El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-01

ers in the orient always remember the
main features OF this enhancing. be-
wildering mart long after recollection
of other sights in China or Japan has
become a blur. This grip on the globe
t4otter's memory is, very largely, well
earned, but is due in part 10 the fact
that it lies right in the path OF con-
ventional steamship travel and is usu-
ally the first fearfuliy real Chinese city
to rudeIy shock the brightly Vanished
westerner into the painful but llu-
minating realization That WISDOM VIII
Has 100000 People.
Canton is a quaint and at once busy
Chinese city OF 100000 people ap-
r,rOximateIy on the eastern bank OF the
Pearl river. so miles above HongkonS,
u Inch is one of the world greatest
pcrts. d British possession of ample
harbOr and rocky shores ana mis-,
at the sOuthernmOst tip Of China All
ships go there from NaSasaki or ShanS-
hal going outh. and from Manila ana
singapore going north. as a matter Of
course. HOngkOng IS also the lar east
ern terminus of all the great steamship
lines, passenger and freight between
tile Orient and Australia, the British
isles. Europe and the Atlantic coast Of
4 the United States. Everybody goes to
HOngkOng to get to Canton, winch IS
reached by boat, using either the Br!t-
ism, French or chinese line or Dy the
hOWIOon-CantOn railway. Either route
is interesting, but If one goes by boat,
leaving about midnight and sleeping
until sunup. the reward viii be a view
of action and color not soon forgot
ten.
Women Mariners.
At first, as the approach is madc
rather slowly a fev iunks are encour-
tered veteran crafts with helmsmeu,
in many instances, more battered than
the sails. And the ancient mariners
clothes Will also resemble the sail in
multiplicity ana variety of patches.
OF course, if the day be warm, which
is often, he and his fellows there
atounts viii be stripped to the waist
There are thousands OF women ma
r.hers too, running the small boats
Steering is done Oy one Zig OR which
works in groove at the stern. The
>, oman Of the family does the steering,
while the man and the children handle
cargo and work the sail which flaps
Invitation to any accommodating wind
frequently, the tOller at the oar has a
baby strapped to her back. There may
be another in sWaddling clothes in a
c&rk, dirty cubbyhOle beneath the
deck, which is the safest place. The
children old enough to take care OF
themselves. and there viii surely be
tW o or three or more. are permitted to
stay on deck A twO-by-fOur spot in
the bow is their excuse for a play
ground. These people are born. 60
through their existence in This phase,
Gle and are buried from their sam
pans.
The river population of Canton AMI
vicinity is computed at 500, 600. Rapid
breeding, and constant recruiting from
the pirates of the West river further
Up Keep pace with the nigh death rate
they have no schooling, no religion,
10 morals, no hope. Until three years
ago not ever Christian missionaries
noticed them, and their efforts today,
lacking adequate support from the
homeland, are like throwing bird shot
against Gibraltar These river rats
are of necessity piratical and lawless.
mi not
cared for down TIE stream some bright
r.orning tells the tale Of a fight or
tleachery the night before, or perhaps
days ago
The First Glimpse of Canton.
The boat turns a slight bend in the
river, and 10 the right lies the city Of
Canton, a veritable sea Of red tiled
SHOPS and houses lining narrow, fairly
straight streets. To the left is the
island Of ShameGn. where the foreign
bt Sin5ss houses and cUnsulates are 10
Gated, as well as q good foreign hotel
anu some residences. Here the tourist
aTranges for his guide, chair, coolies,
etc. visitors are warned not to go into
the native city without a guide, and It
is dangerous for a stranger to venture
there alone. 'Shameen'' means sand
flats, and this little island is just that,
tUlwarked by a stone wall all the way
around 1t is one and One-half miles
long by less than a mile wide, and
was coded to great Britain and France
I following the war of 1852 which was
D
adjustments by Chinese mob. No
Chinese is allowed to cross the bridge
to Shameen without pass, or unless
he is employed there
Wall Around the City.
Canton proper is surrounded by a
( wall six miles in circumference. There
is partition wall running east and
u est. The northern section Of the
town is the largest and Oldest while
the southern part is considered quite
I modern and is called, the new city"
rHarn-H IL
the walls having a circumference o.
about four miles The city walls are
made of brick and sandstone with
granite foundation and are 20 feet
north wall backs up against hills
v hich rise 1900 feet-a waste area bar
zen, dotted with thousands of graves
and tombs. A mOat which smells TO
heaven surrounds the other three walls.
Three old forts near the north wall are
quaint relics. There are four outside
g5tes and two water gates Tor boat
traffic. They are guarded by day and
closed by night.
Crossing the bridge from Shameen
and passing through a gate the tourist
plungeS into a network Of narrow
streets and soon realizes how impOssi-
lie il would be for him to find his
way back alone. There are about 500
OF these alleys, misnamed streets.
mostly paved, and a little straighter
and Ct amer than those Of interior
towns, but so narrow that frequently
the tourist while eQglnS Slowly along
in his sedan chair can stretch MS arms
and touch the houses on either side.
The streets fairly swarm and Wr1ggle
with humanity. These houses are usual
" shops on the ground floor and 'liv-
Ing" quarters on the second floor. In
the rear will be a court for dogs, PIGS,
filth and merchandise
Interesting stores.
The shops are at once wonderful ana
delightful, and one is constantly aliglt-
ing to inspect; also. one fnds when
the day is over, 10 buy a great many
more curios than one expected Ihere
are hundreds of petty things TO choose
from, and a pocketful of Chinese and
mex coins goes q long way as the
occidental views money values BY all
means see the making OF stick pins,
brooches, etc, out of feathers, and IN
other places watch with establishment
The humble artisan, totally obhVlous 70
you, who is fashioning eight. 10 10 Il
small ivory balls, each separate ana
distinct inside Of a round piece OF
ivory which is no larger than a Dig
walnut. Other interesting thlnSS are
lacquer tea tables. inlaid in gorgeous
designs with gold leaf, silks. satins,
laces teaEWOod furniture, bronze ana
l., ass ornaments.
Over 200 Temples in CITY
There are about 100 temples IN can
ton, mostly Buddhist and Confuclan
II is estimated that nearly ZUUU priests