Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-27
HONG KONG'S BOAT JEWELLERS.

| How Hundreds of Thousands Live In Float
ing Houses on the River.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger
One Of the most interesting sights around
Hong Kong is the river population and its city
of boats. This floating city is estimated to
number something over SOC, 900 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 diff
ferent sizes and of various shapes, the larger
number being sampans or slipper boats, about
twenty feet long, with movable telescope roofs
of bamboo covering them for about one-half
their length. As small az these boats are they
not only accommodate one family, but fire.
quenty 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.
"A great majority of the men go on shore dur
| ing 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 need of
water carriage. The mother of the family il
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 babies. play
around the boats carelessly as though they
were in a nursery on shore, and to prevent ac-
| cldent from drowning among the very young
boys they have a float attached 20 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 fshed out again. Since girl
babies are not considered of very much import
| ance in China it is rather a matter of indiffer-
| ence as to whether they drown or not.
The boats composing this floating city are all
moored closely together. each with its APP
| pointed anchorage, forming long water lanes or
| streets, through which the traffic of the COM
| munity takes place. Thew have their municipal
regulations, which are strictly enforced by river
police, as must necessarily be the case with
such 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 meats. fish and vegetables and almost
| everything that household requires is brought
from boat to boat in these water streets by ped
dlers and tradesmen. Then there are floating
kitchens connected with other boats known us
flower boats, which are not floating conserva-
| tories, as their names might imply. but restau-
rants and dining halls, gorgeously fitted up with
giided adornments of many kinds. handsome
wood carvings, embroidered silken hangings
and brilliant illuminations. These are for the
purpose of giving dinner parties. and are used
by the wealthier Cinnamon to entertain their
friends. During the intervals between the
courses the guests are RECALLED with the per-
formances of a number of handsomely attired
'sing song girls, the professional lyric artists
of China, who delight the ears of the Chinese
guests, but to 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 at
| tention 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 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 allotted in each boat for a
shrine. there Is quite an amount of public
worship necessita,ing the service of a priest,
such as marriage ceremonies. burials. &c; con-
sequen.ly they have church boats fitted up with
all the paraphernalia of their faith.
| But of all the odd boats in this motley group
| perhaps the most singular are those in which
they rear ducks and geese. MANY of them con-
| tanning as many several hundred in one boat
The ducks are sent out usually twice O day to
feed along the marshes and mud fields by the
shore and they are recalled by a signal from a
whistle. At this sound the feeding instantly
ceases, and they return to their respective boats
with a promptness that is simply astonishing
The latest arrival is always taken up and given
a beating with the bamboo. and on the next re-
call that duck is invariably the first to come on
board, thus showing the Nbnderful efficiency of
the bamboo in intoxicating punctuality.
In the midst Of this gay life may be seen the
| funeral boat passing silently by. crowded with
mourners; in the center the coffin, covered
with a heavy pail and trimmed with green
branches. This is one occasion when a mem
Der of this colony takes to the land. During
life they may have no home on shore, but theS
cannot be refused Craze in the earth
In almost every way the land and river popu-
lation are utterly distinct The former looks
down upon the latter an alien caste, and
marriages between the two classes are unknown.
Na-a fhala svSn ia 81 Nj.
roundings, these many thousands live and thrive
comfortably.