Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-29
CANTON, CHINA,

rim lie Obtained.
CANTON, CHINA,
Nov. IS, 1899 I
From Hong Kong on we'll. appointed riv-
er boats which leisurely make the run to
Canton, distance of about 95 miles, in 10
hours, the river scenery first presents a
range of respectable mountains and a
quantity of shrub-grown islands which
gradually seem to recede from the river
banks and guard from a distance the ex
tensive rice paddocks which continue to
line the course up to the city of Canton
occasionally little hamlet or fisher
mans hovel appears, but little else save
the passing of junk and the nine and ten
stored pagodas which dedicate early vlctO-
rles and serve as watchtowers to the river
forts, varies the interest of the delightful
trip until the river narrows near the city.
The Bogue forts are extensive and well
placed, commanding the entrance to the
channel, and the fortified island between
the two main forts render approach almost
an impossibility If held by foreigners, but
with the existing conditions they become
mere limitations of strength, for they are
always deserted and only occupied by uni
formed men on inspection day.
On the river bordering the city one is
Initiated into life and a spectacle which
narratives couldn't overrate, but which
would rather unavodably belittle that
which is only slightly understood and
| grasped by every observing foreign visitor.
A river swarming with floating popula-
ton Of over 300, 900 people who make their
crude, clumsy, implanted sampans their
real estate, as well as their place of bust
ness, fairly jostle each other for floating
space and usually accompany every at
tempt TO gain an advantageous opening by
penetrating shout. These boats which
float families are seldom more than 10 or
| II feet long, covered with a straw woven
roof in the centre, and propelled by long,
sculling oar or fin in the stern. The hus-
band almost never works, but sits in the
bow and smokes, while his wife with a
babe bound on her back navigates the
shell and solicits all the business with a
voice powerful enough to be heard in a
foundry if she whispered.
Apart from this prevailing craft are the
larger iunks with a stern wheel which is
worked by eight coolies on a treadmill
Not boat of any considerable size, espec-
tally those which ply above Canton on the
West river, is devoid of the ornament OF
Anticipated muzzle loading cannon mount
ed in the bow and stern and often in pairs
on the side. This precaution is necessary
to protect the rich cargoes of silks from
the Chinese pirates infesting the river
throughout its course. In fact, these pi
rates but a few days ago boarded a passen
ger boat and relieved the passengers Of al
their preferred stock after borrowing what
cargo they desired. Promiscuous, indis.
criminate piracy is as rife now as it was &c
years ago in spite of the intervention Of
foreigners.
All this is found Just above Canton, but
the existing life of these floating families
in the city canals is apparently peaceful
Imagine home (so-called) on q semcov
cred boat five by 10 feeD consisting of {
family of four, a couple of hens, pig, cal
or dog and song-bird, with kitchen ant
bedroom combined. Thousands of sucf
exist in Canton and it's not uncommon t
see children flying kites from their abutteC
roofs when anchored.
Then again, the loose life of luxury
finds itself better suited 10 the river ad
vantages than in the cramped corners o
the city and accordingly the far-fameC
"hower boats" l. e. (the yachting "Yoshi
wara'') junks with double decks, anchor il
veritable streets on the river and withou
municipal interference f6te their patron
with all the Accomplishments of wine ant
song.
Canton proper, a city of over 1000, 0O
people, which fell to the invading Tartar
in 1915 and was little later opened u
foreign trade by the East Indian company
after drastic resistance and subsequen
|, indemnity, harbors as a part of itself tn
, artificial island of "Shameen" (sand island
which was made by the Chinese and cedet
to the English and French as a part of III
indemnity demanded. This concession
unpolluted by the Chinese customs s
= thoroughly developed by the Cantones
across the moat, and contrasted with tn
adjoining city Shameen is completely fol
eign in itself with about 300 foreigners
and throughout its length ia mile)
beautifully built, belted by broad avenue
and bounded by banyan trees.
Across the canal into the congested cit
of Canton, the incubator of celestial il
trigue and the home of all that's truly Oh
nese, nothing unimagined or excepte
from previous outlines is lacking in realit.
even though it has been denied place
the recorded records of Canton.
Conceive of the happy (?) combinatlo
of inciyility, inhospltality, innate ign'
! rance and inhuman instincts, coupled wit
filth. saualor and stencil, and you'll have
limited idea of the self-satisfied UNCOVER
able Cantonese who average TO live on
a month and breed diseases when work
scarce and always work when evident
diseased. As an urbane unity 1t Is
thorn in the side of China and the ev
present propensity for fomenting section
! sedition and revolutionary reforms is new
! auiescent, but rather the prevailing spil
! of conspiracy among the Cantonese is
cancerous curse to China and one whi'
I will ultimately overthrow the few Cf an
remaining bonds of integrity and deliv
the Empire to the greed of foreign expa
sion and the consequent ACKNOWLEDGMENT
the Orient.
This feeling of secession and section
unity was expressed during the late "
with Japan when the populous regions
Canton cared so little about the downf
of their northerly relatives that they pc
4 lively refused to take part in the war, a
had the Japs invaded as far south
Swallow Ia neighboring city, the Canton'
would most probably have remained peat
D ABLY at home and considered their repu
ton for ancestral bravery quite suffice
, 10 thwart any attempts at invasion by
= Japanese.
= Within the narrow streets of CantC
4 when the breadth admits of the passing
4 no more than three people at a time,
Z two-story buildings, with their innumera
. signs (six inches by four feeO hanging o.
. these thoroughfares, crowd each other
= room, and long before the sun sets
D streets are dark unless they happen to !