Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-23
TO INSPIRE COURAGE.
The Chinese Have n CuriOus Method
of Attaining This Requisite.

1.-THE Chinese, as a race. are not consid-
cred courageous said a WaShingtonlan
who has Travelled in the orient. land this
racial characteristic is so we'll known that
they are not feared as foes. Their dislike
to all things western is so pronounced
that they will not adopt modern methods in
warfare, or anything else. Nevertheless.
the fight made by the Chinese battle ship
under command of an American, whose
name do not now recall, proved that. I'M
der his remarkably brave and skillful lead
ership, they were not afraid to die on that
occasion it being the battle between the
Japanese and Chinese fleets. The ship I'M
der the command of the American was
filled with holes and its crew slaughtered
like sheep. yet this Annapolis graduate
kept it up until none were left to man the
few guns not dismounted. He afterward
died in New York from the result of his
wounds, and he paid a high tribute to the
valor of his men. some of whom, with the
flesh roasted off their bones from escaping
steam and burning woodwork. fought until
they dropped dead. The crews Of the other
Chinese vessels did not, however display
such bravery. So much for American
pluck.
1.-The Chinese believe that courage may be
instilled in the cowardly by the eating Of
the flesh of wild and ferocious animals.
In the large cities of the fiowery kingdom
the flesh of tigers, panthers. wildcats and
other animals of prey is displayed in the
shops where meat is sold. and it commands
a high price. In fact, l have seen in the
Chinese quarter of San Francisco the car
cases of wildcats and California mountain
lions suspended in the butcher shops of
that densely inhabited and not sweet SMELL
ing district
''If Chinese has a grudge against an
other, and he does not feel equal to the
task of having 1t out with the other fellow
personally, as is usually the case. he hires
a highlander. or professional thug. to do
1t
his man and bores him full of holes with
a revolver or jabs big knife between his
shoulder blades.
Before he begins his work he buys
piece of wildcat or panther which he cooks
and eats. Then he feels brave, or imagines
that he does, which is the same thing. A
detective in the Chinese quarter of San
Francisco told me that a Chinese who had
partaken of such a meal would show fight
to the police when otherwise he would sub
NIT to arrest.
Il looked in the shops of the Chinatown
OF Washington a few evenings since.
searching for a wildcat, which l proposed
to have served a la highlander in one of
the Chinese restaurants, though 1 doubt If
l would have eaten any Of the flesh, even
If found and prepared in the most ap-
proved courage-inspiring style, with real
blood gravy. However, II any Of my fellow
townsmen wish to be real sporty here is
an opportunity to de- So and at the same
time prove to the celestials that we are on
to their courage curves.
Il did find, however. many pairs of Man.
churia deer horns. These horns are OBJ
tanned from the animal when they are COW
cred with a slight fur and are not in the
hard, tough state. They are carefully
wrapped in cloth and consumed in China
and exported to all parts of the globe
where Chinese reside. They are ground up
and prescribed as medicine for various
complaints. but l was told by California
physician that they possessed no medicinal
virtue, and If recoveries resulted from their
administration it was the result of imag-
nation or from other causes. They are
among the most valued compounds in the
Chinese materia medica, and are costly"