The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-12-10

many WelrS, lines OF bamboo stakes,
to which fish nets were fastened.
AS we neared Canton, we passed
a village here and there. Towering
above the houses was in every one,
a huge, high, square brick building,
with merest Sits for windows. These
are pawn brokers' shops So little
security is there for property, that
at the close of winter families deposit
then their winter garments, to be
taken out when summer is passed: and
vice versa, their summer garments till.
the close of the winter season. We
noticed these also in Canton itself.
AS protection against assaults from
without, it is said that on the roofs
are syringes and carboys of vitriol
Our first sight of Canton was of the
many vessels of all kinds, moored in
front of some tumble down implanted
sheds. Beyond these, we saw sea-go-
ing steamers that ply between Hong
Kong and Shanghai. But who can des-
cribe the scene when we turned sharp
ly to the right; and the slipper boats
swarmed around us like a flock of
ducks. They needed not the momentum
of the steamer, but bumped up against
the side, and the boatmen jumped on
board from the top of their bamboo
roofs. The noise and confusion were
like pandemonium let loose, but with
the malice and i'll will left out As
the steamer swung around to the
wharf, and the wash of the paddle
wheels set the crowd of boats rocking
and tossing, one expected them to be
crushed in pieces. But they were as
used to it as eels to skinning, and
took the tumbling and craunching
without the least injury.
The Victoria Hotel boat is manned
by woman, as are almost all these
slipper boats. Susan handed us the
hotel card, took our baggage in charge
with promptness, and led the way down
to her boat. We had to Chamber over
two or three prows till We reached
the cabin. There was some carving
on the gable, painted red and green,
and photographs of scenes in Canton
decorated the sides within. 1t was
not the black and coffin like construc-
ton of the Venetian gondola; but an
implanted created affair of bamboo
roof and sides; propelled by Susan's
vigorous sculling astern, while boy
in the bow either rowed with his oar
fastened by a straw rope to wooden
pin or pushed with a bamboo pole
shod with iron, or pulled with the iron
hook at the other end of the pole. The
boats lay wedged close together, but
every boat took it's own path, and we
scooted alertly, now this side, now that,
now between, till we turned into the
canal or creek, which separates Sha-
meen, the foreign settlement, from the
Chinese city proper. Shameen is walled
around with granite masonry, and near
the edge are planted rows of trees
giving it a pleasant and restful look.
We brought up finally at some granite
stairs, in V shaped opening in the
wall, and ascending found ourselves in
front of the Victoria Hotel
We met a guide awaiting our arrival;
as we afterwards ascertained, the same
one who went around with our Homo
lulu friends who had visited the city
this season. After hasty bite of toast,
and sup of tea, we entered the chairs
he had provided for us, and our four
stalwart coolies loped off at swinging
gait, which was very different from
the trot of the short-legged Japanese
jinrikisha men, but took us over the
ground, and through the streets,-alley
ways rather,-at a very rapid pace.
We visited a few stores, one of the
temples, but darkness came on and we
retracted our steps to the hotel. Who
can fifty describe a Chinese city like
Canton? Chinese architecture, like it's
civilization and its language seems to
me an agglutination. There is no
crystallization into regular forms and
lines. 1t is huge agglomerate of most
miscellaneous hodge-podge, with here
and there gem. The general appear
ance is what one would call dilapidated
and disreputable. The streets or run
nels, as of moles underground, are
rooted with bamboo to keep out sun
shine and air. They are paved with
loose granite blocks, made smooth by
the tread of bare-footed thousands,
and slippery by the drip of countless
water pals, taking the water of the
river to the place where it is to be
used. Every once in while we crept
on a stone bridge over an open sewer.
There is no sanitary law against ex-
pectorating, or accumulated filth, the
constant burning of the incense on
joss sticks, made other odors imper
ceptible. Each man seems to build his
house, as the boatmen shore their
boats, wherever he can; so that the
streets are not straight, but have all
manner of unexpected joys, and sharp
turns. The buildings are of brick, of
two stories, having a brick projection,
about half the width Of the front, which
serves as a sort of counter. In the base
of this projection, at the entrance,
is a recess for burning joss sticks. On
line with the back of the recess is
the sill for the wooden shutters with
which the front is closed as night
comes on. The buildings are Of two
stories, with tiled roofs. What becomes
of the rain water, Heaven only knows.
1t was our good fortune to have royal
weather for the time of our visit. l do
not see how we could have seen any
thing of the Chinese city had it been
rainy.
Beyond the open entrance is the
work shop or the store; in most cases,
dark and dismal; in the best stores,
lighted by a sky-light in the roof We
looked at embroidered petticoats from
10 1ich &c