HONGKONG.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5360, 1 June 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

HONGKONG.

(PROM OUR OWK CORBIsrOKDIST.) {Concluded.) ; We thought that Hongkong was well supplied with respect to boats, but Canton eclipses it by nearly 20 to 1. A gentlemen who was a fellow-passenger of ours, and one o£ tho Canton Custom '.House officers, informed us that the estimated river population, 1.e., those Chinese who live entirely in their boats, is 300,000, and the number of boats nearly 50,000. It was with no little difficulty that wo got on to the wharf, owing to the crowd that had congregated principally, out of idle curiosity. Wo immediately made for Messrs. Olyphant and Co.'s offices, who are Messrs. W. hud G. Turnbull and Co.’s agents throughout China, and were kindly received and hospitably entertained by Mr. Talbot, the firm's representative at Canton. . The English and other foreign residents, whose number barely exceeds 100, are located on a small island separated from the city by a kind of canal on the north, and bounded by the river on the sonth, along which is a very nice esplanade, shaded with umbrageous trees. Tbero are two rows of handsome and commodious houses and offices, and each has a very fine garden surrounding it. Kvery thing speaks of luxury and comfort, and it is really very much needed, especially nine or ten months out of. every twelve, owing to the depressing influence of the climate. On the opposite bank of the aver are several European hotels (of which the less said the better), and a good many Chinese live along the banks. A little further over is another branch of the Canton river. The following morning our kind host placed due of his “ boys”—ths name given to all Chinese servants and attendants—at our disposal, as guide, and we proceeded to inspect the city and lions of Canton. 1 Crossing a stone bridge which connects the island with the city, wo were soon into a density of buildings that defy description. Every building is a place of ■ business, and packed so closely together that it looks like one mass of masonry and brickwork. The streets, especially in that portion of the city outside the walls, are not more than eight feet wide, and laid with rough-hewn granite, which is remarkably slippery and wet, and it is a matter of some difficulty for strangers, at any rate, to keep their feet. Our guide led ns through a labyrinth of these streets (?), and into different sections of the city. Each section contains the workshops of different manufacturers. In one will be found furniture and cabinet makers, in another makers of jewellery, ivorywate, &c., while in another one the shoe manufactories, of which there are a great-number. Some parts of the city are built into something like squares, iu which are collected a miscellaneous assortment of hawkers, with their articles of trade exposed for sale on small stalls. These squares are also a kind of market-places, where edibles of all kinds are to be procured. Gambling is carried on in these places to a great extent, but only among the poorer classes. . A good many games that 1 have seen carried on on the colonial racecourse are also iu full swing. After a good deal of twisting and turning and pushing through the throng that streams along the narrow streets, our guide conducted us to the famous temple of the 500 gods. The temple is an ordinary but large building, Intersected by innumerable passages. At the entrance to the large hall containing the 500 gods are stationed two enormous wooden figures of soldiers in all the glory of their war paint and feathers. These are supposed to guard the entrance. The gods are all fully life size, and carved out of wood and painted in divers colors, except the hair,which is blue; and those . which are . made with beards and moustaches are alsopaintedhlue—theblneheads are certainly a curious contrast to the other colors, but harmony of color is but little moment to a Chinaman so long as he gets variety. The figures are ranged around the hall in the same way as flowers and plants are arranged at our flower shows, so that one has plenty of room to walk up and down the rows to inspect them. At the head of the hall, in the centre, is .a kind of canopy or dais elaborately painted and decorated in which are two figures fantastically painted, draped and surrounded with fancy candles. Immediately,in; front, and sitting on a chair of state with a table iu front of it is a representative of the Emperor of China gorgeously arrayed in all the colors imaginable. \Ve ‘ asked our guide what the Emperor was supposed to be doing there, and ha informed us he was number one joss,and that the two ‘ figures were his Prime Ministers or number two joss, and all the others are his satellitea Some of the figures are very grotesque, ugly, and a few not at all bad looking. There is one figure with . a slit cut iu its chest and the hand holding the wound open; while the figure of. a child is seen in the aperture. Another figure, which reminds me of Shakspere’sSir John i Ealstaff, is in the act of roiling on the ground, while a number of children are tumbling over his bulky carcass. Many of the other figures are fear-, fully and outrageously made, and do not impress one with a high opinion of John’s originality of design. ■' After a visit to some minor “lions,” we made for that portion of the city within the walls. Passing through the north gates. we emerged into more light, from the fact of the buildings not being nearly so high, and the streets a little' wider. The buildings are very much inferior to those through which we had passed, and we found the further we advanced the more dilapidated tke houses. Very many of them are constructed of mud, stones, and large oyster shells. Others again, in various parts of the city, are laying in a heap of ruins, nothing having been done to replace them since they were demolished by the British gunboats during the seige ; in fact there does not appear to have been any new buildings erected inside the walls, but outside they have sprung up like' mushrooms. Staff-commander John W. Kiug, R.N., in bis “ China Pilot” says:—“The wall is five milM in circumference, the foundation: being of red -Feldspar rock; the upper part brick. It is 25ft. to 40ft. high, and 20ft. thick, with -yttit esplanade inside accessible on three ■! sides. The city is divided into two unequal parts by a partition wall tJft. to Bft. thick, running east and west, having four gates and two water-gates at Its extremities, through which boats pass east and west into and across the new city. The country outside the walls is' clear on the north aud .. east. There are twelve outer gates, each defended by a two-storeyed bouse, which command*; the wall on either side, the principal one having also an outwork, la the northern corner of the city stands the magazine or city bill commanding its interior and the outside surrounding hills on the north. Immediately below it is a large square building of red brick, called the five-storeyed pagoda, on the northern and most elevated angle, of the wall. After traversing a number of the most filthy streets and alleys that it has ever been my lot to walk through, our guide brought us. to the Flowery Pagoda, which is surrounded by a number of joss-houses. The pagoda la rather a handsome structure, octogan-shapecl, standing about 100 ft. high; is about 60ft. in circumference at the base, and I should think about 25ft. at the apex. It has ten balconies), and at each corner is hung a bell. - ; The pagoda and balconies are painted amlf&nfbeK lisbed with numerous figures of animals/ and it really looks,very nice. Owing to tbq-'New Year the entrances, were locked, so we were

tumble to ace what it was like Inside. On oar way back to the centre of ths city .wo got blocked np by a procession. / On enquiring from our guide what it was he said, “ ’Lich man, he bnyee wife, takco-home.” We saw nothing of the husband. His .having mode the purchase was no doubt a sufficient' task for him, and a reason for his absence. The sight was truly ludicrous; first came came three or four lads gorgeously arrayed, heating drums and gong, then followed, one or two men carrying banners, and about f£n or a dozen mure carrying chow, sweetmeats, &e., &c.,- and wedding presents ; then came the bride, borne on the shoulders of'Chinamen,_iu a sedan dhair beautifully ornamented. with •dlk- trimmings and tassels, &c. . The curtains were drawn down close, which prevented us from viewing the fair creature. I was so intent at looking at the brides chair that I did not at first notice what brought up tho rear, until a burst of laughter caused mo to look ronnd, to sec two Chinese carrying a largo coffin. The lookers-on evidently enjoyed this part of the procession the most. This turned out to be the result of accident, the coffinbearers not being able to get past at that portion of tho streets. Our conductor now lead us through a number of filthy lanes, and as filthy women and children W"-'c to bo seen standing at the doors of the wrefcc.icd hovels already described. The smells arising from the stagnant water and the muck that is thrown from these hovels is something horrible. It was some days before wo got rid of the abominable smells "from our olfactory nerves. ■ Iho Viva Genii Temple was tifq -next place wo visited. The entrance to -it is through a largo archway, in which is hung a tongueless Irell of very large dimensions, with a good-sized piece oilt of oso side. This piece I iqarnt subsequently was knocked out by a cajruon ball during tho siege of .Canton, This s£ot r lam informed, jiutra&iud !■) the,fight, n there was a-

a popular belief that when the hell rang, without any apparent .agency , that Canton was doomed. Passing under this archway we ascended several flights ■of steps, ana saw a number of Josssmen outrageously painted and decorated, with plenty of caudles to show them off to the admiring gaze of a largo number of, women, girls, and small children, who . were continually throwing joss-paper into lighted jars that are placed iu front of By this time we were getting pretty tired, bo we informed our guide that wo should Ilk© to return bv way of the city walls to our hospitable host. "After traversing a - few more beautiful alleys (?) we emerged into tho old drill ground of the Chinese troop'. We were soon on the walls, and had a walk along the esplanade mentioned in ,tho description of the walls. Alt along where the outside city is. built against the walls, largo jars of water are standing ready for use in case of lire. - There are also plenty of small cannon joying along the ramparts, but they are not worth moving, not even for old iron. Down into the outside city once more, with its bustle and noise, we were soon out iuto a little fresh air, for which we were truly thankful, for we had had quite enough of Canton. See Canton,- and I am given to understand by gentlemen who have been in other large cities in China, that there is not the slightest difference either iu buildings, width of streets, or style of architecture. Returning to Hongkong by a steamer owned by a Chinese company, tho chief engineer asked ua if we had seen au execution. On replying in the negative he said, “ Why, if you had only gone to the mandarin and tipped him five dollars he would have run out a prisoner for you and chopped off his head in a twinkling.” Wo were, however, quite satisfied with what wo had seen, and were exceedingly glad to get back to Hongkong and the “ May.”