Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25

Some Queer Customs in Vogue in That
Country.
From the ChautauQuan.

From the Chautauqunn.
From the exaggerated accounts OF CHI
nese progress which we hear in the United
States, the newly arrived American expects
to travel from one end OF the empire to the
other with the convenience and luxury to
which he has been accustomed at home.
There are many new maps that make a
creditable showing of railway lines, and 1t
is something of a shock to learn that. for
the most part, they have been merely sur
veyed and. aside from this, upon most of
them not a stroke OF work has been done
In the whole great empire with its 1900
miles of coast line. and its area Of more
than 100000 square miles. there were in
November, 1899. but 439 miles OF completed
railway. The most important, that from
Tien Tsin to the capital. has been in opera
ton but TWO years.
When one inquiries in San Francisco as to
the most convenient route to Pekin It Is
well to know that the encouraging state
ment, You can go by rail to the city gate
should be very freely interpreted 1t is the
truth. but not the whole truth Leaving the
comfortable mail steamers that ply between
Hong Kong and San Francisco at Shanghai
you have still, before you a voyage of four
days and four nights: and this not over the
calm Pacific, but across the Yellow sea,
dashed with typhoons from July to Septem-
Der, and as rough as 800 miles of continuous
remainder of the year. From the LIST of De-
cember until March navigation is closed al
together. and the be1ated traveller who has
not left Pekn before the coastwise steam
ers are laid off finds himself a prisoner
there or able to reach the south only by
cart or litteT-a SLOW expensive and pain
full mode Of travelling, even in favorable
weather. 1t necesSitateS an enforced pa
tronage of Chinese wavside inns, which are
freezing cold. dark and badly ventilated,
and swarrnins with every species Of vermin
that prey upon the human being. There
fore. when one goes to Pekin by rail it
really means that 500 miles of the journey,
taking Shanghai for the starting point. are
made by steamer-twenty miles by one short
line from Tong-ku on the north bank Of the
Pei-ho river. and then by rail from Tien
Tsin to Pekin. But here there is another
disappointment In store for the unenlight-
ened; the station at the terminus Is not
within but without the walls, and from here
to the gate Of the Chinese city-the outer
circle OF the four-foid capitalize distance
is traversed either by electric cars or by
1inrlk1sha. both innovations of very recent
date. From the terminus of the electric line
to the hotel. within the second wall, in the
Tartar city, one may proceed by jinrikisha,
on the back OF donkey by mule litter, IL
one can be obtained. or, as last resort by
Pekin cart. This vehicle is not recon-
mended to the unseasoned. or to one who
mas not time subsequently to nurse his
bruises and Commissions.
The vehicle is a sort Of abbreviated draw.
the tires OF the heavy wheels five inches in
width, the covered bed resting solidly on the
heavy axle-trees, with nothing to break the
appalling jar when the wheels drop into
ruts three feet deep, or go crunching over
stones that would wrench an ordinary cart
to pieces.
Our first-class carriage resembled an
American carriage in Its general principles,
but Its exact counterpart We had never
seen. In each compartment two wooden
seats, unfinished with cushions, faced
each other. We learned that when the road
was first built cushioned seats had been
furnished, but owing to the untidy habits
Of the Chinese they had to be abandoned.
Into the compartment all but the large and
heavier luggage was also carried, and our
assortment included one large steamer
trunk. plethoric English "hoId-all," one
dress-suit case. two bags and various par
GELS and bundles. Each passenger Is al
lowed 800 pounds OF luggage on the liberal
Chinese railways liberality that will
probably be curtailed later.
My neighbors across the aisle were two
dainty ladies-one attired In blue linen the
other In silk and black brocaded tissue
Their purple-black hair was deliberately
dressed, and ornamented with jeweied pins
and pink artificial flowers One was a
"bound-foot'' woman: the other had escaped
the cruel Disagreement. The Manchurians,
to which the imperial family belong. do not
bind the feet. and the fashion set by the
empress has been followed by many Chinese
in Pekin and its vicinity These little IA
telligible language, with an effort to be
amiable and polite. They even crossed the
aisle and made me understand that they
would like to look out of the window which,
on my side Of the carriage. was next to the
sta ton. gladly made place for them, and
when their curiosity was gratified they
went hack to their own seat The servant
who had accompanied them took his leave
and they then proceeded to bargain with
the chestnut yender. There was very soon
dipute over something, for they became
greatly excited, and one of them brandish-
ed her English umbrella with astonishing
vigor. They poured forth stream OF
shrlh. voluble Chinese. without the slight
est expression Of ill-temper on their placid
.countenances.
1T Is good thing that you do not under
stand Chinese" said M-:"'their language
is dreadful"