The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-10-21
U. S. Naval Station, Cavite, P. l.
SEPT. 9TH. LOO

SEFl Jun, 1903
The DENIsoN REVIEW and READERS: :
Having Just returned from trip to Chi
ma, it might interest some of your readers
to read about the details of such an excur-
sion into the kingdom of the Dragon.
We left Cavite on Friday August IS, two
fellow clerks accompanying me and board
ed the steamer Loom Sang" which was
due to sail at o'clock that evening. For
tune did not smile on us, however. the
day was cloudy, and typhoon at that
time passingI between US and Hong Kor G,
we layed in port till noon of the following
day The bay itself was smooth enough
and we we're impatient to be off.
Our ship was really freight boat but
had Accommodations for sixteen first class
passengers. Only two others went up with
us The cabinsand dining saloon are on
the stern of the ship directly over the pro-
peller, SO any one who has travelled by sea
knows how smooth (2) everything felt es
pecially when travelling with light load
and the sea little rough. When the screw
would come out # the water it would send
thrill through you not wholly of satisfac-
ton. The entire crew, with the excep-
ton of the officers, are Chinese, though
the stewards at least, could speak English.
Notwithstanding the recent sway of the
typhoon, the sea was not what we could
call rough, though situated as we were
we all soon had peculiar uncomfortable
feeling as if we had something which we
did not really care for and consequently
gave it up cheerfully as we could.
The English style of serving meals was
followed. Breakfast at 9 a. M, lunch at
one, and dinner at seven. with tea or COZ
fee early in the morning and at four p N
If we wished ii we could remain on deck
in steamer chair, and the walters would
serve you there. When the very odor of
kitchen is uubearable, this is quite a
comfort to the passenger.
The 'Loong Sang" is calculated to make
the trip from Manila to Hong Kong, 63o
miles, in sixty hours, though some of the
boats do it in 4S to So hours We anchor.
ed outside the harbor on Monday night
ard early next morning steamed up to the
quarantine station. AS soon as the quar-
antine officer looks us over we are at liber-
ty to go ashore And when we did land
we almost got sick again. for we expected
things to sway around and when they did
not, we had queer feeling again. But
we recovered.
iiOtiS lAOli5 10 pCiOuSihS W tilS
British and the town itself is called Vic
,oria, though one usually hears the city
spoken of as Hong Kong, too. The har-
Dor is very good and protected from heavy
winds, though as yet, there are no unload
ing docks built. Many steamers was lying
in anchor, while four black and grim look
ing British cruisers and several gun boats
seemed to spread sense of security a.
round them. The town is built along the
water front for just back of the town prop
er tower the steep hills or mountains which
are SO plentiful around the bay. Though
'the peak" as it is called, is said to be
21oo feet high. yet houses are dotted here
and there almost to its very summit. On
clear night the lights shining from the
mountain side presents pretty sight 1--WE
took lodging at new hotel near the pos
office and operated by an American. l
was very good after we got there, but il
was good climb. On the street leading
to it we're score of flower vendors making
beautiful bouquets wreathes, ETC., anc
selling them at very reasonable figure
We no sooner got to our hotel than it com.
menced to rain. and rain wasn't what we
wanted. for we could get plenty of that in
the Philippines.
AS Hong Kong has reputation of being
a good place to get clothes at very rea
sonable figure, we all called on the tailor
shops There are plenty of them, and if
you insist can make a suit for you in a
day. Camphor-wood trunks are 50 pei
cent cheaper than in Manila. SO invested.
In fact one sees many things to tempt the
money from the pocket.
The main street of the town is Queens
Road. and another is Des Vocux Road
though why they are not called streets
could not make out. The most of them
are macadamized and smooth, though
there is no reason why they should not be
good. for l did not see horse while il
Hong Kong and but one heavy wagon
and that was drawn by eighteen coolies
Tie common modes of conveyance is the
jinrickshas and sedan chairs And the
beauty of it is that you can get one at al
most any street corner. which is such a
relief after our experience WITH Manila
carramatas. The jinrickshas are two
wheeled carts with folding buggy top
and shafts though instead of horse in
the shafts, there is Chinese collie. The
conveyance is light. and on nearly level
road one would be surprised at the speed
and endurance of the collie The tariff l
believe is zoe mex an hour, d they ex-
pect five or ten cents for "cumshau" (;ip)
too
l guess every one who visits Hong Kong
takes ride on the tram car, we would
call it a cable car, that goes up very
steep incline to the Peak Hotel which is
very near the top of the mountain. Nat
urally we went up too There are two
cars on the line and when one goes up,
the other comes down side track mid
way allows the cars to pass each, for t .ey
use the same track church is built
part way up the mountain side and as
looked at it, thought it was leaning out
Of plumb very much. but it was only an
optical illusion. Roads and foot paths are
cut in the mountain side and a trip over
all of them would, TO doubt, be full of in
| tere and good view but we were bounc
for the top
AT the end of the tramway we engaged
chairs to carry us on u These convey
ances are nothing more than bamboo
chairs attached to two po es with COLI,
at either end TO carry you The grade wa
steep and you may be sure thew earnet
their money with me anyway We had te
finish our climb on foot AMY ay though