The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-08
THEIR HOMES ON BOATS.
THE GREAT RIVER POPULATION or
THE CITY OF HONG KONG.

Over Three Hundred Thousand People
who Live Entirely ON Esosts--A Reg
uiar Floating city Customs and
Habits OF the Peopie-Dtnner Parties.
One Of the most interesting sights
around Hong Kong is the river popnla,
ton and its city boats. This floating
city is estimated to number something
over 100000 people 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 habitation These boat
homes are of different sizes and various
shapes. the larger number being sampans
or slipper boats, about twenty feet long,
with movable telescope roofs OF ban-
boo covering them for about one half
their length. As small as these boats
are, they not only accommodate one fam
lily but, frequently, that Of the sons,
space being economlzed in the most in.
genious manner and Iii decided contrast
TO the dwellings on shore, they are kept
scrupnlously clean.
A great majority of the men go on
shore during the day for employment,
leaving the wives and children 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 carriage The mother of the
family is found frequently rowing with
one baby strapped to her back, while
alongside Of her il the next in age, learn
s,,ey - ,.,,,,t n ,,,,a vt,,ay ~ adj IN The
resources Of the family. The children Of
the family, many of whom are babies,
play around the boats as carelessly as
though they were in a nursery on shore,
and to prevent accident from drowning
among the very ye#ng boys they have u
Hoat attached to their waists, in the
shape of small piece of bamboo, SO that
If they fall over aud 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.
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. They have their municipal
regulations, which are strictly enforced
by river police, as must necessarily be
the case with such II large population,
and every condition of life on shore has
. similar condition on the water. To
supply the necessities of life they have
floating stores and market boats for the
sale of meat. fish. and vegetables, and
almost everything that household re-
quires is brought from boat to
boat in these water streets by ped
1ers and tradesmen. Then there are float
ing kitchens connected with other boats
known as flower boats, which are not
floating Conservatives, as their names
might imply, but restaurants or dining
halls, gorgeously fitted up with gilded
adornments of many kinds, handsome
wood carvings, embroidered silken hang
ings, and brilliant Examinations These
are for the purpose of giving dinner
parties, and are used by the Weather
Cinnamon to entertain their friends.
During the interval between the courses
the guests are RECALLED with the per-
Torrance of a number of handsomely
attired /. Sing Song girls, the profess
sional lyric artists of China, who delight
the ears of the Chinese guests, but to a
European the sounds given out by these
sirens are torturing to the extreme.
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. The priests are not
even left out in this community, for.
although there is little space usually al
lotted in each boat for shrine, there is
quite an amount of public worship ne
cessitating the service of priest, such
as marriage ceremonies, burials, etc.
consequently they have church boats
fitted up with all the paraphernalia OF
their faith.
But of all the odd boats in this molly
group perhaps the most singular are
those in which they rear ducks and
geese, many of them containing as many
as several hundred in one boat The
ducks are sent out usually twice a day
to feed along the marshes and mud fields
by the shore, and they are recalled by a
signal from 4 whistle. AT this sound
the feeding instantly ceases, and they
return to their respective boats with !,
promptness that is simply astonishing
given beating with the bamboo, and on
the next recall that duck is Invariably
the first to come on board, thus showing
the wonderful efficiency of the bamboo
IN intoxicating punetuality.
In the midst of this gay life may be
seen the funeral boat passing silently by