The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-10-28
HOW THE "SON OF HEAVEN"
IS Being HUSTLED ABOUT


haired men and green uniforms and
green helmets pace near the flag Of
the German fatherland
One must descend here and pass
northward along the broad open space
preserved by treaty round this, the
legation quarter, for the other walls
inclosing the little compound, con
structed by foreigners, are only mod
ern defenses, low and unimposing
compared with the mighty pile bulls
by the mediaevel Chinese.
A few hundred yards to the north
floats the Austrian eagle; then, turn
ing toward the east, one sees the Ital-
ian and the British flags in success
sion, and turning south again, the
Russian standard. No sections of the
legation outer walls are held by the
Japanese or the French, as their le-
cations lie in the heart of the quar-
ter.
OF course, the many Chinese walls,
which surround the foreigners on
every side are also fortified, though
quite absurdly. Inside some of the
gates, beneath the high pagodas, may
be seen long, pointed pixies and, some
times, ancient bows and arrows sucn
as would adorn the walls of some feu.
dial Europeon castle now tured into
a show place. But, to draw an ac-
curate picture, must state that these
are really little more than exhibits in
Picking today, for the Government has
learned by hard experience the value
of modern weapons.
At intervals on the broad paved top
of the Tartar wall are guardsmen who
belonged in former generations to the
Manchu clans, and being descendants
of the conquerors, still receive allow
ances of the tribute rice that comes
to the capital annually. But these men
are now only pensioners without weap-
ons, who sometimes beg for coppers
| from foreigners walking or riding
past their little paper-windowed
houses beneath the now unnamed pa.
godas, crumbling with decay. And in
the loopholes of the latter one can
perceive another mockery of vanish.
ed glory-the muzzles of cannon
painted on wooden shutters.
The famous Forbidden City, the
city within cities, is no longer shroud
ed in deepest mystery. Many tourists
of distinction, as we'll as all the for
eign ministers, have been within its
walls, Photographs of it's palaces, its
gardens and its little lakes are sold
by Japanese and German photograph
ers, who obtained access when thu
foreign armies were in occupation
But the traveller finds, if he rides u
to any of the gates through it's walls
that even its grounds are still forbid
den to the ordinary mortal.
If you are a stranger and do no
know Picking too well, you may hap
pen, by accident to direct your obedi
ent rickshaw boy to one of the sacred
gates. A nervous gathering of the
guard takes place at your approach
nervous because the pigtailed soldiers
do not like the task of turning away
foreigners, before whom, since 1900
they stand in some awe. Leaving tn,
= legation quarter recently with a frienC
passed out of the walls guarded b,
foreign troops and entered the Tar
tar City. From this Enclosure W.
passed into the gates of the imperia
city, guarded by Chinese soldiers, bu
f not forbidden; then, continuing acros
little canal-in which many of tn
Pekingese find their daily meal o
crawtish and locust roots-we mad
our way straight for the gates whicl
members of the charmed circle onl
may enter without special permission
e There was a scurry among tn
guards, who began warning US off wit
, shouts and gesticulations long befor
we came within dangerous proximity
{ To their support they called the head!
7 man, famous for numerous decapit'
= tions, and they seemed to have MOI
confidence in the arms and miitar
r methods established in China for cer
t turtles than in the new-faugle
= weapons of which they are only no,
Y beginning to learn the use Distres
5 was pictured on their faces as the
e barred the way to our feet-foote
l rickshaw boys, so We took compassio
0 on this formidable looking guart
+ promptly informing them that tn
t sticks we carried were only for tn
e purpose Of directing our boys, for W
had no intention of forcing an entr
i upon the four-year-old Emperor on
h only desire-we at length succeeded
t eXplaining-was to take a picture
: the stalwart guard, who would, "
r knew, stoutly defend the gate if an