Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-20

Now York Evening Post.
Pekin must be seen to be understood.
Not even in the East can there else
where be found so strange q combina-
ton of squalor and spendor A person
may hive for years in one of China's
well.kept foreign settlements and con-
tnue to wonder why railroads are not
not done. But when at last Pekin is
visited all becomes comprehensive. For
if the capital of the empire is utterly
neglected, if things which the Emperor
and his closest advisers can sec for
themselves are allowed to go to rack and
ruin before their eyes, why should any
thing be done to open up and improve
the rest of the country.
In giving a traveller the "far-away"
"haying. -to-the- end of the earth"
sensation, Pekin is success. When
one reaches the wall the feeling begins,
aud it grows stronger after the gate is
entered. Except in being little lower,
the city wall is copy of the "Great
Wall" Informed of this fact, most
"globe-trotters" take good look at it,
and spare themselves fatiguing three
days journey. The city wallis sixteen
gates, surmounted by brick towers,
built with rows OF portfolios, arc all
locked and barred soon after dark. Rid
ing over the open country is one Of the
chief diversions i'll foreign residents
monotonous lives, and if a pony goes
lame, or the time has been miscalcu-
lated, and the gate reached few mo.
ments late, there is nothing for it but
resignation. Brides, threats, promises
are OF no avail, and the night must be
passed in dirty inn outside the wall.
Pekin, barring its filth and smells,
differs much from other Chinese cities
While the streets OF the great southern
towns often do not measure more than
eight or ten feet across, those of Pekin
are very wide. All are unpaved, and
most OF them almost impossible to foot
passengers. Even on pony-back one
runs real danger of being submerged
in u mud-hole. People who cannot
ride use mule-ltters, sedan-chairs, or
two. wheeled springless "Pekin carts"
which unless well furnished with mat
treSses give their occupants famous
shakings. And these impossible thor
oughfares are lined by fine shops,
the entire facades of many being elab.
orately carved and entirely overlaid
with gold-leaf.
In spite of mld.holes, heaps of garb.
age, and other things too noisome TO
describe, Pekin's streets, with their
golden shops and picturesque sign
boards, their overlooking life aud gayety,
are fascinating. Their great width is
often practically contracted to narrow
ness by tents, booths, movable restaur-
ants, annihilatory BARRIERS shons, etc.
The sides are crowded with buyers,
sellers, iugglers, fortune-tellers, doctors
and musicians. Through the centre
pass long strings of camels laden with
brick tea from Russia, VI GOALS from
Tartary, Manchu men and women on
horseback, and innumerable professions
-mandarins' chairs, preceded by twenty
or thirty retainers with umbrellas, flags,
banners, ETC.; brides escorted to their
future homes by troops of friends, small
boys who explode tirecrackers, and men
who carry scarlet boxes containing the
wedding gifts and trosseau; corpses fol.
lowed to the grave by bowling white
scarved clan, besides all the elaborate
"joss-pidgin" pageants with their roast
pigs, gilt-Paper pagodas, pyramids of
artificial flowers, and other sacriticial
offerings.
Every morning before dawn carts are
driven about the town in order to take
away children, living or dead, of whom
the parents wish To rid themselves. The
dead are thrown into pits without the
walls and covered with quicklime; the
living are taken to the "tempe Of the
new born" and cared for at the expense
of the State. At night, as the streets
are not lighted, people going abroad
must depend upon their own lanterns.
| Natchmen pace about continually beat
ing bamboos, SO that no thief, unless he
be stone.deaf, need ever be caught in
| the act.
The yellow tiled walls surrounding
"Hwang Ching" or "Forbiddcn City,
where the Emperor and court reside,
| enclose about four square miles. For
merly Il good view VI its picturesque
| buildings, lakes, bridges and artificial
| hills could be obtained from the famous
marble bridge, but this foreigners have
recently been forbidden TO cross. "'rhi
Shan," Or Goal Ill., lying north OF
the palace, is, however, visible from all
parts of the city. Its five SUBMITS are
crowned with us many temples, which
the "Sou of Heaven" may daily watch
falling into decay.
Few Of the celebrated sights of Pellln
can now be seen by travellers. They
must content themselves by gazing at
| photographs taken when, through lib
| eral showers of ''gate-money," "foreign
devils" could still contrive to pass the
sacred portals. The observatory built
under the direction of Jesuit priests is,
however, an exception to the rule. Its
Instruments, although obsolete for prac-
teal purposes, are magnificent speci.
| mems of Drunze-work, well worth q Jour.
ney to see. Admittance can also occa-
| sionally be obtained To the Emperur's
pleasure grounds at "Wan. Shon- shan"
beyond tue wall, where lotus-grown
ponds, arched bridges, dainty islets,
fairy temples, and pagodas delight the
eye.
For the cultivation of meek and
humble spirit, residence III Pekiu is
strongly to be recommended. Few
strangers can, however, avail themselves
of the privilege, for, as only Chinese
merchants are allowed to do business
there, the foreign population is limited
to the diplomatic circle, officials,
students connected with tue Chinese
customs service, and few missionaries.
The diplomatic career is not considered
conducive tohumility, generally having,
indeed, the contrary effect on those who
follow it. But inPekin the diplomats arc
lambs. Every year sees the liberties OF
foreigners in Pelin further restricted,
Even the privilege Of walking on the
city wall is now denied them, and as il
is not possible to walk elsewhere, all
who do not ride must exercise within
their own HcpmDounds - They may