New-York tribune., 1900-07-08
AMONG THE CHINESE.
SKETCHES FROM THE NOTEBOOK OF An
AMERICAN CONSUL N CHINA.


tidious foreigners object 70 his fancy fox cat
and dog diet. they are overcome by the otors
which emanate from his hahitatious- In
truth the Chinese coo,ic is not dainty creat-
ure: but he is good servant, ne is Caick, ne
is honest. ne is faithful; n is as regular
in the performance Of his duties as cIockwork;
and he can be forced to some degree Of cleanli-
ness.
In the big foreign hotels which abound in
all the treaty ports-Hong- Kong. Shanghai etc
as a waiter he is perfect He wears q loose
white robe Immediately clean; milk white
stockings with black satin slippers, shiny
black pigtan divides his baok fr1n neck %
heels. lie moves about as silently as a cat bis
duties once having been explained u min, he
never fo-gets- He is reliable
At the American Consulate he was house
keeper. chambermaid and buJI-r. He -4d the
marketing and should any complaint ars= IN
regard 10 the cooking, this head servant can-.I-
cred it his duty 70 whip the cock, another China
man He wears a clean white cotton gcwn-taat
is. Of course in sUmmer-Nay 20 September
when the temperature ranges between - and 10
degrees. His black house slippers have noise
less paper soIes. He speaks the jar~1n ot The
treaty ports known "Pidgin English
When dinner is ready he presents hims-.S. v--a
hands carefully concealed in the loose. flowing
sleeves of his dress-a sign Of resDecy-and
says. with a deep bow,
Master. come catchee chow"
Should ne be d little out OF temper. and wish
to show the slightest degree Of iisr.srecc re
will allow small portion Of one hani 20 le
seen. and say:
Chow have got
Master" in order that the domestic ma
chinery may run smoothly. must adapt himself
to the language Of his man servant. Should he
be asked 10 go upstairs and fetch my s.fpI--s''
n would stare in bewiIferment
John. makee go top side AMI -at-la- SIP
pers."
This is perfectly intellsihIe to John. the name
by which all foreign residents call the seryaut
REMARKABLE CHINESE MEMORY
The average Chinaman possesses a remark
able memory. He Will learn 10 make htrns-If
understood in almost any foreign language in
less than half The time il requires an intelligent
EngIishman or American 10 make himself un-
derstood in any one Of the many Chinese d.--
lects. This disparity has led 10 some curious
anomalies in the trade of the country. Thus az
all the open ports trade with foreigners is
carried on by means Of mjddIenen. or agents,
who are always natives. They are called "cou-
pradores"
If foreign merchant wishes To buy tea. siik.
porcelain or o,h-r articles of native product he
must do So through his "comprador-." If he
wishes 10 SCI! any article Of foreign product To- a
native house he must asaiu call in the ~corr.~a-
dore-" The "comprador-' employs all the s---
wants Of the foreigners establishment fixes th-f-
salaries and is responsible for their honesty He
keeps the reign traders bank account straight
ened out with the native bankers. ant makes OUT
shipping lists and invoices Practically. though
nominaHy a mere upper servant, he is the real
head of the house, and his word is law. He is
usually a shrev1 fellow. and watches closely
his employers interests. not forgetting his own
He has certain legitimate commissions or
"squeezes." as they are called on all of his
transactions His income is considerable
y foreign merchant. having acquired after a
long residence a sufficient knowledge of the
language. decides that his business Is too much
in the hands Of natives. ana dismisses his com
pradore-" He goes in person To some native
hong and asks for samples and quotations
He is politely shown through the establishment
and otherwise treated with consideration Hut
when. with a view To buying, ne inquiries Tor
prices he gets a No have got" for answer
He goes 70 another hong" and another and
another but always with the same result No
one has anything To- s-Ut All are behind l..-l
their orders. Let the foreign dealer return 60
hs Cftic2 and send his 'conpradora-' on the same
errand, and his orders will be prompt, Huad
This IS so in every department If business
where foreigners are concerned. In all OF the
treaty ports the financial affairs rf every for