho
Parsee's Prince Albert is fine carica
ture on ttat garment of daylight cere'
mony. Cingalese. with their one big
bandana-sort of handkerchief or ia
ble-cloth wrapped about EN- for g
petticoat. and child's round hail
comb set on their heads like coronet
set backwards, and matched by the
Malays. who wear any sort of COS.
tune that they Lave been able to gath
| er up.
To my mind the unique feature Of
Hong Kong streets are the profession.
al members or sewing women, ugly,
old Chinese women, with half-,iwarfeC
| feet, who come out in the morning
with low stools and basket of rag,
and sit by the curbstones or in arch
| ways, recesses, or doorways, and sew
away all day long. They do not ex
actly darn stockings and sew on but
tons, but their labors correspond tt
that, and for trife poor workman
can have his tattered coat patched ant
mended or his old garments made over
Peddlers of oranges, of dry goods
lamps, toys. and fancy wares stol
bowling their wares through the street:
to chat with the professional members
and of all Ch nesc " omen the mender
seem to have the pleasantest lot They
are wisc-looking old Bettys, all o
them. and sometimes they wear huge
horn-rimmed spectacles that make
them look like Minerva's bird. IL
1 watch them planning, and turning
and twisting their garments and rag
is most diverting; and two old mender
down the road here are beginning t.
look upon me as an intending customc
from the way in which they try t.
further engage my attention each TIM
and display their skill. The mender
look do \ the social ladder a grea
ways at the coolie women employed
OH public works in the streets, but tin
coolie women probably find some on
further below to drop their superio
gaze upon. 1t jars one a little to SCI
" omen aud children carrying baskets
OF earth slung from pole balanced
over one shoulder, but in this way al
the digging out and filling up of th'
Hong Kong hillsides and terraces hav,
been done. These burden-bearers ar,
not above the small vanities of the ser
either, and they wear bracelets ant
anklets of white metal, earrings ant
hair ornaments of imitation iudestone
poor things. One might expect thes
female hod-carriers to be careless OF
or Indifferent to, the charm of a deli
cate complexion; but they are 'Euma
and feminine even in that point, an
to the edge of their fiat coolie hat
they sew deep dounce of blue cotto
that flutters about their ugly faces al
ter the same manner as the priceless
lace ruffie of her garden hat that shade
the face of the Empress Eugenie il
Winterhalter's famous portrait of tha
lovely woman.-H Hong Eong Letter Il
81. Louis Globe Democrat.