Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08
CELESTIALS AT HOME.
A Glimpse of Chinese Life in Canton
and Hong Kong.


assembly hall OF the Cosmos club and was
largely attended "a glimpse of Chinese life
in Canton" was the subject of an interesting
paper read during the evening by Mr.. Romyn
Hitchcock. He told Of his visit TO the famous
Chinese city In the fall of 1888. Referring to q
trip from Nagaski to Hong Kong, along the
coast, he mentioned the thousands of Chinese
fishing boats to be seen. Their build and rig
he said. was peculiar and varied with the
locality, SO that the ships officers could tell at
glance off what part of the coast they we're in
foggy weather by sight of the junks they
passed. They sail in fleets, he said, and were
good sailors. The Chinese, he said were the
only maritime nation who have not accepted
the international sailing rules, and not unfre-
quently their sailing craft are run down by the
steamers.
Speaking of the people he said they are i'm.
back thousands OF years, and that some OF their
literature dates back from an antiquity that
makes our own all modern.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON BOATS.
The first impression of Chinese life, he said
was the surprising activity Of the numberlsss
strange craft upon the water. Standing by the
rail of steamship one may observe the life
and habits of that part of the population which
lives in boats. In a recess at one end of a craft
not larger than one of our row boats fire is
blazing under an iron kettle. The wooden
cover is removed and we see the full white
grains OF cooking rice. These when done are
ladled into wooden bucket and covered to
keep warm. In another boat family is eating
breakfast, each person with bowl of rice in
one hand and chop-sticks in the other; in their
midst an indescribable stew. from which each
picks out the dainty morsels at will.
THE BRITISH COLONY.
In the midst of all this celestialism British
colony fourishes. The establishment of this
colony. Mr.. Hitchcock said, dates from the
year 1s41. 1t is on the island of Hong Kong
Its early history is full Of records of piracies.
robberies. quarrels between the soldiers ma
tives and Malays, and ON the whole is rather a
discreditable showing. In time. however
things assumed shape, and the little settlement
so unhealthy at first, has been transformed into
a saiubrious town, which is now in delightful
and extremely fashionable colony. The sum-
mers there are very warm, and there is a sea-
son OF heavy, almost continuous rain. The
residents, however, are well pleased with the
climate.
SCENES IN HONG KONG.
He described this ancient city as a busy place
with large brick or stone houses. in all respects
like commercial city in England or the United
States. The population. however, is mixed.
and conspicuous feature Of the city are the
tall turbaned Hindu policemen who patrol the
streets. These faithful guardians Of the peace
are strong. well formed men employed by the
English residents. They dislike the Chinese
and watch them accordingly. In the shops
Parsees are numerous. He said they cheat
like robbers, and the more honest they seem to
be the less they can be trusted. A tourist can
always be distinguished from the rest by the
patronage bestowed upon him in the absence of
policeman by the Chinese beggar children.
LIFE IN CANTON.
T. l.
journ in Canton. There are no hotels there, he
said, and visitors frequently remain several
days, taking their lodging and meals On the
steamers. The steamers are not allowed to
enter the city before daybreak and are obliged
to anchor about ten miles below the landing
pier to await the dawn. This regulation is said
TO be enforced to prevent the smuggling of
opium. The Notifications along the river are
very extensive, and the forts are manned by
krupp and Armstrong guns. Caution has been
a famous commercial city for thousand years.
and early as the tenth century the Arabs
established regular trade with their ships
During all this time foreigners were ex-
ciuded from the city, and they were
only permitted to transact business with a
specially designated body of Chinese. 1t is
only since the year 1861 that foreigners have
been permitted TO reside in Canton. The visitor
TO the city finds competent guides, sufficiently
well versed in English for rAeir vocation. The
city Is surrounded by two walls and the entrance
is through gates, which are closed every even
ing, shutting out the belated traveller. In one
OF these gateways there is q water clock-a
relic Of old times. The original clock de-
stroyed by fire in 1913 and the one now in use
was cast in 1860. 1t consists of four bronze
jars arranged in a series, the base of the upper
being slightly above the top Of the next below
it. Water is poured into the first jar
and it trickles slowly down through the
series. The lower jar has a graduated
stick which extends.upward through the cover
Of the jar, thus indicating time as ii slowly
rises. The water clock is said to date from the
year 1855 AID. The people in Canton are the
most excitable and dangerous Of all China and
| II was only short time since they attacked a
foreign settlement and robbed aud burned
some OF the houses. They hate foreigners and
only few years ago insulted them openly and
even now care must be taken not to offend
| them.