Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-09-03
AN AMERICAN
IN HONG KONG
English City with Chinese Popula-
ton and Wages
.[By Lieut.. Geo. steunenberg.I

..IBy Lieut.. Geo. Steunenberg.
The most remarkable feature
about the voyage from Manila to
Hong Kong is the change of climate.
On the first day Of April we fiocked
aboard the Rubi in Manila, swelter-
ing in white duck, and a couple of
days later were approaching the
coast of China wearing heavy cloth
ing and wooden underwear. 1t was
|a cloudy, breezy morning, the kind
that northern people call disagree
able, but which comes like the very
elixir of life to a man who has per-
spired for two years in the tropics,
and the passengers were crowding
the deck, eager for the first sight of
the land of the dragon. It doomed
up ahead in high, rocky hills, pre-
senting an apparently solid front;
but on nearer approach a narrow
channel opened up leading inland,
and our little steamer was soon
vending her way in between barren
heights, emerging finally into the
open waters of Hong Kong .harbor.
1t was spacious body OF water,
extending away for miles and en-
circled by rocky hills, on one of
which we could make out the dim
outlines of the city of Hong Kong.
The bay was dotted with ships lying
at anchor, one of the first we passed
being big white American battle
ship; we passed. close enough to
make out the name wisconsin" on
her stern. Then we steamed rather
slowly on through a heterogeneous
mass of sailing ships, tramp steam
ers, and men-o'-war of various ma
tionalities which go to make up. the
shipping of one of the big seaports
of the world. Queer-looking Chinese
iunks with pig-tailed crews bowled
along under full sail. while the
small fiat sail boats known as sam
pans" manned" principally by
women-scudded by in all directions
We passed through probably three
miles of this marine panorama be-
fore we reached our anchorage in
front of the city and dropped anchor
half mile of shore.
Hong Kong, as seen from the bay.
appeared not unlike an American
city and was built on the waters
edge, extending far up the side of
a mountain. But we were not left
long in quiet contemplation of it. for
the anchor chain had no sooner rat
tied out than the ship was surround
ed by a feet of "sampans.' and the
next minute our decks were over
run by a hord of Cinnamon clamor-
ing for baggage to carry. Several
English and American hotel runners
were mixed up in the throng, but
had been advised in Manila to go to
the Hotel America" and so ! felt
independent. 1t was with some diff
ficulty that the passengers made
their way with their baggage down
the gangway ladder and into the
waiting sampans; but the crowd
gradually thinned out. ! CHANGED to
land in the same sampan with a big
Spaniard from Manila with whom ]
had struck up a speaking acquain-
lance on the steamer, and as we were
both travelling alone we naturally
drifted together and remained to-
gether during the following week in
Hong Kong.
AS our sampan neared the dock
we were welcomed by a bowling
horde of Chinese Coolies who were
running excftedly to and fro. shout
ing and gesticulating for a chance
to carry our baggage With such a
rush did they come at as that two Of
them fell headlong on the pier into
the chilly waters of the bay. How
ever. this seemed to be a matter Of
minor consequence when a few cents
were in sight, for they quickly
elambored out and resumed their
war-dance as II nothing had hap
pened. We quickly hired four Of
these fellows in order to be rid OF
the rest of them; likewise two Of the
riFsha men who came erOwding
around. The coolies quickly lashed
our trunks to the poles they carried,
raised the poles onto their should
ders. and. all being in readiness. we
stepped into the rikshas-whieh, By
the way. are nothing more nor less
than big two-wheeled baby carriages