the golden chersonese and the way thither-第7章

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the　air　dry　and　very　bracing。　　It　is　cold　enough　at　night　for　fires；
and　autumn　clothing　can　be　worn　all　the　day　long；　for　though　the　sun　is
bright　and　warm；　the　shade　temperature　does　not　rise　above　65　degrees；
and　exercise　is　easy　and　pleasant。　At　night；　even　at　a　considerable
height；　the　lowest　temperature　is　40　degrees。　It　is　impossible　to
praise　the　climate　too　highly；　with　its　bright　sky；　cool　dry　air；　and
five　months　of　rainlessness；　but　I　should　write　very　differently　if　I
came　here　four　months　later；　when　the　mercury　ranges　from　80　degrees　to
90　degrees　both　by　day　and　night；　and　the　cloudy　sky　rests　ever　on　the
summits　of　the　island　peaks；　and　everything　is　moist；　and　the　rain
comes　down　continually　in　torrents；　rising　in　hot　vapors　when　the　sun
shines；　and　people　become　limp　and　miserable；　and　their　possessions
limp　and　moldy；　and　insect　life　revels；　and　human　existence　spent　in　a
vapor　bath　becomes　burdensome。　But　the　city　is　healthy　to　those　who
live　temperately。　It　has；　however；　a　remarkable　peculiarity。　Standing
in　and　on　rock；　one　fancies　that　fever　would　not　be　one　of　its
maladies；　but　the　rock　itself　seems　to　have　imprisoned　fever　germs　in
some　past　age；　for　whenever　it　is　quarried　or　cut　into　for　foundations；
or　is　disturbed　in　any　way；　fever　immediately　breaks　out。

Victoria　is　a　beautiful　city。　It　reminds　me　of　Genoa；　but　that　most　of
its　streets　are　so　steep　as　to　be　impassable　for　wheeled　vehicles；　and
some　of　them　are　merely　grand　flights　of　stairs；　arched　over　by　dense
foliaged　trees；　so　as　to　look　like　some　tropical；　colored；　deep
colonnades。　It　has　covered　green　balconies　with　festoons　of　creepers；
lofty　houses；　streets　narrow　enough　to　exclude　much　of　the　sun；　people
and　costumes　of　all　nations；　processions　of　Portuguese　priests　and
nuns；　and　all　its　many…colored　life　is　seen　to　full　advantage　under
this　blue　sky　and　brilliant　sun。

This　house　is　magnificently　situated；　and　very　large　and　airy。　Part　is
the　Episcopal　Palace；　and　the　rest　St。　Paul's　College；　of　which　Bishop
Burdon　is　warden。　The　mountainous　grounds　are　beautiful；　and　the
entrance　blazes　with　poinsettias。　There　are　no　female　servants；　but
Chinese　men　perform　all　the　domestic　service　satisfactorily。　I　learn
that　for　a　Chinese　servant　to　appear　without　his　skull…cap　is　rude；　but
to　appear　with　his　pig…tail　wound　round　his　head　instead　of　pendent；　is
a　gross　insult！　The　〃Pidjun　English〃　is　revolting；　and　the　most
dignified　persons　demean　themselves　by　speaking　it。　The　word　〃pidjun〃
appears　to　refer　generally　to　business。　〃My　pidjun〃　is　undoubtedly　〃my
work。〃　How　the　whole　English…speaking　community；　without　distinction　of
rank；　has　come　to　communicate　with　the　Chinese　in　this　baby　talk　is
extraordinary。

If　you　order　a　fire　you　say　something　like　this：　〃Fire　makee；　chop；
chop；　here；　makee　fire　number　one；〃　chop　being　quick；　and　number　one
good；　or　〃first…class。〃　If　a　servant　tells　you　that　some　one　has　called
he　says；　〃One　piecey　manee　here　speak　missey；〃　and　if　one　asks　who　he
is；　he　very　likely　answers；　〃No　sabe；〃　or　else；　〃Number　one；　tink；〃　by
which　he　implies　that　the　visitor　is；　in　his　opinion；　a　gentleman。
After　the　courteous；　kindly　Japanese；　the　Chinese　seem　indifferent；
rough　and　disagreeable；　except　the　well…to…do　merchants　in　the　shops；
who　are　bland；　complacent；　and　courteous。　Their　rude　stare　and　the　way
they　hustle　you　in　the　streets　and　shout　their　〃pidjun〃　English　at　you
is　not　attractive。　Then　they　have　an　ugly　habit　of　speaking　of　us　as
barbarian　or　foreign　devils。　　Since　I　knew　the　word　I　have　heard　it
several　times　in　the　streets；　and　Bishop　Burdon　says　that　before　his
servants　found　out　that　he　knew　Chinese；　they　were　always　speaking　of
him　and　Mrs。　Burdon　by　this　very　ugly　name。

＇Victoria　is；　or　should　be；　well　known；　so　I　will　not　describe　its
cliques；　its　boundless　hospitalities；　its　extravagances　in　living；　its
quarrels；　its　gayeties；　its　picnics；　balls；　regattas；　races；　dinner
parties；　lawn　tennis　parties；　amateur　theatricals；　afternoon　teas；　and
all　its　other　modes　of　creating　a　whirl　which　passes　for　pleasure　or
occupation。　Rather；　I　would　write　of　some　of　the　facts　concerning　this
very　remarkable　settlement；　which　is　on　its　way　to　being　the　most
important　British　colony　in　the　Far　East。

Moored　to　England　by　the　electric　cable；　and　replete　with　all　the
magnificent　enterprises　and　luxuries　of　English　civilization；　with　a
population　of　one　hundred　and　sixty　thousand；　of　which　only　seven
thousand；　including　soldiers　and　sailors；　are　white；　and　possessing　the
most　imposing　city　of　the　East　on　its　shores；　the　colony　is　only　forty
years　old；　the　island　of　Hong　Kong　having　been　ceded　to　England　in
1841；　while　its　charter　only　bears　the　date　of　1843。　The　island；　which
is　about　eleven　miles　long；　from　two　to　five　broad；　and　with　an　area　of
about　twenty…nine　square　miles；　is　one　of　a　number　situated　off　the
south…eastern　coast　of　China　at　the　mouth　of　the　Canton　river；　ninety
miles　from　Canton。　It　is　one　of　the　many　〃thieves'　islands；〃　and　one　of
the　first　necessities　of　the　administration　was　to　clear　out　the　hordes
of　sea　and　river　pirates　which　infested　its　very　intricate
neighborhood。　It　lies　just　within　the　tropic　of　Cancer　in　lat。　22
degrees　N。　　and　long。　114　degrees　E。　The　Ly…ee…moon　Pass；　the　narrow
strait　which　separates　it　from　the　Chinese　mainland；　is　only　half　a
mile　wide。　Kowloon；　on　the　mainland；　an　arid　peninsula；　on　which　some
of　the　Hong　Kongese　have　been　attempting　to　create　a　suburb；　was　ceded
to　England　in　1861。　The　whole　island　of　Hong　Kong　is　picturesque。　The
magnificent　harbor；　which　has　an　area　of　ten　square　miles；　is
surrounded　by　fantastic；　broken　mountains　from　three　thousand　to　four
thousand　feet　high；　and　the　magnificent　city　of　Victoria　extends　for
four　miles　along　its　southern　shore；　with　its　six　thousand　houses　of
stone　and　brick　and　the　princely　mansions　and　roomy　bungalows　of　its
merchants　and　officials　scrambling　up　the　steep　sides　of　the　Peak；　the
highest　point　of　the　island；　carrying　verdure　and　shade　with　them。　Damp
as　its　summer　is；　the　average　rainfall　scarcely　exceeds　seventy…eight
inches；　but　it　is　hotter　than　Singapore　in　the　hot　season；　though　the
latter　is　under　eighty　miles　from　the　Equator。

The　causes　by　which　this　little　island；　which　produces　nothing；　has
risen　into　first…rate　importance　among　our　colonies　are；　that　Victoria；
with　its　magnificent　harbor；　is　a　factory　for　our　Chinese　commerce　and
offers　unrivaled　facilities　for　the　military　and　naval　forces　which　are
necessary　for　the　protection　not　only　of　that　commerce　but　of　our
interests　in　the　far　East。　It　is　hardly　too　much　to　say　that　it　is　the
naval　and　commercial　terminus　of　the　Suez　Canal。　Will　it　be　believed
that　the　amount　of　British　and　foreign　tonnage　annually　entering　and
leaving　the　port　averages　two　millions　of　tons？　and　that　the　number　of
native　vessels　trading　to　it　is　about　fifty…two　thousand；　raising　the
total　ascertained　tonnage　to　upward　of　three　millions　and　a　half；　or
half　a　million　tons　in　excess　of　Singapore？　To　this　must　be　added
thousands　of　smaller　native　boats　of　every　build　and　rig　trading　to
Hong　Kong；　not　only　from　the　Chinese　coasts　and　rivers；　but　from　Siam；
Japan；　and　Cochin　China。　Besides　the　〃P。　and　O。；〃　the　Messageries
Maritimes；　the　Pacific　Mail　Company；　the　Eastern　and　Australian　Mail
Company；　the　Japanese　〃Mitsu　Bichi〃　Mail　Company；　etc。；　all　regular
mail　lines；　it　has　a　number　of　lines　of　steamers　trading　to　England；
America；　and　Germany；　with　local　lines　both　Chinese　and　English；　and
lines　of　fine　sailing　clippers；　which；　however；　are　gradually　falling
into　disuse；　owing　to　the　dangerous　navigation　of　the　China　seas；　and
the　increasing　demand　for　speed。

Victorian　firms　have　almost　the　entire　control　of　the　tea　and　silk
trade；　and　Victoria　is　the　centre　of　the　trade　in　opium；　sugar；　flour；
salt；　earthenware；　oil；　amber；　cotton；　and　cotton　goods；　sandal…wood；
ivory；　betel；　vegetables；　live　stock；　granite；　and　much　else。　The　much
abused　term　〃emporium　of　commerce〃　may　most　correctly　be　applied　to　it。

It　has　five　docks；　three　slips；　and　every　requisite　for　making
extensive　repairs　for　ships　of　war　and　merchantmen。

It　has　telegraphic　communication　with　the　whole　civilized　world；　and
its　trade　is　kept　thereby　in　a　continual　fever。

It　has　a　large　garrison；　for　which　it　pays　to　England　20；000　pounds　a
year。　Were　it　not　for　this　force；　its　six　hundred　and　fifty　policemen；
of　whom　only　one　hundred　and　ten　are　Europeans；　might　not　be　able　to
overawe　even　as　much　as　they　do　the　rowdy　and　ruffianly　elements　of　its
heterogeneous　population。　As　it　is；　the　wealthier　foreign　residents；
for　the　security　of　their　property；　are　obliged　to　supplement　the
services　of　the　public　caretakers　by　employing　private　watchmen；　who
patrol　their　grounds　at　night。　It　must　be　admitted　that　the　criminal
classes　are　very　rampageous　in　Victoria；　whether　from　undue　and　unwise
leniency　in　the　treatment　of　crime；　or　whether　from　the　extraordinary
mass　of　criminals　to　which　our　flag　affords　security　is　not　for　a
stranger　to　say；　though　the　general　clamor　raised　when　I　visited　the
great　Chinese　prison　in　Canton；　〃I　wish　I　were　in　your　prison　in　Hong
Kong；〃　and　my　own　visit　to　the　Victoria　prison；　render　the　former
suspicion　at　least　permissible。

Hong　Kong　possesses　the　usual　establishment　of　a　Crown　Colony；　and　the
government　is　administered　by　a　Governor；　aided　by　a　Legislative
Council；　of　which　he　is　the　President；　and　which　is　composed　of　the
Chief　Justice；　the　Colonial　Secretary；　the　Attorney…General；　the
Treasurer；　and　four　unofficial　members；　nominated　by　the　Crown　on　the
Governor's　recommendation。

The　enormous　preponderance　of　the　mixed　Oriental　population　is　a　source
of　some　difficulty；　and　it　is　not　easy　by　our　laws　to　punish　and
destroy　a　peculiarly　hateful　form　of　slavery　which　is　recognized　by
Chinese　custom；　and　which　has　attained　gigantic　proportions　in
Victoria。　There　is　an　immense　preponderance　of　the　masculine　element；
nearly　six　to　one　among　the　Europeans；　and　among　the　Orientals　the　men
are　nearly　two　and　a　half　times　as　numerous　as　the　women。

As　Victoria　is　a　free　port；　it　is　impossible　to　estimate　the　value　of
its　imports　and　exports；　but　its　harbor；　full　of　huge　merchantmen；　and
craft　of　all　nations；　its　busy　wharves；　its　crowd　of　lighters　loading
and　unloading　by　day　and　night；　its　thronged　streets　and　handsome
shops；　its　huge　warehouses；　packed　with　tea；　silk；　and　all　the　costly
products　of　the　East；　and　its　hillsides　terraced　with　the　luxurious
houses　of　its　merchants；　all　say；　〃Circumspice；　these　are　better　than
statistics！〃＇

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　III

The　S。S。　Kin　KiangFirst　View　of　CantonThe　Island　of
ShameenEngland　in　CantonThe　Tartar　CityDrains　and
BarricadesCanton　at　NightStreet　PicturesquenessGhastly
GiftsOriental　EnchantmentsThe　Examination　Hall


S。S。　〃KIN　KIANG；〃　December　30。

You　will　remember　that　it　is　not　very　long　since　a　piratical　party　of
Chinese；　shipping　as　steerage　passengers　on　board　one　of　these　Hong
Kong　river　steamers；　massacred　the　officers　and　captured　the　boat。　On
board　this　great；　white；　deck