Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-19
.-,-TTLE WHO LIVE IN BOATS.
Rev. Mr.. Chambers Writes About an
Interesting Floating Population.

Rev. X. l.. Chambers. formerly OF this
city, but now a missionary to emma
writes TO the Religious Herald from can
ton under date Of January 18th:
One Of the first things which attracted
by attention upon my arrival in Canton
was the great number OF boats which
thronged the rivers around this great city.
/ became especially interested when l
learned that families lived in almost all
Of them. 1 had heard Of these boat
people, but my ideas OF them were very
vague. There is always a great swarm
Of these boats in front OF our house
which, though in a densely populated
portion Of the city. is located on the bank
OF the river.
A large portion of this province Is cut
I'D by a network Of rivers, and as each
city on tie rivers has its floating popu-
latlon." the number OF those who nave
no homes, except their boats, goes up TO
nearly a million. These boat-people are
said to be descended from the aborigines
of South China. That they are different
people from the ordinary Chinese Is GER
tain. though they have freely lntermar-
ried with them. They have a Few WORDS
not used by the land-people, ana some
of their Idols are different IL Il pIopd-
q
about the beginning of the Christian
Era when they were conquered by the
races from the North. and dispossessed
OF their lands. Williams, in his Middle
KINGDOM" makes the following interest
ins, ouotation from letter written In
1aSo Nv a Dominican friar: THE realm
~ Cathay ~ peopled passing well
There he many great rivers ana great
sbeo,s ~ water throughout the empire,
ON these waters dwell great multitudes
OF people" 49,, an as,,rra "a
If mis- floating population OF canton put
a conservative writer places the nuii,oe !,
M about 10000 Some nave plao.u -
above 2OOOoO. The Chinese regard mem mem
as very inferior people. and loose III 'ne,i
morals. "Boat-feiiow anu Doa,-"o
nan" are terms of reproach among tneni.
1,taro ,s no doubt that many OF these
boats are floating bTothels.
Tho Wind of boat which is most COM
- hera In Canton Is about twenty
e. ,aa, long and five feet wide. III mas
Nv com about six feet long In the CEN
- ,hs boat. which Is used by pas
49,. a, the day. and serves as Deu-
ronr, for the family at night Ihis
,,, hos an arched roof about nve zee.
800 'so,en out OF bamboo splits anu
IT. ,saves The rear end Is open a.
! r. etdes hut has ROOF, when 10 lii'.u
son,ewhat above the middle GOVERNS, ~
/ enable the person, generally tue mo' ~
~ the family, TO stand up anu pse w
stern scull. which moves upon y P'os'
and with which the poal Is eas'S ,,noa
relied The stern OF ule pos.,f S ,SoI
pen1u - which IL taken up by the idoi
PoIuo" 80 serves as a kitchen, ana
So, ,or aining-room. i have feeh ntie
oss1 sin s,tting at the feet OF tneir
e"i. .. an ,tn,, their bowls OF rice, Whiie
no'"v ,r,,h another child strapped TO her
hao, was sculllng the boat
oarA, 60 usually a girl, sometimes
in'' ,be front end OF the boat
nl1"' hnirs 10 propel 1t, either by rowint
W., ,,o The oars, insteai OF "olN
% oar-locks, work thrqugh iooi
I, .es,,snded from stake, wAich can "
,.aised or lowered at Will '1uS ss,ll.s
,ha rover to stand or SIT InS io ,,aI
~ this kind OF boat Is utuahy eans.
= sampan. There are many o'n n ~
q Rats TO numerous 10 ussSiipeu
come smaller and others iarefr. IN 'nel'
SamIiIes. often numbering sis anu sou u',
times even more, spend tnelI nses. mi M,
areu are born, raised ma fieu' anu u''
a, those floating homes.
,rha neople make liVinT py carrying
oassengers and freight, ani. there oeih.
40 much traffic by wafer mere Is Wor'
| Tor a great number. Inc Unien Usual
ly run the small ooats' ure nv
yor,x on the large cargo psats. IL COST
vsrv little here to travel e wafer. ON
can cross the river In fefry-poat To-
> leash" equal 20 about r. OF cent
| a boat which can comtortYuS accomino
ZEN people can be chartered To-
about 50 cents gold stanSarO per day
Many Of the larger boats pave compars
ments elegantly fitted u even mea
sured by foreign taste. spd are rente'