The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-03-13
A FLOATING POPULATION:
sanpan Life ut Hong Konz-Children Shs
Take to the Water Like Young Ducks.

Take to the Water Like Young Ducks.
The floating population of Hong
Kong, as it is called, numbers some
sixty thousand souls. They are a busy
and energetic community as distinct
from the Chinese on shore as though
they belonged to a different race. |
never could understand how they man
age to exist. They seem to be a sort of
mutual aid association, each supplying
the wants and needs of the other. They
maintain some little trade among the
shipping in the harbor, though. for all
/ could see, the majority of them had
no business whatever.
1t would be hard to fancy several
generations of Europeans passing their
lives within the confines OF q small
boat. scarcely seventeen feet long
fathers, mothers, children and grand
parents live together like animals in a
cage, never leaving their homes. yet
seemingly as happy rs listless exist
ence and no responsibility could make
them.
OF course some are busy. very busy,
and paddle about all day long, crying
their various wares, with yells at once
discordant and unbearable TO ears not
accustomed to their sound. The others
seem to fish, and by whatever means
they always appear to have a we'll
stocked larder of such simple yiands
as they are accustomed to.
To describe n sanpan. one has only
to imagine long, clumsily construct
ed boat, with a matched roof over the
center and divided into three compart-
ments. They are propelled somewhat
after the fashion OF the Venetian gOn-
dola. The children occupy one end,
the old folks the other, while the CEN
ter is devoted to cooking purposes.
Our first experience rs we steamed
into Hong Kong harbor was with Il
large Chinese Junk. The wind was
blowing at lively rate and the junk.
with great sails Of mating spread.
tried to cross our bows. a collision
seemed inevitable. We were going at
very slow rate of speed and the cap
tain, swearing a blue streak at the
Chinaman. signalled TO stop.
1t was a close shave, and the China
man at the rudder post grinned as he
witnessed the anger of the captain.
The grin of tile Celestial was changed
to look of dismay Il moment later.
however, as his hat, Il curious and
large proportioned affair, blew off his
head into the water. There was mo-
ment of indecision, and then, ne
glecting the rudder, the man dove over
board after his hat. We were nearly a
mile from shore, and | naturally ex-
pected the other Cinnamon in the Junk
to bring it about and rescue the man
in the water.
But they didn't. One of them took
up the steering gear and the man
overheard was scarcely given a thought.
Don't you think we ought to rescue
him?" | asked the captain.
What, him?" he replied. Not
much, he's all right; they swim like
sea offers, those fellows
And so it seemed. for the man on re-
covering his hat struck out for the
nearest point of shore rs unconcerned-
ly as if he were merely starting for a
walk.
We We're soon among the sanpans,
and greater opportunity for the study
of human nature could not well be i'm
agined. | saw one youngster scarcely
two years old thrown into the water
one morning, and instead of being
frightened the child seemed to enjoy
it. The morning ablution for every
member of the family, it might be
mentioned, consisted in plunge over
the side aud scramble back into the
boat. They were then dressed for the
day, their clothes soon drying in the
sun.
On one occasion, DOMINIC bathing
suit. l swan over to large sanpan
some one hundred yards or so distant
from the ship and invited myself
aboard. | was Hospitality received
and rs well as signs could convey the
invitation, was pressed to stay to dim
ner. This consisted of large ball of
what looked like pot cheese, TO be
washed down with lukewarm brackish
water | tasted some of the stuff. 1t
was enough for me, and | signitied
that having just dined | was not hun
CRY.
As | left the boat by simply diving
overheard, | was accompanied back to
the ship by boy and girl, the one
about "A years Old the other II, and,
while | had always prided myself on
my swimming, | must confess these
two Chinese youngsters swan all
around me with ease.
Visited this family quite frequently
after this, and we all became firm
friends, and when left the port | gave
my bathing suit, Il tlashy affair of blue
and red, to the young lady, Miss All
Hoy which, am satisfied she after
wards wore on state occasions, to the
lasting envy of her lady friends and
the admiration OF her suitors. Y.
Herald.