The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-01
PRIMITIVE MODES OF TRAVEL IN CHINA.

will survive a of the hardest kind
of treatment. Where the roads are
smooth and the winds favorable the
Chinese use sails as motive power for
their barrows and steer them by the
shafts, merely keeping their balance
and guiding them along. Most of
these barrows, particularly those used
for passenger traffic, are made with
but one wheel. in the center of the
framework, which is so adjusted that
the weight of a load will fall directly
upon the axle Eight or ten passengers
can be carried on one of them pushed
by a single man, and they sit as in the
Irish jaunting car, ranged along the
side, and progress sidewise. after the
name of a crab. The barrowmen
do not mind what sort of load they
carry, and mix up passengers and
freight indiscriminately, though gener-
ally arranging the live stock on one
side and h luggage on the other
One OF the funniest sights of south
China is a coolie coming in from the
country with a large black pig tied on
one side the frame and the owner of
the porker complacently smoking on
the other, while the human propeller is
putting and grunting under the weight
Of mis- load.
One of the prettiest sights, by the
way, is hat of a b~arrowload of Chi
11GSEG WOLh 6AAAS pEOpGA1Cd III LIE
same double row of moon
faced maidens. with a baby thrown in
here and there as a makeweight. Even
the mandarins and ladies of high de-
gree avail themselves of this mode of
conveyance in China, and it should not
be derogatory to the dignity of army
officers to take a lift occasionally in the
whee1barrows.
The high caste people of China, how
ever, ordinarily confne their perambu-
Iations to the palanquin or sedan chair,
also borne by coolies or stalwart serv-
ants, and even long journeys are under
taken in them. These are the most
comfortable. as well as the most aristo-
cratic conveyances, and where men are
as plentiful as flies in a candy shop n
are willing and even anxious to work,
it would seem like flying in the face of
Providence TO neglect this obvious ma
terial now running to waste
But, while men are abundant and
cheap in China, it does not always hap
pen that ~palanquins or sedan chairs
are equally available. In fact, it is re-
lated, as .tone on the foreign Minister'S
that when they make their annual visit
to the emperor the demand for these
chairs exceeds the supply, and those
used for the carrying of brides to we'd
dings are pressed into service. AS this
sort has an inscription on it to the eff
feet that within is a beautiful golden
lily being transported to her husband,
the gamins in h capital make sport Of
h dignified ~legationers and chaff
them numerically, asking when III
are to be married, if they will be dutiful
wives, etc
Accustomed as they were to being
carried about in palanquins and other
perfectly safe modes of conveyance. it
is not strange that the advent of the
railroad and iron horse in China was
viewed by the mandarins with distrust-
The opposition of the coolies was per-
haps JustitiabIe on account of the en-
suing competition and lowering of
rates. thus taking the bread from their
mouths, as it were. tt il wen known