the golden chersonese and the way thither-第12章

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deforming　the　figure　for　the　sake　of　appearance　only　is　unintelligible
and　repulsive。　The　crippling　of　the　feet　has　another　motive。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　IV　（Continued）

Outside　the　Naam…Hoi　PrisonThe　Punishment　of　the　CangueCrime　and
MiseryA　Birthday　Banquet〃Prisoners　and　Captives〃Prison
MortalityCruelties　and　IniquitiesThe　Porch　of　the　MandarinThe
Judgment…SeatThe　Precincts　of　the　Judgment…SeatAn　Aged
ClaimantInstruments　of　PunishmentThe　Question　by　Torture


Yesterday；　after　visiting　the　streets　devoted　to　jade…stone　workers；
jewelers；　saddlers；　dealers　in　musical　instruments；　and　furriers；　we
turned　aside　from　the　street　called　Sze…P'aai…Lau；　into　a　small；　dirty
square；　on　one　side　of　which　is　a　brick　wall；　with　a　large　composite
quadruped　upon　it　in　black　paint；　and　on　the　other　the　open　entrance
gate　of　the　Yamun；　or　official　residence　of　the　mandarin　whose
jurisdiction　extends　over　about　half　Canton；　and　who　is　called　the
Naam…Hoi　magistrate。　Both　sides　of　the　road　passing　through　this
square；　and　especially　the　open　space　in　front　of　the　gate　which　leads
into　the　courtyard　of　the　Yamun；　were　crowded　with　unshaven；　ragged；
forlorn；　dirty　wretches；　heavily　fettered　round　their　ankles；　and　with
long　heavy　chains　padlocked　round　their　necks；　attached；　some　to　large
stones　with　holes　in　the　centre；　others　to　short　thick　bars　of　iron。
Two　or　three；　into　whose　legs　the　ankle　fetters　had　cut　deep　raw
grooves；　were　lying　in　a　heap　on　a　ragged　mat　in　the　corner；　some　were
sitting　on　stones；　but　most　were　standing　or　shifting　their　position
uneasily；　dragging　their　weighty　fetters　about；　making　a　jarring　and
dismal　clank　with　every　movement。

These　unfortunates　are　daily　exposed　thus　to　the　scorn　and　contempt　of
the　passers…by　as　a　punishment　for　small　thefts。　Of　those　who　were
seated　on　stones　or　who　were　kneeling　attempting　to　support　themselves
on　their　hands；　most　wore　square　wooden　collars　of　considerable　size；
weighing　thirty　pounds　each；　round　their　necks。　These　cangues　are　so
constructed　that　it　is　impossible　for　their　wearers　to　raise　their
hands　to　their　mouths　for　the　purpose　of　feeding　themselves；　and　it
seemed　to　be　a　choice　pastime　for　small　boys　to　tantalize　these
criminals　by　placing　food　tied　to　the　end　of　sticks　just　within　reach
of　their　mouths；　and　then　suddenly　withdrawing　them。　Apart　from　the
weight　of　their　fetters；　and　of　the　cangue　in　which　they　are　thus
pilloried；　these　men　suffer　much　from　hunger　and　thirst。　They　are　thus
punished　for　petty　larcenies。　Surely　〃the　way　of　transgressors　is
hard。〃

The　bearers　set　me　down　at　the　gate　of　the　Yamun　among　the　festering
wretches　dragging　the　heavy　weights；　the　filthy　and　noisy　beggars；　the
gamblers；　the　fortune…tellers；　the　messengers　of　justice；　and　the
countless　hangers…on　of　the　prison　and　judgment…seat　of　the　Naam…Hoi
magistrate；　and　passing　through　a　part　of　the　courtyard；　and　down　a
short；　narrow　passage；　enclosed　by　a　door　of　rough　wooden　uprights；
above　which　is　a　tiger's　head；　with　staring　eyes　and　extended　jaws；　we
reached　the　inner　entrance；　close　to　which　is　a　much　blackened　altar　of
incense　foul　with　the　ashes　of　innumerable　joss…sticks；　and　above　it　an
equally　blackened　and　much　worn　figure　of　a　tiger　in　granite。　To　this
beast；　which　is　regarded　by　the　Chinese　as　possessing　virtue；　and　is
the　tutelary　guardian　of　Chinese　prisons；　the　jailers　offer　incense　and
worship　night　and　day；　with　the　object　of　securing　its　aid　and
vigilance　on　their　behalf。

Close　to　the　altar　were　the　jailers'　rooms；　dark；　dirty；　and
inconceivably　forlorn。　Two　of　the　jailers　were　lying　on　their　beds
smoking　opium。　There　we　met　the　head　jailer；　of　all　Chinamen　that　I
have　seen　the　most　repulsive　in　appearance；　manner；　and　dress；　for　his
long　costume　of　frayed　and　patched　brown　silk　looked　as　if　it　had　not
been　taken　off　for　a　year；　the　lean；　brown　hands　which　clutched　the
prison　keys　with　an　instinctive　grip　were　dirty；　and　the　nails　long　and
hooked　like　claws；　and　the　face；　worse；　I　thought；　than　that　of　any　of
the　criminal　horde；　and　scored　with　lines　of　grip　and　greed；　was
saturated　with　opium　smoke。　This　wretch　pays　for　his　place；　and　in　a
few　years　will　retire　with　a　fortune；　gains　arising　from　bribes　wrung
from　prisoners　and　their　friends　by　threats　and　torture；　and　by
defrauding　them　daily　of　a　part　of　their　allowance　of　rice。

The　prison；　as　far　as　I　can　learn；　consists　mainly　of　six　wards；　each
with　four　large　apartments；　the　walls　of　these　wards　abutting　upon　each
other；　and　forming　a　parallelogram；　outside　of　which　is　a　narrow；　paved
pathway；　on　which　the　gates　of　the　wards　open；　and　which　has　on　its
outer　side　the　high　boundary　wall　of　the　prison。　This　jailer；　this
fiendmade　such　by　the　customs　of　his　countrytook　us　down　a　passage；
and　unlocking　a　wooden　grating　turned　us　into　one　of　the　aforesaid
〃wards；〃　a　roughly　paved　courtyard　about　fifty　feet　long　by　twenty…four
broad；　and　remained　standing　in　the　doorway　jangling　his　keys。

If　crime；　vice；　despair；　suffering；　filth　and　cruelty　can　make　a　hell
on　earth；　this　is　one。　Over　its　dismal　gateway　may　well　be　written；
〃Whoso　enters　here　leaves　hope　behind。〃

This　ward　is　divided　into　four　〃apartments；〃　each　one　having　a　high
wall　at　the　back。　The　sides　next　the　court　are　formed　of　a　double　row
of　strong　wooden　bars；　black　from　age　and　dirt；　which　reach　from　the
floor　to　the　roof；　and　let　in　light　and　air　through　the　chinks　between
them。　　The　interiors　of　these　cribs　or　cattle…pens　are　roughly　paved
with　slabs　of　granite；　slimy　with　accumulations　of　dirt。　In　the　middle
and　round　the　sides　are　stout　platforms　of　laths；　forming　a　coarse；
black　gridiron；　on　which　the　prisoners　sit　and　sleep。

In　each　ward　there　is　a　shrine　of　a　deity　who　is　supposed　to　have　the
power　of　melting　the　wicked　into　contrition；　and　to　this　accursed
mockery；　on　his　birthday；　the　prisoners　are　compelled　to　give　a　feast；
which　is　provided　by　the　jailer　out　of　his　peculations　from　their　daily
allowances。　No　water　is　allowed　for　washing；　and　the　tubs　containing
the　allowance　of　foul　drinking　water　are　placed　close　to　those　which
are　provided　for　the　accumulation　of　night　soil；　etc。；　the　contents　of
which　are　only　removed　once　a　fortnight。　Two　pounds　of　rice　is　the
daily　allowance　of　each　prisoner；　but　this　is　reduced　to　about　one　by
the　greed　of　the　jailer。

As　we　entered　the　yard；　fifty　or　sixty　men　swarmed　out　from　the　dark
doorways　which　led　into　their　dens；　all　heavily　chained；　with　long；
coarse；　matted　hair　hanging　in　wisps；　or　standing　on　end　round　their
death…like　faces；　in　filthy　rags；　with　emaciated　forms　caked　with　dirt；
and　bearing　marks　of　the　torture；　and　nearly　all　with　sore　eyes；
swelled　and　bleeding　lips；　skin　diseases；　and　putrefying　sores。　These
surrounded　us　closely；　and　as；　not　without　a　shudder；　I　passed　through
them　and　entered　one　of　their　dens；　they　pressed　upon　us；　blocking　out
the　light；　uttering　discordant　cries；　and　clamoring　with　one　voice；
_kum…sha_；　i。e。；　backsheesh；　looking　more　like　demons　than　living　men；
as　abject　and　depraved　as　crime；　despair；　and　cruelty　can　make　them。

Within；　the　blackness；　the　filth；　the　vermin；　the　stench；　overpowering
even　in　this　cool　weather；　the　rubbish　of　rags　and　potsherds；　cannot　be
described。　Here　in　semi…starvation　and　misery；　with　nameless　cruelties
practised　upon　them　without　restraint；　festering　in　one　depraved　mass；
are　the　tried　and　untried；　the　condemned；　the　guilty　and　innocent　（？）；
the　murderer　and　pirate；　the　debtor　and　petty　thief；　all　huddled
together；　without　hope　of　exit　except　to　the　adjacent　judgment…seat；
with　its　horrors　of　〃the　question　by　torture；〃　or　to　the　〃field　of
blood〃　not　far　away。　On　earth　can　there　be　seen　a　spectacle　more
hideous　than　these　abject　wretches；　with　their　heavy　fetters　eating
into　the　flesh　of　their　necks　and　ankles　（if　on　their　wasted　skeletons；
covered　with　vermin　and　running　sores；　there　is　any　flesh　left）；　their
thick　matted；　bristly；　black　haircontrasting　with　the　shaven　heads
of　the　freethe　long；　broken　claws　on　their　fingers　and　toes；　the
hungry　look　in　their　emaciated　faces；　and　their　clamorous　cry；
_kum…sha！　　kum…sha！_　They　thronged　round　us　clattering　their　chains；
one　man　saying　that　they　had　so　little　rice　that　they　had　to　〃drink　the
foul　water　to　fill　themselves；〃　another　shrieked；　〃Would　I　were　in　your
prison　in　Hong　Kong；〃　and　this　was　chorused　by　many　voices　saying；　〃In
your　prison　at　Hong　Kong　they　have　fish　and　vegetables；　and　more　rice
than　they　can　eat；　and　baths；　and　beds　to　sleep　on；　good；　good　is　the
prison　of　your　Queen！〃　but　higher　swelled　the　cry　of　_kum…sha_；　and　as
we　could　not　give　alms　among　several　hundred；　we　eluded　them；　though
with　difficulty；　and；　as　we　squeezed　through　the　narrow　door；
execrations　followed　us；　and　high　above　the　heavy　clank　of　the　fetters
and　the　general　din　rose　the　cry；　〃Foreign　Devils〃　（Fan…Kwai）；　as　we
passed　out　into　sunshine　and　liberty；　and　the　key　was　turned　upon　them
and　their　misery。

We　went　into　three　other　large　wards；　foul　with　horror；　and　seething
with　misery；　and　into　a　smaller　one；　nearly　as　bad；　where　fifteen　women
were　incarcerated；　some　of　them　with　infants　devoured　by　cutaneous
diseases。　Several　of　them　said　that　they　are　there　for　kidnapping；　but
others　are　hostages　for　criminal　relations　who　have　not　yet　been
captured。　This　imprisonment　of　hostages　is　in　accordance　with　a　law
which　authorizes　the　seizure　and　detention　of　persons　or　families
belonging　to　criminals　who　have　fled　or　are　in　concealment。　Such　are
imprisoned　till　the　guilty　relative　is　brought　to　justice；　for　months；
years；　or　even　for　a　lifetime。　Two　of　these　women　told　us　that　they　had
been　there　for　twenty　years。

There　are　likewise　some　single　cellshovels　clustering　under　a　wall；
in　which　criminals　who　can　afford　to　pay　the　jailer　for　them　may　enjoy
the　luxury　of　solitude。　In　each　ward　there　is　a　single　unfettered
manalways　a　felonwho　by　reason　either　of　bribery　or　good　conduct；
is　appointed　to　the　place　of　watchman　or　spy　among　his　fellows　in
crime。　　There　is　a　turnkey　for　each　ward；　and　these　men；　with　the
unchained　felons　who　act　as　watchmen；　torture　new　arrivals　in　order　to
force　money　from　them；　and　under　this　process　some　die。

In　the　outer　wall　of　the　prison　there　is　a　port…hole；　just　large　enough
to　allow　of　a　body　being　pushed　through　it；　for　no　malefactor's　corpse
must　be　carried　through　the　prison　entrance；　lest　it　should　defile　the
〃Gate　of　Righteousness。〃　There　is　also　a　hovel　called　a　deadhouse；　into
which　these　bodies　are　conveyed　till　a　grave　has　been　dug　in　some
〃accursed　place；〃　by　members　of　an　〃accursed〃　class。

In　addition　to　the　large　mortality　arising　from　poor　living　and　its
concomitant　diseases；　and　the　exhaustion　produced　by　repeated　torture；
epidemics　frequently　break　out　in　the　hot　weather　in　those　dark　and
fetid　dens；　and　oftentimes　nearly　clear　out　the　prison。　On　such
occasions　as　many　as　four　hundred　have　succumbed　in　a　month。　The　number
of　criminals　who　are　executed　from　this　prison；　either　as　sentenced　to
death；　or　as　unable　to　bribe　the　officials　any　further；　is　supposed　to
be　about　five　hundred　annua