The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-11-16
CHINESE SWORDS.
SOME VERY REMARKABLE PRODUCTS
OF WONDERFUL SKILL.

High Degree OF workmanshi p-Terri-
BILE Looking Daggers.
Though DIR. Bedloe, the United States
consul to Annoy, China, has started back
to his post after his leave of absence,
yet through the delays incident to the
shipping of goods from such far off
lands and in getting them through the
custom house, some of his most inter-
esting and valuable relics arrived only
afew days ago.
In his room at the Bellevue reporter
found the genial consul resting content
edly after his breakfast, as his eye roved
contemplatively over number of the
most deadly and awful weapons ever
conceived or executed by man. When
Dsked about these curiously ugly swords
the doctor said:
IL was asked TO execute commission
for the Rev. DR.. 9. M. Shepherd, the
distinguished Nebraska divine, gentle
man, who though man of peace, has
one Of the finest, if not the very best,
collections of swords and other weapons
in the world. This led to my examining
several hundred rare and curious weap-
ons sent me for inspection and approval,
and these are few of those selected.
No two are alike, and not one but what
displays rare skill and inventive power
on the part of the Chinese swordsmith.
1.-THE handsomest of all is a generals
saber, about AZ feet long, slightly Jap
anese in style, with an edge like razor
and point that would extort admira-
ton from Colonel Jack Chin, of Louis
vile. Unlike our own, the thickest part
of the blade is the center This gives
great weight to the weapon, Joined to
the appearance Of extreme lightness.
The scabbard is made of hard, tough
wood, lacquered to represent black iron
incrusted with mother-of- pearl. The
hilt is of black iron, nodded in the form
of full blown rose, the petals of which
have been drilled with small holes and
these filled with bright brass bars.
1.-THE most curious of the lot to my
eye is the so called warriors two bladed
sword from HO-nan. 1t is only about
two feet long and in the scabbard looks
very like the sword bayonet of our own
army. The scabbard is plain but very
neat and covered with white shagreen
or sharkskin and trimmed with brass
mountings. When you draw it the
blade divides into two, each facsimile
Of the other, double edged and spear
pointed. The twin blades have a re-
markable decoration made by drilling
seven holes about an inch and half
and put in zigzag line from hilt to
| al
per, which is ground down to form a
smooth surface flush with the steel and
polished to brightness.
"These seven stars, as they are called,
are found in nearly all the martial
weapons of Ho-nan and are relics of the
old astrologic faith that still prevails in
many parts of China. Its hold is so
strong that if the copper falls out of one
of the sword holes it is accepted as a
sure precursor of death, and the luckless
wielder of the blade usually commits
suicide to escape further trouble.
"The short stabbing daggers which
find favor chiefly with pirates and revo-
lutionists, form a strong contrast with
the weapons described. They are gen.
orally so ugly that they would be ludi-
crous were it not for the purposes to
which they are applied. have one
which looks like queerly made ace of
spades fastened into wire bound ham
die. To increase the artistic effect of
the weapon, the armorer has followed
out shallow, spoon shaped concavity
on either side of the blade and filled it
in with blood red lacquer, the effect of
which when suddenly drawn from a
black sheath is very startling. Spades
are not the only suit in the pack that is
popular in the Mongolian mind. | have
another weapon whose blade is perfect
ace of diamonds.
"Still another dagger is about the
clumsiest affair Of the kind | ever ham
died. The blade is foot long, about
three inches wide and half an inch
thick. With its heavy brass hilt and
gigantic guard it weighs over three
pounds. If set with a long handle it
could be used as an AK. 1t is used chief
ly by the Black Flags and other Celes-
tial outlaws, who, in addition to using
it in the ordinary manner. throw it with
fatal precision.
'The ex-resident of Tonquin told me
that during the late war he had known
instances in which the knives were
thrown with such force that they would
go through a mans body and show two
inches of bloody steel beyond his back
The handles of many of these instru-
ments of death are finished with what
we call pistol grips.
1.-THE most dreadful looking weapon
of all was the executioner's sword used
by the late headsman of Annoy. 1t is of
Manchurian type, being long, almost
straight, very heavy and keenly edged.
1t is used with one hand and is shaped
and wound so as to give the executioner
powerful hold upon his weapon. Upon
the blade near the hilt are Chinese char
acters recording the tragic events in
which it has taken active part. My in
terpreter told me that they record no
less than 1913 human lives which it has
taken out of this world. This record
enhances its value. A new sword Of