Year: 1866

Our Present AsIatIe Population.


The visit to this city of the Chinese emigrant
agent, All Yuck, has caused the subject of an


addition to our working population from Asia to


be more or less discussed, both in private circles


and in the public journals In nearly all of these
| the fact seems to be but little known, or alluded
| to, that there has been for great many years
past in the city emigrants from the oriental races
| both Mongolian and Malaysian. The Chinese
race, it is true, have never been very numerous.
| About $50, all without exception males is perhaps
as high as this population has ever at any time
reached among us. These Chinamen have all


been sailors at one time or other and make ex-
/ cellent stewards.


Our Malay population, which comes almost en-
tirely from the PHILIPPINE Islands, of which Ma


nia is the principal city, is much larger. We
| have heard their number estimated in the city and
| State as high as two thousand They speak
| Spanish, are of darker complexion than the
Chinese, and are of small stature. In summer
they occupy themselves in catching shrimps, in
winterin gathering oysters, and one way another
are all the year round fishermen, looking to the
| water as natural source of livelihood.


| Like the Chinese Of whom we have spoken
they come here originally as Sailors as indeed is
the case with large class of our immigrant popu-
lation. The manner in which this happens is that
vessels in foreign ports are frequently deprived by
sickness and death of large proportion of their
| hands. we have been told of an instance where
a vessel lost her crew in the port of Rio Janero,
| from the captain down, four times in one summer
Where this is the case the crew is recruited from
the population of the port, the vessel sails and it
| is matter of considerable uncertainty whether
any Of them will ever care to find their way back.


As for the Malay race they have a natural turn
for the ocean and with their hardy temperament,
| once obtained such a piratic power along the
| coast OF China as to require something of naval
effort upon the part of the British government to
! put down. Even in this country they are noted
for their quick sense Of honor, and readiness at
any time to give battle. An instance Of this sort
occurred several years ago at the Lake which is
| still remembered, and which sounds something
like the descriptions given of ''running muck 81
| 1t IS the custom in the cofeehouses which this
people frequent, for every one who enters and
| calls for drink, to invite the surrounding oc-
cupants Of the tables to do likewise. This custom
had been observed by Manillan, and as the
guests stood arranged in front of the bar the clerk
| of the coffeehouse demonstrated with the enter
tainer about some slight breach of etiquette which
| it appears had been omitted. difficulty fol
lowed in which the bar keeper and five of the
drinkers were killed by the dagger of this man
alone. The latter then ran to skif and was al
most upon the point Of making his escape when he
was killed by well directed shot.


| The attention Of the Manillian is sometimes
turned to the vending of cigars and tobacco and
other articles of similar nature but generally
as we have already said, fishing is his favorte oc.
cupation. Something of feudal relationship OF
| lord and yassel exists among almost all of the
Malay population, and of this we see some traces
! here. The fishing business is conducted by gangs
of fishermen who bring the results of their skill
to a captain, who has charge of their band The
captain makes the proper entry of the amount of


fish caught by each one, and sells the whole in the
markets. The supplies that are required by the
| men under his charge are generally bought by
him. Sometimes they obtain a leave of absence
to visit the city, when they draw four or five
dollars upon account 9but the time expired and
the money spent they return to resume their ordi-
nary duties.


| Where these Manillians chiefly live are down the
coast of the river, about Fort St. John, at Proc.
torVille, and at TerreauX- -Beufs. They are an
industrious, hardworking portion of our popula-
ton, speak the Spanish language, are of a darker
complexion than the Chinese, and are never seen
above 81 thigh.


Apropos of the latter, several Cinnamon who
keep stalls at the market wear pigtails, but who
dress otherwise in the European costume, were
not great while ago brought before Recorder
Letten upon the charge of gambling, made by one
of their number. Some coins with holes in the
middle were found in the party, and number of
slips of paper about the size of the forefnger
with hieroglyphics upon them. But there was so
lttleaEnglish spoken in the party and the nformer
seemed SO much influenced by revenge. that JUS
tice confessed herself dead beat, and dismissed
the matter from court