The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-07

is wretched mud village in which there
is what purports To be a foreign hotel-as
the glaring sign in English over the door
asserts But Ii Is q nest of robbers. and no
one remains over night who can avoid 1t.
Luggage is carried from the train-where
II has been again placed on the platform
or taken into the compartment with you
TO samfan waiting on the bank OF the
river a few hundred yards distant. This
does not present any insufferable difficulty
to those who have never been in Tongku.
There is no apparent semblance of police
regulation. and as the train rounds sharp
curve before drawing up at the station you
can see the crowd waiting for their victims.
The arrival from the steamer is far worse
than the departure from Tongku. for the
cunning coolies stand about refusing to
lift a finger while the train is standing on
the track waiting to pull out, and every
moment precious. They will charge from
So to s. for carrying single trunk the
short distance froIl the samfan to the
train if the traveller has not wit and de-
termination enough to circumvent them.
Fortunately for me, I was met by DR..
George Lowry, one Of the health officers
at Taku, who had come in the launch of
the imperial customs and had brought his
own men. The coolies who saw me thus
escape their clutches scowled darkly, but /
went on board, rejoicing. and we steamed
down the yellow ford to the "Shenking,"
swinging at her anchor waiting for the
lighters from Tien-Tsin that were to bring
her cargo. I may say, incidentally. that
N Svvi LAT a in, he
afternoon of the next day, when she
steamed out beyond the bar and anchored
again-waiting another forty-eight hours.
Such a detention might seem a hardship
under some circumstances, but with no
urgent business to necessitate a speedy
return to Shanghai there was a sense of
luxury in being safe on board a spick
and span little ship, every plank secured
to snowy whiteness, and every square inch
of brass ponshed until it shone again. The
fact that l was the only woman passen-
ger and sat down at table three times
daily with six men, was not half so dis
agreeable as might appear, for barring
their rabid British dislike for most things
American. they were ION their good be-
havior and furnished me with magazines
and novels which rendered me independent
of their sociey, and spared them too much
of mine.
AT THE HARBOR BAR.
The bar at the mouth of the Peiho is a
great source of difficulty to the officers of
ships. Upon my arrival. six weeks previous,
the vessel could not cross at all until the
tide had turned and she had discharged her
| cargo. the passengers being sent ashore-a
IA -
an open launch. During our stay there
were eight steamships anchored around
the Shenking waiting to get in, or put out
to sea, and officers and coolies alike,
worked day and night, loading and unload
ing from lighters. 1 dozed in my coffin-like
berth at night with the melancholy chant
of the coolies-a wild solo from the leader,
with a recurring chorus pitched in a minor
key from his helpers-mingled with my
dreams; and it went on all night and all
the next day, till midnight again, without
ceasing. 1t was interesting to watch the
coolies in the lighters, their patience and
apparent amiability being very re-
markable. They lifted enormous loads
which 1t scarcely seemed possible that
| their slender arms could carry, toiled
and sweated. laughing and chattering
| like magpies. AT what seemed pretty fire.
quent intervals huge iron kettles of rice
were brought out on deck, from which
| they filled their bowls, squatting on their
heels around a platter of boiled cabbage,
| fish or some other relish. which they added
to their staple diet. They also poured over
the mixture thin broth or hot tea, which
they consumed with lusty appetites. Raw
turnips, peeled and chopped fine. was also
favorite dish; but the food in it's entirety
seemed rather light diet for men working
at hard labor day and night One is forced
| to reflect however, that upon nothing bet
ter than this has the enormous population
of China been sustained, multiplying itself,
| surviving for ages wnen other nations have
passed away. leaving scarcely a trace be-
| hind them. And they doubtless would con-
tinue to survive should the empire es-
| cape absorption by the western powers
which hardly seems possible.
MARY H. KROUT