Chapter M: N. Hanhart Lith. Printers

LONDON; LONGMAN & CO. 1848]

But all this has its reverse. The unhealthiness of the climate is very great, and this is impressed upon the stranger while at anchor in the roads; for the first object that meets his eye is the Minden hospital ship, with her flag continually half mast high, announcing that another poor sailor had gone to his long home. When you land you will certainly meet a funeral; and watching the countenances of the passers by, their sallow complexions, and their debilitated frames, with the total unconcern with which they view the mournful processions, you may assure yourself that they must be of daily and hourly occurrence. And such is the fact.

I was sorry to find that murders and robberies were most frequent at Hong Kong, although the police force has been augmented from London, and is under the charge of an experienced officer. While on shore, I observed the body of a Chinaman rise to the surface, disfigured in a horrible manner, and although notice was sent immediately to the authorities, it was allowed to remain beating against the wharf till late in the afternoon, when it was towed out and sunk in the middle of the harbour.

I once witnessed the punishment of a Chinese robber at the market gate; he had been apprehended on the preceding night. His tail, which was false, and filled with blades of knives, needles, &c., came off in the officer's hands. However, he was secured, and received a daily allowance of fifty lashes, which was continued as long as he was capable of bearing the punishment, and then he was sent to work on the roads.

I left H. M. S. Samarang at this port, and joined the Iris, commanded by Captain Mundy, whose high character as an officer and a gentleman I well knew; unfortunately I was only lent to the Iris, and the consequence was, as will be seen, I had ultimately to return to the Samarang. I found that the Iris was to sail for the north coast of China, and I was delighted at the idea of visiting those parts, which there was little chance of if I had remained in the Samarang.

One object of the Iris proceeding to the coast of China was to carry General D'Aguilar and suite on a visit to the most interesting of the hostage ports. We sailed on the 6th of April, and after a week's beating arrived at Chapel Island, at the mouth of Amoy bay. This bay is very spacious, being nearly thirty miles deep. To the left of the entrance is a high peak, on the summit of which is built a splendid pagoda, serving as a landmark to vessels coming from seaward. The town of Amoy is built at the bottom of the bay. Close to it, and forming an inner harbour, is the island of Ku-lang-so, near to which we dropped our anchor. Ku-lang-so is a pretty island, about a mile in diameter. Up to the evacuation of Amoy it had been occupied by our troops; and the remains of a race course and a theatre prove that the gallant 18th had contrived to amuse themselves. At the present time it is all but deserted, the only European residents being Mr. Sullivan, the Vice Consul; the Chinese, who had been driven from it at the capture of the city, not having as yet returned. The houses on it are prettily disposed, and some rich foliage and green pasture give an English character to the scenery, and are very refreshing, after continually looking at the everlasting paddy fields, which constitute the principal features of the sea coast of China. It is to this circumstance that I ascribe the exaggerated accounts we have of the beauty of the island of Ku-lang-so. It forms, however, a very pleasant promenade, and may be enjoyed without interruption from the inhabitants. The city of Amoy is built on a low neck of land. The houses are of a dusky tint, and from the anchorage are indistinguishable through forests of junks' masts, which surround the town. To the right of the town, and extending to some distance, is a fortified wall, which gave some trouble at the capture. I landed with a party to walk through the city. The streets are narrow and dirty, the open shops on either side reminding you very much of Constantinople. The population is immense, the streets are always crowded. We soon found that we were objects of attention, and were followed by a mob. It was with difficulty that we could force our way; and, moreover, the town having been lately evacuated by our troops, the Chinese thought themselves secure in venting their animosity, by pushing, jostling, and throwing stones at us. In this, however, they were mistaken, for being a tolerably strong party, and knowing that they had a very wholesome fear of us, we were not slow in resorting to blows when intreaties proved in vain; and, before we were in the middle of the town, more than one celestial head had come in contact with the pavement. One had the impudence to bellow in my face; for which impertinence he received a facer, which gave him something to bellow for. Those, however, who "were at a distance had the means of annoying with impunity, and we were glad to take refuge in a pastry cook's shop, which happened most opportunely to present itself.

On our entering, we were each presented with a pair of chop sticks, and a large tray was placed before us, filled with sweetmeats of every description. There were nutmegs and other spices, ginger, sugar cane, bamboo, and the knee-bone palm, preserved in the most exquisite manner. Every thing was so novel, chop sticks not excepted, that it was quite fearful the extent to which we indulged in the sweetmeats; however, as we had no maiden aunts ready with their doses, as in our infancy, we ate and spared not. Cakes of the most recherche description, and pastry, the lightness of which would have shamed Gunter, were each and all in their turn discussed; and what was our astonishment to find that, on calling for the bill, the charge amounted to about sixpence.

We visited as much of the town as the mob would permit, but I shall reserve my description of a genuine Chinese town until our arrival to the northward. The joss-houses at Amoy are not remarkable, and one description of these buildings will suffice for all.

We lay at Amoy for about a week, during which the Mandarins paid us a full dress visit. They were extremely cautious, and remained on board for a couple of hours. At their departure we gave them the economical Chinese salute of three guns. During our stay here I amused myself principally on the island of Ku-lang-so, and I was not sorry when we weighed anchor, and, with a fair wind, made sail for Chusan.

Chusan is the largest of a closely packed group of islands, near to the main land of China, and about 500 miles to the northward of Amoy. These islands, many of them very diminutive, are so close to each other, that on threading them to approach the town of Chusan, the channel wears the appearance of a small river branching out into every direction. If the leading marks were removed it would be a complete marine labyrinth, and a boat might pull and pull in and out for the whole day, without arriving at its destination. Narrow, however, as is the passage, with a due precaution, and the necessary amount of backing and filling, there is sufficient water for ships of the largest size. At sunset we anchored off the town of Chusan. Here the islands form a beautiful little harbour, sufficiently capacious. The island being covered with tea plants, the panorama is pretty and refreshing. From the anchorage little can be seen of the town, as it is built on a flat, and hidden by a parapet and bank of mud, which runs along the bottom of the harbour. This temporary fortification is called a bund, and was erected by the Chinese previous to the capture of the place. Behind this bund is an esplanade, parallel with which are houses, which serve as barracks for the troops, and the residences of the civil and military functionaries. The country is hilly, and several commanding forts are visible from the anchorage.

On landing, we directed our steps to the town by a causeway which leads from the landing-place to the gates between the fields of paddy, which are, as usual, swamped with water. The sides of this causeway are lined with shops; and the island being occupied by the English, soon stared you in the face, in the shape of boards in front of each shop, bearing such inscriptions as "Snip, from Pekin," "Stultz, from Ningpo," and others equally ludicrous, in good English letters. There were "Buckmasters" and "Hobys" innumerable; Licensed Victuallers and "Dealers in Grocery." Passing a tolerably well constructed gate, guarded by an English sentry, we entered the town. The streets are cleaner than those of Amoy, and not so narrow; but what gave us most satisfaction was, that our appearance excited no attention; and we enjoyed our walk, and made our observations uninterruptedly.

Our first visit was to a toy-shop: a great many articles were exposed for sale, and many very beautiful carvings; they were, however, far too delicate for a midshipman's chest, and the price did not exactly suit a midshipman's pocket. A silk warehouse next occupied our attention: here we were shown some beautiful embroidery, some of which was purchased. After walking over the whole town, we proceeded to the principal joss-house: this was very handsome; but I was sorry that it had been selected as a barrack, and was occupied by a company of sepoys. The altar was converted into a stand for arms, and the god Fo was accoutred with a sheath and cross belt. To complete the absurdity, a green demon before the altar was grinning maliciously from under the weight of a frieze coat. At the entrance of the joss-house is a covered porch, under which are two figures sitting, and in this posture nearly twenty feet high. The interior of the house is handsomely ornamented and gilt; and behind the altar there is a row of some fifteen figures, in a sitting posture, all gilt from head to foot, and forming a very goodly assembly: they represented old men wrapped in togas, with faces expressive of instruction, revelation, and wisdom. There was nothing Chinese in their features; the heads were shaved, and it is to be presumed that they represented the prophets and holy writers who flourished antecedent to the great Fo. The expression on their countenances was admirable; and surprised us the more, from a knowledge how fond the Chinese are of filling their temples with unnatural and unmeaning devils.

We then visited a smaller god-house: this the 8th regiment had converted into a theatre. Very little traces of a holy temple were discernible; and the great Fo occupied a corner of the green-room. The scenes were painted in fresco, and the whole affair was very tolerably arranged. Most part of the scenery had been painted by my brother during his stay at this port in the Cambrian. The Chinamen consider this no sacrilege, as they always use the temples as theatres themselves.

During the winter months Chusan is very cold, and the snow lies on the ground. The country there abounds with game--deer, swans, partridges, pheasants, and wild fowl of every description: the prices are very moderate; a fine buck may be purchased for a dollar, and a brace of pheasants for a rupee. It was now the month of May, and the swans and geese had departed, and game was becoming scarce as the weather became fine; still, however, there was a duck or so to be picked up, so I joined a party bent on trying their luck, and we prepared for a hard day's work.

No one who has not tried it can have an idea of the fatigue of a day's shooting at Chusan. Having a Chinese covered boat, we loaded her with quite sufficient to support nature for twenty-four hours; and pulling about four miles through the channels intersecting the islands, we landed about daylight. Before us was a vast paddy field, into which we plunged up to our knees in mud and water. As we approached one of the dykes which convey the water for the irrigation, caution was observed, not a word was uttered by one of the party, and our good behaviour was rewarded by a brace of fine birds, which were deposited in the bag, carried by a celestial under-keeper. Crossing the dyke, we continued to wade through the paddy fields, shooting some plover and a red-legged partridge, until we arrived at a Chinese village. We passed through it, and fell in with a herd of water buffaloes, as they term them. One of them charged furiously, but the contents of one of our barrels in his eyes made him start in mid career; and having had quite enough into his head, he turned to us his tail. These animals show a great antipathy to Europeans, probably from not having been accustomed to their dress. Red, of course, makes them furious, and, thanks to his jacket, a drummer of one of the regiments was killed by these animals. Towards evening we felt it quite impossible to wade any further; and although nightfall is considered the best time for shooting ducks, we thought it was the best time to return to the boat, which we did not regain, fatigued, hungry, and covered with mud, till ten o'clock at night.

(NEAR CHUSAN.)

F. M. DELT.