Washington sentinel., 1898-03-12
s,ghtsIn canton.
ENrska AHGR arrive.

once barren island OF Hong Kong
To an equal degree is the intens
conservatism Of the Chinese ex
hibited in the chief city of tn,
sou thern part Of the great Celes
tial Empire. There are European!
in Canton. but they live in settle
ment outside the native city. Theii
inAu ence, like their place Of abode
is merely upon the outermost edge
of the community. Our ideals O.
civilization have not touched the
people. They are to-day as they
have been for centuries past. They
sneer at our institutions, and con
slider themselves in every way
superior TO the white barbarian"
Casual visitors to the crowded
city visit the various points OF i'm
terest by means Of sedan chairs.
They are accompanied by a native
guide, who console ntiously goes
through long catalogue OF things,
wonderful or horrible, in English
which is fiuentlv spoken, but i'm
perfectly understood by those to
whom il is addressed. The guide
Is very attentive to those in mis-
care, very polite in his manners.
and oftenpossessed OF a fair amount
Of humor.
II is said that Admiral Fremantle
once visited Canton with several
ladies. When the steamer anch-
ored off the city, the guides, as is
their custom, boarded her at once.
The admiral and his irie nds chose
their guide, and prepared to follow
him. The admiral was about to
descend the ladder and get into a
native "sampan," when the guide
gently pushed him back, saying,
Ladies first" ooh, that doesn't
matter" said the admiral. "I'm
an old man." "Ole man. sard
the guide, "ole man all more ought
to know muchee better"
The streets Of the city are of a
pattern OF immemorial antiquity.
None are more than ten feet wide.
The houses lean inwards from
the base, and almost meet over
head, shutting out all but the mar
rowest strip of daylight Sign.
boards are hung perpendicularlV
outside every house. They are
elaborately carved, and gaily dec
GRATED with abundance ofgold Leaf
and scarlet or black lacquer. The
mystic looking symbols inform
the curious that one particular
shop is "Prospered by Heaven"
another has "Never-ending GOOD
Luck" while vet another is "The
Market Of Golden Profits"
said profits, be it known, going
into the pocket Of the dealer.
Amongst the most inter-
esting sights of this Interchangeable
city, are the pawn shops. They |
are often great square, solid gran
ite structures, which look more
like old Border Keeps than the
residences Of accommodating
"uncles." The pawn shop fulfls |
a double purpose. Ii advances
money at an interest varying from
twenty to thirty six per cent, and
il stores in safety within its mas
sive walls those articles of inery
and adornment which are only
required at special times and
seasons. On the fiat roofs of these
are piles of stones and lars
OF vitriol, ready TO repel any at
tack that may be made by thieves,
whose methods OF plumber are less
refined than those Of the pawn
broker.
In the jade stone market we
meet with the Chinese parallel to
the Western diamond. The best
stones are very valuable, and are
from Turkistan, the only
place in the world where mines OF
his stone are worked. Every
Chinaman wears a ring,
brooch or bracelet of jade, and the
Door, who are unable to purchase
he real article, wear ornaments Of
glass, which are colored in imita-
ion oi the more expensive Jade.
Shaggy dogs with coal black
ongues are disposed OF in another
market. Fried rat, and boiled
rog, not TO meltion iricasseed
'uppy, tempt the hungry into the
ative restaurant. The local
medicine man." adhering to the
descriptions of his ancestors,
making pills and potions of which {
he chief ingredients are wax,
eers' horns, petri6ed bons, petri-
ed crabs, snakes, scales of the {
rmadilio, tigers's bones and lime.
When the medicines do not cure,
hey kill, and whether the patient s
ves or dies, he does so knowing \
hat at any rate no hated foreigner
as had anything to do with the {
trengtb or quality Of his medical v
let. a
Son. elementary methods OF &
Measuring time are TO be seen on v
lie Temple Tower. Candles that v
urn at uniform rates mark in s
ssening inches the fight Of the L
ours, and. Intentionally or other O
Use, symbolic in the dying Of a
Ie fame the passage OF human h
Ie. There is also water clock, c
OF four copper buckets. s.
Iowly, drop by drop, the water (:
asses from one to the other. In (
e lowest one a float carries rod v
at indicates the time. When a o
II hour has passed away, the o
placed outside the tower b
big white board, on which is e
linted, in large black characters, al