Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-29
AQUATIC LIFE AT CANTON CHINA
Pearl River and Its Picturesque
Boats.

The Pearl river crowded with boats
OF many different shapes and sizes
some stationary, others moving. is
nlghly picturesque. Most conspicuous
are the great Enthusiastically carved and
painted Junks, with high stern and big
eyes staring on the bow, for as the
Chlnese express it in pidgin English:
suppose no got eye, how can see?
suppose no can see, how can walkee ?"
very snowy, too are the mandarins
nouseDoats of dark, vanished wood
mace gay by floating flags and dang
ing lanterns; the joss pidgin boats car
Tying decorated affairs and long-rObed
attendant priests, their banners and
lanterns always suitable in color to the
special service held. On a day when
prayers for the dead are recited these
are blue and white, but if some loss
plogln, TO insure the happiness OF a
newly married pair, is performed. All
are scarlet. On the famous flower boats
or hoatlng restaurants, through the
cabin vide doors, one catches as they
pass a glimpse of deliberately embrold-
cred hangings, and Observation-Disclosures
nalnt-bedaubed sing-song girls trained
entertainers, who, together with the
hoat, are hired for the day or evening.
IN addition to these restaurants the
river boasts of plenty OF hotels. which
however, Always remain anchored
these are very necessary, for if travel
erS arrive at night after o'clock. when
She city gates are closed they are not
alioWed to enter. Vast numbers of odd
looking craft bring natives from the in
terror to Chinas Paris, for, as canals
closely interSect the whole country.
Whlle all roads are atrOciOus, little
travelling on land is done. Noticeable
among this class are fast slipper boats,
and others with immense copper-col-
ored sails, looking when outsnread like
the wings of some gigantic butterfly.
And from time to time shoots RAPIDLY
y a long, narrow sharp-bowed revenue
boat, bristling with spears and pixies,
carrying on either side a row of shields
painted with tigers heads, floating a
yellow-dragon flag, and rowed by so
uIuSTenL
Kinds. also pass, and duck-boats on
which big outstanding platforms house
at night the quaclling cargo.
Then crowding both sides of the
river, as well as all adjacent creeks.
are boats on which thousands of the
poorer classes spend their lives. These
remaining permanently moOred. form
regular sheets: and it is easy to step
IRON the high platform on the stern of
one boat to that of its next door neigh
Dor. The occupants of these aquatic
MONIES argue that a boat while cheaper
10 build than a house. is quite as COM
portable, pays no ground rent. and runs
less risk of being burned or robbed.
Many, indeed most of them contain
&Aree generations of a family, and the
eoilets of ALL as we'll as various other
domestic operations, are publicly per-
formed.
IL rather astoniShes one to find that
among these very poor people, not onlv
90 the men hire barber, but all the
women as we'll employ hair-dresser.
However, although this hair-dressins
is a job occupying fully one hour and a
half, the artist only demands a few
cents in return for her services, and
the elaborate hirsute construction vul-
carly called teapot when finished and
coated with a vegetable gum, lasts 4
week or more. Then the chow-chow O.
these people, at least as regards guam
tity and variety, seems really rather
luxurious. Each person has a private
bowl containing rice, and III the center
stand 10 or II others, nee to all chop
sticks, and filled with bits of raw fish,
boiled cabbage, pickles and queer-look-
ing, Queerer smelling messes.
The babies on these boats being kept
firmly strapped on the backs of their
elders, run no danger OF unpremeditat-
ed baths, but the little more largee
piece chiIo,'' or larger child, frequent
ty falls overheard. All, however. have
by way of life-preserver large gourd
tied to the jacket, while always at hand
lies long hook kept for fishing them
out of the water.
To provide for the wants of all boat;