Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Notes:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_), and text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=).

Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end.

* * * * *

A YEAR IN CHINA;

AND A
NARRATIVE OF CAPTURE AND IMPRISONMENT,
WHEN HOMEWARD BOUND, ON BOARD
THE REBEL PIRATE FLORIDA.

BY
MRS. H. DWIGHT WILLIAMS,
AUTHOR OF “VOICES FROM THE SILENT LAND.”

WITH AN
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
BY WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.

NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON,
401 BROADWAY, COR. WALKER STREET.
1864.

* * * * *

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by
HURD AND HOUGHTON,
in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court for the Southern District
of New York.

RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
PRINTED BY H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.

* * * * *

This Volume,

MUCH OF WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN LETTERS TO MY MOTHER,

IS AFFECTIONATELY AND TEARFULLY

Dedicated

TO HER MEMORY.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Departure from New York, and Passage to the Cape de Verd Islands.
Arrival there. The Island of St. Vincent. Passage to St. Paul de
Loando. The African Continent. Entrance into the South Atlantic.
Arrival at St. Paul de Loando. Bay of Loando. Loando. Fortifications.
Population. Language. A Slaver. Coaling the Vessel 1-25

CHAPTER II.

From Loando to Cape Town. Arrival there. Sunday at Cape Town. The
Black Southeaster. The “Lions” of Cape Town. The Old Curiosity Shop.
The Kaffir College. Public Institutions. The Library. The Museum.
Statuary. The Botanical Garden. The Industrial Schools. Population.
Buildings and Public Works. The Markets 26-58

CHAPTER III.

From Cape Town to Mauritius. The “Whale’s Feed.” Brilliancy of the
Tropical Heavens. The Island of Madagascar. The Isle of Bourbon.
Approach to Mauritius. Harbor of Port Louis. Cholera. Early History
of the Island. The City of Port Louis. The Hurricane Season.
Pamplemeuses. Tomb of Paul and Virginia. The Public Cemetery. The
Zoölogical, or Royal Gardens. The Christian Cemetery. Mrs. Newell’s
Grave. A Mahommedan Funeral 59-91

CHAPTER IV.

From Mauritius to Singapore. The Straits of Malacca. Malacca. The
Continent of Asia. Approach to Singapore. Singapore Harbor. The
Dubash, Ramasamy. “Doing” the City and Environs. Singapore River.
Departure from Singapore. The Northeast Monsoon. Coast of Cochin
China. Approach to Hong Kong 92-113

CHAPTER V.

The Harbor of Hong Kong. Love of Country. War Rumors. The War Steamer
“Saginaw.” The Cold Weather. Position and Name of the Island. The
City of Victoria. Sedan Chairs, and my first Excursion in one. Miss
Wilson’s School. Prince Albert’s Death. “Chits,” and “Chit-Books.”
Confirmation by the Bishop. The Bishop of Victoria. The Camelia
Japonica. Society. Horses and Equipages. “Happy Valley.” The
Race-course. Races. The Cemeteries. Forms of Chinese Graves or Tombs.
The New-Year’s Festival 114-131

CHAPTER VI.

Passage to Macao. The Macao Roads. The Inner Harbor. The Tanka-boats,
and Tanka Boat-women. The Landing. Welcomed by Friends. The Peninsula
of Macao. Settlement and Population. Macao, the Favorite Residence
of Foreigners. The American Consul. Dwellings. Forts. Chinese Graves
not enclosed. The Government Park. The Dutch Admiral. Temple of
Makauk. Temple of Mongha. The Protestant Cemeteries. The Graves of
East India Company Officers. Dr. Morrisson. Chinnery, the English
Artist. Romanism. The Casa Gardens, and Camoën’s Grotto. The Island
of Tui-mien-shan, or Lapa Island. The Ringing Rock. The Lime-kiln
Village 132-150

CHAPTER VII.

Passage to Whampoa. The Chinese Pirates. The Bogue Forts. Whampoa.
Old Whampoa. Bambootown. Newtown. The Islands. The Dry Docks.
Foreign Shipping. “Chops.” “Chop-Life.” Servants. The Little
Breakfast. The Women of China. Mode of carrying Children. Boats
and Boating. Exercise. Forbidding Aspect of Nature in China. The
Tomb of Hon. Alexander Everett. The Bethel “Chop.” Chinese Love of
Noise. Ancestral Worship. The English Vice-Consul, and our other
Neighbors. Fear of Collisions with Vessels. The Heat, Dampness, and
Thunder-storms 151-174

CHAPTER VIII.

Sail to Canton. Pagodas. Ruins of the Barrier Forts. Commodore
Foote. Vessel of a Petty Mandarin. The Imperial Fleet. Boat-Life at
Canton. Dutch Folly. The Hongs of the Merchants. The Old Factories.
The Shameen and Macao Passage. History of Canton. Walls of the City.
Population. Chair-Coolies. Residences of the American Missionaries.
The “Lions” of the Old City. The Wan-shau-kung, or Imperial Presence
Hall. Crowded Streets. Temple of Literature. The Temple of Mars.
The Provincial College. An English Military Road. The Great Eastern
Gateway. East and West Street. The Temple of Horrors. The Residence
of the Imperial Treasurer. Pavilion of the Five Genii. The
Mohammedan Mosque. Street Crowds. My first Sunday in Canton. Marriage
Processions. The Business Streets. Beggars. Chinese Officials
regarded with Respect. Western Suburbs. Howqua Street. Private
Residences of Howqua and Pun-Tingqua. The Dog and Cat Market 175-197

CHAPTER IX.

Buddhist Temples. The Temple of Five Hundred Gods. Temple of
Longevity. The Hai-chwang-sz, or Honam Joss House. Vespers. A Relic
of Buddha. Commemorative Tablets. The Sacred Hogs. Priests burned
after Death. The Necessity of Protestant Missions. Missionaries.
Mission Schools. Mr. Bonney’s School. Mrs. Bonney’s School. The Feast
of the Dragon-boats. Private Gardens of Howqua and Pun-Tingqua. The
Fa-ti, or Flower Gardens. Chinese Shops. Shopkeepers. Ushing. Pohing.
Carvings in Ivory. Hoaching. Chinese Taste for fine Carvings. Curio
Street, and Antiques. Jade-stone. Fans. Suchau Lacquered Ware. Wealth
and Opulence of Canton 198-219

CHAPTER X.

Chinese Women, and their Adornments. Use of Cosmetics. Small Feet.
Mingqua. Foreign Ladies rarely obtain Access to Chinese Ladies of
Rank. Visit to Mingqua’s Family. The Gentlemen permitted to see the
Ladies. Mingqua’s Sons. The House. Chinese Etiquette does not allow
the Shaking of Hands. Visit to a Mandarin Family. His beautiful
Mansion, and the Inner Apartments. The Ladies, and their Salutations.
Drinking Tea. Inspection of our Dress. The Furniture, and arrangement
of the Apartments. Invitation to Dine 220-232

CHAPTER XI.

Removal to Swatow, and Fears of Pirates by the way. Macao in Summer.
Summer Evenings, and the Portuguese Ladies. The Estrada-de-Cacilhas.
Appearance of Macao when approached from the Sea. Romish Festivals.
Corpus Christi Day. Festival of St. John, and the Mummers. Fourth of
July Fête at the United States Consulate 233-248

CHAPTER XII.

Arrival at Swatow. The River and Harbor. The Country. Double Island,
the Residence of Foreigners. The Climate. Continued Heat of the
Summer. Mosquitoes. Names given to Double Island. The Chinese Names,
with their Origin and Explanations. Temple of Ma-tsoo. A Heathen
Festival. The Itinerant Theatre. The Mission Station of the Baptist
Board. The Missionaries. Mrs. Johnson’s School. Persecution of
Converts to Christianity. Imprisonment of an old Native Teacher.
Communion Season of the Mission. Aged Converts. Their Devotion.
London Society Missionaries. Difference in the Dialects and in the
People. Feuds of the People. The Coolie Traffic. Great Mortality.
Graves. Selling of Women. Need of Sanatariums. Ill-Health 249-266