St. Landry democrat., 1888-06-23
A CHlNAMAN'S BOOK,
What He Thought of Matters and Things
In the Western World.


What He Thought of Matters and Things
| in the Western World.
In the latter part of the last century
n Chinaman, Ong-Tae-Hae by name,
made an extended tour Shrough por-
lions of Europe. On returning to his
native country, in the year 1871, he
set forth the results of his observa-
tions in book which he called "The
Chinaman Abroad" This curious
work, which was translated into En-
glish, is now scarce. 1t contains many
amusing descriptions of European Gus
toms. From the preface the follow
ing is extracted:
Europe an countries are originally
on the outside verge of civilization,
and their being now assimilated to
the villages of our inner land is en-
tirely owing to the virtuous influences
of our august government which
| transforms those distant and unknoN n
regions by the innate force of its ma
jesty."
In his account of the diff erent ma
tons visited by him the author says:
''The Dutch inhabit the northwest
corner of the ocean. They have high
noses and red hair, white faces and
gray eyes. They do not allow their
boards to grow. Their coats are clean
and neat, with short bodies and mar
row sleeves, while their gait is light
and nimble.'
OF the French he remarks: "Their
dispositions are violent and bolster
Gus. Whenever the Dutch
are insulted by the English they de-
pend on the French for assisanc
The kingdom of France is large and
the population numerous, so that the
English are somewhat afraid of them.
1.-The English are denominated by
the Chinese, Ang-mo (ed-haired peo-
ple); they also dwell in the northwest
corner of the ocean, very near to the
Dutch, whom they much resemble in
person and dress. but their language
and writing are different"
Referring to customs and Europeans,
he writes: Every seven days there
is cere mony day or Sabbath, when
from nine to eleven in the morning
they go to the places of worship to
recite prayers and humble charms.
the hearers hanging down their heads
and weeping as if there was some.
thing very affecting in 1t all, but after
half an hours jabber they are allowed
to disperse, and away they 60 TO feast
in their garden houses, and spend the
whole day in delight, without attend
ing to business.
When Europeans make an enter.
tainment, they set out long table, al
which scores of people sit down, which
is called q feas', OF festa and, when
the stringed instruments play up.
men and women stand opposite each
other and dance. which is called
dancing, or tandak.
when a young woman is marriage
able she is allowed to select her own
partner. who is called her lover OF
sooka. If they are fond of each other
they dance together in order to settle
the match.
"Wives are called nial or mistress,
and the men are very much afraid OF
them; the affairs of the family are all
under their control"
Ong.Tae- Haze was also an observing
naturalist as we'll as a philosopher
and politician. as the following de.
scription. taken from this interesting
book, will show:
1.-THE ink monkey is common in the
northern regions, and is about four OF
five inches long 1t is endowed with
an unusual instinct Its eyes are like
cornelian stones, and its hair is JET
black, sleek and flexible, as soft as
pillow 1t is very fond of eating
thick Chinese ink, and whenever peo-
pie write, it sits with folded hands
and crossed legs, waiting till the writ
ing is finished. when it drinks up the
rem ainder of the ink; which done, it
squats down as before, and does not
frisk about unnecessarily. Ong-Tae-
Haze used to keep one at the head OF
his ink stone or in the middle of his
seal box IN y Press.