Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-02-25
HONGKONG.
One of the Most Picturesque Cities
in the Far East.

=
in the Far East.
DEAR NEws:-We promised in our
last letter to tell you this week of Hong.
kong, the wonderfully picturesque city
of the far East. This city is situated
on m island OF the southeast coast Of
China. The island is an irregular rid &c
stretchinR east and west with broken
abrupt peaks rising to height of 2,O0C
feet. It possesses one of the most mag
ni6cent harbors in the world. Ships
from all nations anchor there. The es-
innate Is 1000 annually.
The general appearance OF this city
- seen from the deck OF a great ocean
steamer or from one of the lofty peaks
that look down upon it is extremely
picturesque. Standing At the weather
station on the loftiest peak, it would
appear that . stone thrown with full
force might pass over the city and fall
into the water Of the harbor. The popu-
tAtion Is estimated at 225,OOO, 2l5,OOO
are Chinese. The foreigners for the
most part live in elegant residences
built Of granite and in the latest arch
ttectural style. These residences gen.
orally are built on the slope overlook
Ing the business parts OF the city and
al lace the harbor. Some of them are
palatial and are magnificent specimens
OF the builders art.
From the business part OF the city to
the harbor Is about the width OF two
blocks. This space years ago, for fif-
teen blocks in length. was a low,
marshy nat Of mud, muck and mire,
but has been filed up to the height OF
II or Is feet with crushed granite and
dry earth making q beautiful level
front. And the most remarkable part
OF 1t 10: the work was done mostly by
women who carried the filings in
baskets from the terraces above as
streets were carved and built away up
and around on the mountain sides.
The island upon which the city is
built Is called Victoria and belongs to
the British. The most of the business
Is done by Chinese but the city is un-
der British government. The Queen
keepstwor regiments OF troops quartered
there-one regiment of English and
the other OF natives of India. The
English wear the gay uniform of their
nome country-red blouse, black trous-
ers with red trimmings and white
helmets, and all aecoutrements, belts
and strips white. The India troops
wear long blue blouses, somewhat
like odd overcoats, tight white trous-
ers and turbans Of long white or
yellow scarfs wound around and around
their heads and then tied In a peculiar
knot. We had the pleasure of witness
ing battalion inspection of the Eng
lish troops by Maj.-Gen1 Gascoinge,
the newly-arrived General then in
command. The band present was COM
posed OF 90 instruments. The view of
inspection from our standpoint was a
splendid one on terrace 40 feet above
the parade grounds and from which we
looked down upon the gay uniforms
made beautifully bright by the morn
ing sun.
The streets of Hongkong run par
allel with the water line OF the harbor
and one above the other far up the
mountain side. The connecting streets
are OF stone steps of about the same
incline as the ordinary stair steps
The principal streets all bear English
names, beginning with Queen street
which Is divided into Queen East
Queen West. The Chinese pendant.
panel signs with their peculiar inscrip
tlons in all colors present wonderfully
strange pictures TO the foreigner OF
his first visit to the city. Every store
has a number Of these pendants with
no two alike.
Hongkong is comparatively horse.
Less city. During our stay OF six day:
We did not see as many as Is horses and
mules. The vehicles for travel are jim.
rickshaws, usually called ''Rick.
shaws," and chairs. The rickshaw:
are sort OF enlarged baby carriage
with shafts, drawn, or, as they say
there, driven" by natives. The chair:
are on long poles and are borne on the
shoulders of two natives, but some
times as many as eight to one chair
The sensation of seating ones self in q
rickshaw for the first time and have
the native trot away with him like 4
horse at 2:40 is not without its novelt,
and fascination. 1t is wonderful wha,
endurance these natives possess. Our
first ride was for two hours and our
native did not break his trot in all thai
time, The streets are crowded with
these vehicles and the cry OF ahei
hei T. fills the air as the drivers shou,
70 pedestrians to clear the way.
Everybody walks In the middle OIL
the streets in Hongkong. The side.
walks are usually crowded with trader.
and traders goods and workino man