roughing it-第55章

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buildings　were　of　wood；　usually　only　one　story　high；　and　set　thickly
together　along　streets　scarcely　wide　enough　for　a　wagon　to　pass　through。
Their　quarter　was　a　little　removed　from　the　rest　of　the　town。　　The　chief
employment　of　Chinamen　in　towns　is　to　wash　clothing。　　They　always　send　a
bill；　like　this　below；　pinned　to　the　clothes。　　It　is　mere　ceremony；　for
it　does　not　enlighten　the　customer　much。　　Their　price　for　washing　was
2。50　per　dozenrather　cheaper　than　white　people　could　afford　to　wash
for　at　that　time。　　A　very　common　sign　on　the　Chinese　houses　was：　〃See
Yup；　Washer　and　Ironer〃；　〃Hong　Wo；　Washer〃；　〃Sam　Sing　&　Ah　Hop；　Washing。〃
The　house　servants；　cooks；　etc。；　in　California　and　Nevada；　were　chiefly
Chinamen。　　There　were　few　white　servants　and　no　Chinawomen　so　employed。
Chinamen　make　good　house　servants；　being　quick；　obedient；　patient；　quick
to　learn　and　tirelessly　industrious。　　They　do　not　need　to　be　taught　a
thing　twice；　as　a　general　thing。　　They　are　imitative。　　If　a　Chinaman　were
to　see　his　master　break　up　a　centre　table；　in　a　passion；　and　kindle　a
fire　with　it；　that　Chinaman　would　be　likely　to　resort　to　the　furniture
for　fuel　forever　afterward。

All　Chinamen　can　read；　write　and　cipher　with　easy　facilitypity　but　all
our　petted　voters　could。　　In　California　they　rent　little　patches　of
ground　and　do　a　deal　of　gardening。　　They　will　raise　surprising　crops　of
vegetables　on　a　sand　pile。　　They　waste　nothing。　　What　is　rubbish　to　a
Christian；　a　Chinaman　carefully　preserves　and　makes　useful　in　one　way　or
another。　　He　gathers　up　all　the　old　oyster　and　sardine　cans　that　white
people　throw　away；　and　procures　marketable　tin　and　solder　from　them　by
melting。　　He　gathers　up　old　bones　and　turns　them　into　manure。
In　California　he　gets　a　living　out　of　old　mining　claims　that　white　men
have　abandoned　as　exhausted　and　worthlessand　then　the　officers　come
down　on　him　once　a　month　with　an　exorbitant　swindle　to　which　the
legislature　has　given　the　broad；　general　name　of　〃foreign〃　mining　tax；
but　it　is　usually　inflicted　on　no　foreigners　but　Chinamen。　　This　swindle
has　in　some　cases　been　repeated　once　or　twice　on　the　same　victim　in　the
course　of　the　same　monthbut　the　public　treasury　was　no　additionally
enriched　by　it；　probably。

Chinamen　hold　their　dead　in　great　reverencethey　worship　their　departed
ancestors；　in　fact。　　Hence；　in　China；　a　man's　front　yard；　back　yard；　or
any　other　part　of　his　premises；　is　made　his　family　burying　ground；　in
order　that　he　may　visit　the　graves　at　any　and　all　times。　　Therefore　that
huge　empire　is　one　mighty　cemetery；　it　is　ridged　and　wringled　from　its
centre　to　its　circumference　with　gravesand　inasmuch　as　every　foot　of
ground　must　be　made　to　do　its　utmost；　in　China；　lest　the　swarming
population　suffer　for　food；　the　very　graves　are　cultivated　and　yield　a
harvest；　custom　holding　this　to　be　no　dishonor　to　the　dead。　　Since　the
departed　are　held　in　such　worshipful　reverence；　a　Chinaman　cannot　bear
that　any　indignity　be　offered　the　places　where　they　sleep。
Mr。　Burlingame　said　that　herein　lay　China's　bitter　opposition　to
railroads；　a　road　could　not　be　built　anywhere　in　the　empire　without
disturbing　the　graves　of　their　ancestors　or　friends。

A　Chinaman　hardly　believes　he　could　enjoy　the　hereafter　except　his　body
lay　in　his　beloved　China；　also；　he　desires　to　receive；　himself；　after
death；　that　worship　with　which　he　has　honored　his　dead　that　preceded　him。
Therefore；　if　he　visits　a　foreign　country；　he　makes　arrangements　to　have
his　bones　returned　to　China　in　case　he　dies；　if　he　hires　to　go　to　a
foreign　country　on　a　labor　contract；　there　is　always　a　stipulation　that
his　body　shall　be　taken　back　to　China　if　he　dies；　if　the　government　sells
a　gang　of　Coolies　to　a　foreigner　for　the　usual　five…year　term；　it　is
specified　in　the　contract　that　their　bodies　shall　be　restored　to　China　in
case　of　death。　　On　the　Pacific　coast　the　Chinamen　all　belong　to　one　or
another　of　several　great　companies　or　organizations；　and　these　companies
keep　track　of　their　members；　register　their　names；　and　ship　their　bodies
home　when　they　die。　　The　See　Yup　Company　is　held　to　be　the　largest　of
these。　　The　Ning　Yeong　Company　is　next；　and　numbers　eighteen　thousand
members　on　the　coast。　　Its　headquarters　are　at　San　Francisco；　where　it
has　a　costly　temple；　several　great　officers　（one　of　whom　keeps　regal
state　in　seclusion　and　cannot　be　approached　by　common　humanity）；　and　a
numerous　priesthood。　　In　it　I　was　shown　a　register　of　its　members；　with
the　dead　and　the　date　of　their　shipment　to　China　duly　marked。　　Every　ship
that　sails　from　San　Francisco　carries　away　a　heavy　freight　of　Chinese
corpsesor　did；　at　least；　until　the　legislature；　with　an　ingenious
refinement　of　Christian　cruelty；　forbade　the　shipments；　as　a　neat
underhanded　way　of　deterring　Chinese　immigration。　　The　bill　was　offered；
whether　it　passed　or　not。　　It　is　my　impression　that　it　passed。　　There　was
another　billit　became　a　lawcompelling　every　incoming　Chinaman　to　be
vaccinated　on　the　wharf　and　pay　a　duly　appointed　quack　（no　decent　doctor
would　defile　himself　with　such　legalized　robbery）　ten　dollars　for　it。
As　few　importers　of　Chinese　would　want　to　go　to　an　expense　like　that；　the
law…makers　thought　this　would　be　another　heavy　blow　to　Chinese
immigration。

What　the　Chinese　quarter　of　Virginia　was　likeor；　indeed；　what　the
Chinese　quarter　of　any　Pacific　coast　town　was　and　is　likemay　be
gathered　from　this　item　which　I　printed　in　the　Enterprise　while　reporting
for　that　paper：

　　　　　　CHINATOWN。Accompanied　by　a　fellow　reporter；　we　made　a　trip　through
　　　　　　our　Chinese　quarter　the　other　night。　　The　Chinese　have　built　their
　　　　　　portion　of　the　city　to　suit　themselves；　and　as　they　keep　neither
　　　　　　carriages　nor　wagons；　their　streets　are　not　wide　enough；　as　a
　　　　　　general　thing；　to　admit　of　the　passage　of　vehicles。　　At　ten　o'clock
　　　　　　at　night　the　Chinaman　may　be　seen　in　all　his　glory。　　In　every　little
　　　　　　cooped…up；　dingy　cavern　of　a　hut；　faint　with　the　odor　of　burning
　　　　　　Josh…lights　and　with　nothing　to　see　the　gloom　by　save　the　sickly；
　　　　　　guttering　tallow　candle；　were　two　or　three　yellow；　long…tailed
　　　　　　vagabonds；　coiled　up　on　a　sort　of　short　truckle…bed；　smoking　opium；
　　　　　　motionless　and　with　their　lustreless　eyes　turned　inward　from　excess
　　　　　　of　satisfactionor　rather　the　recent　smoker　looks　thus；　immediately
　　　　　　after　having　passed　the　pipe　to　his　neighborfor　opium…smoking　is　a
　　　　　　comfortless　operation；　and　requires　constant　attention。　　A　lamp　sits
　　　　　　on　the　bed；　the　length　of　the　long　pipe…stem　from　the　smoker's
　　　　　　mouth；　he　puts　a　pellet　of　opium　on　the　end　of　a　wire；　sets　it　on
　　　　　　fire；　and　plasters　it　into　the　pipe　much　as　a　Christian　would　fill　a
　　　　　　hole　with　putty；　then　he　applies　the　bowl　to　the　lamp　and　proceeds
　　　　　　to　smokeand　the　stewing　and　frying　of　the　drug　and　the　gurgling　of
　　　　　　the　juices　in　the　stem　would　well…nigh　turn　the　stomach　of　a　statue。
　　　　　　John　likes　it；　though；　it　soothes　him；　he　takes　about　two　dozen
　　　　　　whiffs；　and　then　rolls　over　to　dream；　Heaven　only　knows　what；　for　we
　　　　　　could　not　imagine　by　looking　at　the　soggy　creature。　　Possibly　in　his
　　　　　　visions　he　travels　far　away　from　the　gross　world　and　his　regular
　　　　　　washing；　and　feast　on　succulent　rats　and　birds'…nests　in　Paradise。

Mr。　Ah　Sing　keeps　a　general　grocery　and　provision　store　at　No。　　13　Wang
street。　　He　lavished　his　hospitality　upon　our　party　in　the　friendliest
way。　　He　had　various　kinds　of　colored　and　colorless　wines　and　brandies；
with　unpronouncable　names；　imported　from　China　in　little　crockery　jugs；
and　which　he　offered　to　us　in　dainty　little　miniature　wash…basins　of
porcelain。　　He　offered　us　a　mess　of　birds'…nests；　also；　small；　neat
sausages；　of　which　we　could　have　swallowed　several　yards　if　we　had　chosen
to　try；　but　we　suspected　that　each　link　contained　the　corpse　of　a　mouse；
and　therefore　refrained。　　Mr。　Sing　had　in　his　store　a　thousand　articles
of　merchandise；　curious　to　behold；　impossible　to　imagine　the　uses　of；　and
beyond　our　ability　to　describe。

His　ducks；　however；　and　his　eggs；　we　could　understand；　the　former　were
split　open　and　flattened　out　like　codfish；　and　came　from　China　in　that
shape；　and　the　latter　were　plastered　over　with　some　kind　of　paste　which
kept　them　fresh　and　palatable　through　the　long　voyage。

We　found　Mr。　Hong　Wo；　No。　37　Chow…chow　street；　making　up　a　lottery
schemein　fact　we　found　a　dozen　others　occupied　in　the　same　way　in
various　parts　of　the　quarter；　for　about　every　third　Chinaman　runs　a
lottery；　and　the　balance　of　the　tribe　〃buck〃　at　it。　　〃Tom；〃　who　speaks
faultless　English；　and　used　to　be　chief　and　only　cook　to　the　Territorial
Enterprise；　when　the　establishment　kept　bachelor's　hall　two　years　ago；
said　that　〃Sometime　Chinaman　buy　ticket　one　dollar　hap；　ketch　um　two　tree
hundred；　sometime　no　ketch　um　anything；　lottery　like　one　man　fight　um
seventymay…be　he　whip；　may…be　he　get　whip　heself；　welly　good。〃

However；　the　percentage　being　sixty…nine　against　him；　the　chances　are；
as　a　general　thing；　that　〃he　get　whip　heself。〃　　We　could　not　see　that
these　lotteries　differed　in　any　respect　from　our　own；　save　that　the
figures　being　Chinese；　no　ignorant　white　man　might　ever　hope　to　succeed
in　telling　〃t'other　from　which；〃　the　manner　of　drawing　is　similar　to
ours。

Mr。　See　Yup　keeps　a　fancy　store　on　Live　Fox　street。　　He　sold　us　fans　of
white　feathers；　gorgeously　ornamented；　perfumery　that　smelled　like
Limburger　cheese；　Chinese　pens；　and　watch…charms　made　of　a　stone
unscratchable　with　steel　instruments；　yet　polished　and　tinted　like　the
inner　coat　of　a　sea…shell。　　As　tokens　of　his　esteem；　See　Yup　presented
the　party　with　gaudy　plumes　made　of　gold　tinsel　and　trimmed　with
peacocks'　feathers。

We　ate　chow…chow　with　chop…sticks　in　the　celestial　restaurants；　our
comrade　chided　the　moon…eyed　damsels　in　front　of　the　houses　for　their
want　of　feminine　reserve；　we　received　protecting　Josh…lights　from　our
hosts　and　〃dickered〃　for　a　pagan　God　or　two。　　Finally；　we　were　impressed
with　the　genius　of　a　Chinese　book…keeper；　he　figured　up　his　accounts　on　a
machine　like　a　gridiron　with　buttons　strung　on　its　bars；　the　different
rows　represented　units；　tens；　hundreds　and　thousands。　　He　fingered　them
with　incredible　rapidityin　fact；　he　pushed　them　from　place　to　place　as
fast　as　a　musical　professor's　fingers　travel　over　the　keys　of　a　piano。

They　are　a　kindly　disposed；　well…meaning　race；　and　are　respected　and　well
treated　by　the　upper　classes；　all　over　the　Pacific　coast。　　No　Californian
gentleman　or　lady　ever　abuses　or　oppresses　a　Chinaman；　under　any
circumstances；　an　explanation　that　seems　to　be　much　needed　in　the　East。
Only　the　scum　of　the　population　do　itthey　and　their　children；　they；
and；　naturally　and　consistently；　the　policemen　and　politicians；　likewise；
for　these　are　the　dust…licking　pimps　and　slaves　of　the　scum；　there　as
well　as　elsewhere　in　America。




CHAPTER　LV。

I　began　to　get　tired　of　staying　in　one　place　so　long。

There　was　no　longer　satisfying　variety　in　going　down　to　Carson　to　report
the　proceedings　of　the　legislature　once　a　year；　and　horse…races　and
pumpkin…shows　once　in　three　months；　（they　had　got　to　raising