The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-10-21
A VISIT TO HONG KONG
by c. K. SCHAFFER.


gave evidence of things English and such
names as For Crest" and The Ryries"
ETC., appeared on the entrance to the
grounds which were as spacious and we'll
kept as the nature of the ground allowed.
The English soldiers live in substantial
brick barracks at elevations above the end
of the tramway. Some wore Khaki he'll
NETS, and others the queer looking caps
set on the side of the head looking for all
the world like an inverted tin cup without
the handle. and but just little larger
OF what earthly use they are to man, |
failed to discover. l had seen pictures
which represented this head gear very
faithfully, but at the same time l thought
they were an exaggerat on, but tnev we're
not,
The police of the city are swarthy In
dams and their turbaned head dress is
very picturesque anyway, though it must
be very warm. Some are all white, some
all red, and others mixed with the end
hanging down behind They seem to have
determined look about them too
Not having enough silver with me to
make all my purchases had to go to one
of the numerous money changers to get it
changed. Less than year ago one gold
dollar our paper money would buy $2.7o
of silver and now it is up again so we
only get 81 IS so you see that makes
quite difference in the cost of things for
all prices are in silver or Mex as we
usually speak of it. In Manila we usual
ly get silver dollars but here we were
given paper money and twenty cent
pieces, Our silver dollar was worth only
about S. o6 but we get very little of our
dollars in these parts. England has her
own kind of money here called Hong
Kong money and that is all she takes at
the post office. AT the stores they take
anything but Spanish money also
picked up some Chinese coins of curious
patterns
like to visit the silver ware stores for
they have SO many pretty things there and
as rule they are reasonable in price too
Then there are the silk stores with such
tempting displays that one can hardly
resist purchasing, but we know the
customs people at Manila are liable to
impose duties on such things SO we pass
most things by,
Before we left we went across the bay
to kow Loon which now is on British
territory too. The place we land at is
called the English town and three or four
m les farther on is typical Chinese city
OF rkow Loon so we took some jinrickshas
and went there Rain again but we are
pretty well protected and the roads are
smooth SO we can gel along very we'll. 1t
is nice ride past some garden plots,
through deep cuts in the hills and past old
and 7lso modern quarries where great
blocks OF stone are extracted and the
mountain sides show there is a plenty left
for future working The Chinese city is
small so we explore it without guide,
Soon we get to the old wall and pass
through gate and little farther on a
temple, crumbling with age and decay
comes to view. Pressing on we go out Of
another gate on to high hillside where
huge boulders are scattered around.
Starting from two points of the city's
wall are lighter walls built with port
holes for defense, and meeting at the tor
OF the hill forming most excellent system
OF defense under old war tactics. Dis
mounted cannon lay around the CITY wall
though no doubt once they were for
midable part of tt towns defense From
the hillside we also saw down in the town
two tall stone structures with rifle Sits
which we judged had been used as a block
house. We tried to find it 50 as to get a
better view but did not find the fight
street We wandered around while look
ing at different shops and markets and
finally by good fortune got out at the
place we started from. l would not agree
to do it again though. On our way through
the town we run across Chinese school
though there were only small children
there. They seemed to be studying aloud
the same as the Filipino children do, and
presented bright laughing faces TO us.
A short distance from Hong Kong is q
little space between picturesque hills cal
led Happy Land A street car line
being built there now so it will be very
accessible from the heart of the town A
race track is maintained for lovers of the
turf and one could tell there was some
thing English about it for there are
hurdles scattered all along the course tc
be used in the mounted events, Prettily
situated atong the side are the cemeteries
laid out in the hooks and glens of lie
wooded slope and natures handiwork is
aided by mans ingenuity In little
garden we Saw another odd object OF
which We had read VIZ. vines and flowers
trained to grow to represent animals
Those we saw had the mouth and eyes
artificial but the rest was all vine Even
the bambo were made TO assume un-
natural positions.
The Botanical Gardens are worth visit
ing too while one is in the city
Our trip back to Mania was unevent-
full we had nice weather all The way
Our vessel took Il ing cargo of cattle, in
fact she ne - always does on the return
trip Natural when we got into Manila
we encountered the custom people. Nc
one seems 10 want anything to do with the
customs here, and [ was no exception,
hough had but little if anything that
thought ought not to be passei. But the
inspector thought different and laid aside
one thing after another and when he go
through my valise asked if had any more
old junk in my trunk. ust think o.
that! told him to looi see and he die
with a vim began to feel cheap He
then tied all up in a big package ane
turned them over to another man who
| figures up the duties and then called the
collection 'curios" | was asked VIVA
they were worth and. they suddenly die
not seem to be worth as much as
thought when | purchased them Ane
then he said they would pass free, | die
not ask if understood him correctly.
decarted with more speed than grace
4 j