The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-09-17
A City Of Boats.

One of the most interesting sights
around the city of Canton is the
river population and its city of
boats. This floating city is esti-
mated to number over 800, 900 peo-
pie, who recognize no other home
than these boats, and whose lives
are spent from birth upon the river
in fact, they are not permitted to
know any other habitatien. These
boat homes are of different sizes
and of various shapes, the larger
number being sampans or slipper
boats the size of an ordinary row.
boat, or about twenty feet long, with
movable telescopic roofs of bamboo
covering them for about one-half
their entire length. AS small as
these boats are, they not only ac-
commodate one family, but fre-,
quently that Of one of the sons,
space being economical in the most
ingenious manner, and in decided
contrast to the dwellings on shore,
they are kept scrupulously clean,
and some one has remarked they
are the only clean things to be seen
among the Chinese.
A great majority of the men 60
on shore during the day for employ
ment, leaving the wives and chill
dren, many Of whom have never
set foot on land, to work the oars
and ply the trade of boatmen, and
it must be said they do it with great
satisfaction to those who have the
need of water carrsiage. The mother
of the family is found frequently
rowing with one baby strapped to
her back, while alongside of her is
the next in age, learning to row and
preparing to add to the resources
of the family.
The Children of the family, many
of whom are veritable babies, play
around the boats as carelessly
as though they were in nursery
on shore, and to prevent acci-
dent from drowning among the
very young boys, they have a float
attached to their waists, in the
shape of a small piece of bamboo,
so that if they fall over and drop
into the river they may be easily
fished out again. Since girl babies
are not considered of very much
importance in China, it is rather a
matter of Indifference as to whether
! they drown or not. Girl infants
are looked upon as an incumbrance
from birth. Female infanticide has
been greatly practiced in China,
and it has only been of late years
that it has been frowned down at
all by the authorities.
The boats composing this floating
city are all moored closely together.
each with its appointed anchorage,
forming long water lanes or streets,
through which the traffic of the
community takes place. To supply
the necessities of life they have
floating stores and market boats fol
sale of the meat, fish and vegetables
also fruit boats, and almost every
thing that q household requires il
brought from boat to boat in these
water streets by peddlers and trades
men. Shooting in among these
river lanes is the river doctor, in
his small boat, and calling attention
to his whereabouts by ringing bell
SO that those requiring his services
can readily find him, and in like
manner travels the barber, who has
q busy vocation, his services being
in continual demand shaving the
heads of his floating patrons. The
priests are not even left out in this
perambulating community. There
is quite an amount of public wor'
ship necessitating the service of 8
priest, such as marriage ceremonies
burials, etc., consequently they have
church boats fitted up with all the
paraphernalia Of their faith. But
of oil the odd boats in this motley
group perhaps the most singular
are those in which they rear duckt
and geese, many of them contain
ing as many as several hundred in
one boat. The ducks are sent out
usually twice q day to feed along
the marshes and mud-ields by the
shore, and they are recalled by .
signal from q whistle. At this
sound the feeding instantly ceases
and they return to their RESPECTIVE.