CHINESE INGENUITY.

Evening Star, Issue 3014, 16 October 1872, Page 4

CHINESE INGENUITY.

A little incident is related to have occurred up-country recently, which illustrates the ingenuity of the Chinese in a rather peculiar manner, “Mickey M‘Daniels,” as he is familiarly called, owns a number of geese, which occasionally get into the slough and stray away to the Chinese vegetable gardens which border this pleasant pool. Doubtless they would help themselves to John’s cabbages on these predatory excursions, for it is well known that the descendants of Home’s ancient preservers have a fondness for this article. Tim plan bit upon by John to prevent them from gratifying their natural propensities was ingenious and novel, and remained undiscovered until a few days since. Several geese belonging to Mr M'Daniels bad died, and no reason could be assigned for this strange procedure on their part, for they were fat and healthy, and a goo«e is supposed to be a long-lived fowl. But when they were driven up to be picked the mystery was solved. Four of the birds were found gagged in a singular manner, and one which can hardly be described. A ring of tine wire, about two inches in circumference, was found in the mouth of each, held there, by being turned over the top or the head and hooked in under the feathers. How it came there is easily understood. The Chinamen, when making their rings, twisted two ends of the wire, turning the end over, making quite a strong hook. This was hung on to a cabbage leaf or other vegetable ami left to wait for the coming of the victim. In feeding, the goose would stick its bill down to pick up some tempting morsel, and if one part of the bill went inside the loop its doom was sealed, for the loop would, by the force of the blow, be turned over the head of the luckless bird, and the hook, of necessity, would fasten under the feathers on the top of the head. A few struggles of the prisoned bird would draw the tine wire under the feathers out of sight, and thus the bird would be left unable to close its bill. In this condition, with its head high in the air, it would run round in a circle until exhausted. Even in being driven home, and observed in that situation, it would require close inspection to detect the cause of this strange proceeding on the part of the tortured bird. Mr M‘Daniels has lost a large number, and only discovered the cause accidentally when engaged in picking them. If anyone can produce a more ingenious method of getting rid of geese without killing them outright, we should like to be informed of the mode of disposing of them. We shall doubt the ingenuity of John no longer, but endorse that famous saying, “For ways that are dark, and tricks that are vain, the Heathen Chinee is peculiar.”