Scenes on a Chinese River.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7985, 23 November 1905, Page 2

Scenes on a Chinese River.

A (JHUE'SOME SPECTACLE. Many terrible sights from time to time meet live eyes of travellers on the inland waters of China. The uuburiod dead—a terrible 'doom 'to the Chinese as to the ancient Cireek—are met with. IVowned infants are seen floating down the rivers, though no one pays much 'attention 1 u theiij. Recently \r more repellent sight still watt seen in 'the water outside the :big market- lown of Chantsuen, which lies about a 'dwii miles south ,ot Dan ten. A pair, apparently ( quite young, a man and a woman, were seen flouting- in the water, bound face to face (with stent hempen ropes. It is m edles?, jlj ; i ask the cause ol the revolling sperlacle. The tacts, are. however, as follows-. —'l hvy nHm d in ihe relation of bro-ther-in-law -and sister-in-law to vach | other. |The woman had been the Wb'e oi )thf man's elder brother. Paramours they had 'been, for the young wife had broken the vow she had sworn over tin- wine cups rurd l.vi'ore the ancestral tablets when she was married to lfer paramour's broiher. leaders will remember Stent's ballad. "The Water 'Test." dealing with the question of a broach of the Seven! h Commandment. -and th< means adopted te prove the guilt oi l hose who had been suspected. How frequently these barliarouj* rules mid regulations are apphvd it is 'difficult to discover. H is \\t.il known that the power of lite and death, which the Chinese claim, and apparently command uodcr cor la in restrictions, can be used in a -terrible way. as in this case, and may : l)o earned to unwarranted extremes. In cases oi this kind, and others like ihem. the oflicialfl do 'net seem to interfere. The clan remains idly by and appears only as spectators. Only those directly interestvd and wrongvd are allowed to be Hie actors in the terrible drama, and mad with jealousy and impelled with- rng<\ lhe\ set ,about t-heir War-barons purpose with . /he sane nonchalance as the tiger ,sets at.out '.'devouring -the captured fiig. I' is a cruel 'doom, though from e\i:y point of \ iew n gi'i'at sin has been commit led. ami especially frnn tl.e point of view) which the Chinese assume.—N«»rl h China Pa ily News.