Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-09-14

A Land OF Drs.riness- GIimPsss OF
Pass.nR.


PssS.nR.
The characteristic dTeariness of the
Chinese landscape is seen ina marked de-
gree as one approaches Tientsin, all the
way up from the Guif of Pc Chilli. The
Peiho River, up which one travels sc
miles to this place, is ons of the crook
edest and muddiest streams imaginable.
Throughout its entire navigable length II
flows through level alluvial country.
At the entrance TO the river stand the
famous Teku ferts, looking far more for
midable than they really are. Then for
many miles enc passes through country
that greatly resembles Holland, with
none Of its rsdeenling features. Through
out all this country Of farrHs and gardens
artificial irrigation is rssorted to in the
most primitive fashion. There are bitches
and CUTTERS running here and there all
over the plain, aud these are filled with
water simply by bailing it up from the
river by hand, or at best by the use OF an
old fashioned well sweep or an endless
chain of buckets, these rude appliances
being worked by hand. The population
here is very dense, and presents the fa-
miliar phases of Chinese life. The river
bank literally swarms with naked chill
dren, who divide their time between eat.
ing green cucumbers and swimming in
the river. In this hot weather most OF
the workmen on 4 junks and docks are
also entirely destitute of clothing. Many
of them display ma -niRcont muscular de-
velopment, though as a rule the marks OF
poor food, uncleanliness, and unsanitary
conditions of life painfully evident.
The native quart Ir Of the city of Tien.
tain is laid out rat er better than most
Chinese towns, the streets being wider
and straighter. 1t is. however, partic.
ularly dirty and uninteresting place.
The foreign quart is, of course, much
better. Its bread aud well kept streets
are paved with crushed stone, and the
houses, as a rule, are large and comfort
able. But there is little shade or vegeta-
ton Of any kind. Even few blades of
grass are rarity. The earth is bare and
brown under the burning sun. Indeed,
Tientsin is almost intolerable as place
of residence Yet the city doubtless has
an important future. It's the seaport Of
of Peking, the capital; the center of
trade of all the northern provinces, and
the principal depot of commerce with
Russia.
Pelring is 60 miles distant by the over.
land route, and 0 by the snake like
river. The OVERLAP d road is indescribably
bad. There are me ay interesting things
to be seen in the c.y. The great wall
around IL is built of huge bricks that
weigh so pounds a. iece. The city has
many marble structures of various kinds,
and rich and grettsqus carvings and ex.
quisite porcelain tiles are seen every
where. There are two interesting
churches, one French and one Portuguese.
Perhaps the finest scene of all is the gen.
eral view of the city from the Astrono.
mical Observatory, and il is charming.
because from that height the dirt and
the squalor of the place are not visible,
and one only sees Il picturesque roofs OF
colored tiles. But the city is exceedingly
hot and unhealthy in summer, and every
one who is able to do SO goes to the sur.
rounding hills to live.