MY CHINESE NEIGHBORS. BY AN AUSTRALIAN SETTLER.

West Coast Times, Issue 328, 11 October 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

MY CHINESE NEIGHBORS. BY AN AUSTRALIAN SETTLER.

(Fvom the Argosy.)

- Emigration has at no period been popular among the Chinese, and the present century well advanced bef 01 c any decided exodus can be said to have taken place J from the "Flowery Land." And as this dislike to' leave home was no sooner overcome than they had to" bear the brunt of great prejudice and opposition from bottlers in the districts to which they went, it is not a little to the credit of \he national character of the Chinese that they have proved themselves successful emigrants. In Victoria the pride and prejudice of *• race" displayed itself against the Chiuese emigrants to an extreme degree. They had, in fact, to struggle with persecutions sufficient to have daunted the energies and * depressed the spirit X>£ any less adventurous people ; and though much 1 of this hostile reception may have been provoked by their native obstinacy, it undoubtedly derived its strongest impulse from the very general aversion of the colonists to a ' Tartar influx. The goldfields at that period w«^e over- " run by adventurers of nearly eve y race and character ; but the Chinese, landing chiefly at Guichen Bay, South Australia, and travelling overland, in order to avoid the heavy poll-tax levied by Government, were soon >found to preponderate. Isolated and united among themsttv-es by close and secret associations, these people naturally became objects of N dislike, and this their peculiar social condition but served to confirm. The Chinese, following in the wake of diggers who had wrought and abandoned the ground, at first confined their labor to washing the drift and pipeclay lying on the top of the claim, and running through the surfacing. Thus, without developing the ground, they helped to exhaust the field , and this, combined with petty offences of a criminal nature, evoked a very general and determined hostility on the* part of the miners, which finally caused their expulsion from certain districts. By the increasing poverty of the* older goldfields, 1 concurrently with the discovery made by the unsuccessful or " outsiders" of the ■ value of the " headings" and " tailings," combined to deprive the Chinese of the monopoly they had hitherto enjoyed, and - drove them to the development of those dormant energies which they have since bo successfully applied to the labors of the goldfield. The progress of the colony, and the introduction of suitable mining laws, have now, however,, rendered these collisions less frequent, and since the appointment of " Chinese protectors," the " Celestials" have rarely been molested. They may be said to have passed through their probation. The chief obstacles to their material progress — their o svn tendency to isolation — by which European prejudices against them were chiefly fostered, being fast disappearing. John Chinaman now follows a rush, marks out' a claim, and goes clown two or three hundred feet with a zeal and intrepidity that would have astotiished him in the early days of his experience at the mines. Nor is- he at all behind in wet sinking, slabbing, and timbering his shaft. Both he does with a neatness and skill equal to the European miner. That he is fit for difficult alluvial operations, is shown by his taking up large tracts of abandoned ground on old diggings, and working them with highly satisfactory results. He has j also opened new fields, whose wealth might have "remained undiscovered tor years to come but for his careful explorations for " surface ground," a pursuit i which, in a quiet and likely-looking , i country, presents to v hira unusual attrac- j tions. ' It was in this way that the important mines of Ararat were developed. The : Chinese were in force at Armstrongs, and also at Cathcart (diggings which had been worked years previously). Some of them spread around the mount and up to the *' Gap," others crossed the range, and the great-western goldfield of Victoria was the splendid result ~bf their perseverance, rewarding the pioneers t by some of the riohest claims. Besides the Canton Lead at Ararat, the Stony Creek, Burracdong, Burnt Creek New Lead, Chinaman's Flat, and a number of minor fields, were severally discovered by Chinese prospectors. A good number are believed to have realised an independence and retired to the Flowery Land ; but of late the successful have shown-a preference for colonial enterprise. In this spirit of progress, a taste for <! coaching" pursuits has recewfly manifested itself among the commuiiih', and the Mongolian Jehu may he ■-■'■"l handling .the ribbons with the ski 1 '- .-.,1 sciiiff froid of his predecessor, the C dian, or Blue-Nose, whb bowled hi , fty.u-in-hand through the immense forest and along the up-country lines of route in iucessible by rail. Some have, valuable horse-teams, transporting goods from t-iu metropolis to the diggings, or conveying their less fortunate brethren across country to some seductive locality. Others again are to be seen in stores stocked with all kinds of oriental and colonial merchandise, or perhaps superintending some thirty _ or forty of their own countrymen in a mining venture on the deep leads of Ballarat, ok cuttingthrough the old flats and gullies of Mount Alexander, the alluvium of which, to a considerable depth, they put through steam and horse machinery. Most of the up-country traders are supplied by Chinese merchants in town, many of whom are also shipowners, and import large stocks from the eastern markets. One of the largest of these is the firm of " Kong Meng and C 0.," whose house has been established about eleven years. Little Bourke street is the principal quarter of the Chiuese in Melbourne. Here also is situated the " Chinese Exchange," which was established chiefly for the com mere' al intercourse of the traders of the Sam Yup district, near Canton, who number between four and five hundred. Some again dis- , play their skill in local manufactures and in the construction of numerous fancy articles. A large proportion have devoted attention both to agriculture and gardening; and in the latter pursuit, their skilful culture, patience, and close economy, have ' given them a monopoly of the market— , the greater part of the numerous mining townships being almost exclusively supplied by " Chiuese vegetable merchants." The frequency of minor offences among the Chinese, it is believed, may be traced to their peculiar position on the goldfielcTs.

Few resources arc available to them, if they are unsuccessful inmining,*from their being completely ignorant of European languages and customs. It is under the pressuro of want — and the privations of (he Chinese at times are extreme — that generally speaking they commit those petty offences against property, for which they are notorious. One of the most dreaded punishments to which they are subjected in the pcn;d discipline of the colony is the docking of their pigtails. The Chinese, on the other hand, fully appreciate the colonial administration of justice, and promptly appeal to the law in cases of appropriation of their mining ground, or encroachment on it ; in either of which cases they claim the 1 intermediate aid of the interpreter.

The latter is a personage of considerable importance on the goldfields. Handsomely remunerated, and holding a recognised official position, the stylishly-at-tired, anglicised Mongol directs his aggrieved countrymen with phlegmatic order and complacency. Possessed of the litigant's confidence, he is enabled to introduce a client to his lawyer (with whom it often happens that an entente eordiale is established), and John Chinaman may be seen with his " boss '' ahead, figuring at court, and supported by an array of tail testimony, prosecuting bis claim with the assurance of a man conscious of the justice of his cause. He gravely takes his oath by blowing out a candle, smashing a plate, or cutting off a cock's head, whichever process is the most binding on his conscience. The interpreter, however, has virtually the disposition of the cause in his own hands, and sometimes sacrifices his employer's interests to his own, perverting and altering the true purport of the evidence .to the Court, so that John retires vanquished and crestfallen, wondering at the injustice of the British law, and disgusted with the stupidity of the English barbarian.

The numerical strength of the Chinese in Victoria may be stated at over onefourth of the total mining population. Their immigration into the colony commenced in. 1853, and by the following year about two thoiisand had settled there. This number, during the next three years, increased to thirty thousand ; in 185S their numbers throughout the year averaged thirty-five thousand, 1859 forty-two thousand, and in 18GO they again fell to thirtyfive thousand ; but the several attractions of Lambing Flat and Burrandong, in New South Wales, drew away ten or eleven thousand during this and the following years, leaving the population throughout the past three years, in round numbers, at twenty-four thousand.

The distinctions of social grade, peculiar to the Chinese, are gradually developing their more prominent characteristics, both in native society in Melbourne and on the principal goldfields. The great bulk of the Chinese present r a physiognomy that is strikingly uniform and uninteresting-^ defying the attempts of Europeans at individual identification. But among the " bosses" of society there is a very perceptible difference, both in intelligence and plnjsit[ue, betokening a decidedly superior caste, and the distinction is heightened by their respective habits and style of dress.

It its not, however, the elaborate and highly-finished costume — half Oriental, half European — affected by the wealthier classes, that affords the best indication of native rank. Great importance is attached to facial distinctions, and to the embellishment and fineness of the '' tail," while the nicest attention is bestowed on, the growth and preservation of theTfincly-lipped horny appendages of the hand which, to the outside barbarian, resemble claws rather than finger nails.

Apropos s of the importance the Chinese attach to the possession of long hair, a characteristic incident occurred at one of the townships afc the diggings. A Chinaman was detected making off with a pair of boots, which he was suspected of stealing from the front of a store. Pursuit.was' given, and the delinquent soon overtaken. His broad sombrero having fallen 'off in his flight, his tail was released from its confinement, and streamed out horizontally behind. This his pursuer caught at, when to his astonishment the coveted appendage remained in his hands, while the owner was scudding away under a ''bare poll."

The physical capacity of the Chinese in general corresponds with their inferior stature, though upon the gqldfields a number of sinewy, broad-shouldered individuals are to be met with who appear equal to any amount of fatigue. "With a stout bamboo pole slung across the shoulder, and occasionally shifted with a kind of "hitch" round the back of the neck, they will sustain the whole burden of their mining implement? and camp appendages? Cradle, buckets, shovels, ropes, and tent baog-age, on the one side, will be balanced by a puddling tub or heavy windlass barrel on the' other (an aggregate weight of perhaps two hundred pounds) ; and they may be seen travelling in single file, at their uniform sling trot, upon a journey of some seventy or eighty miles, from one mining locality to another. At the time of the Armstrongs " rush," I passed a striug'of over two hundred- of these people, extending in a line for about a third of a mile. Each carried a heavy-weighted bamboo, and. laughed and joked as he trotted barefooted along the slushy road. In migrating to a fresh locality, while jealously isolating themselves from thft v barbarian," they generally select an eligible spot as a common camping place, pitchiug- their tents close to each other, and encircling the whole encampment with a brush-fence, or chevavx-dc-frhe of waftle and gum. These encampments are to be seen thickly dotted over the leading fields of each mining division, having their own quarter or commissariat near the centre. The Burnt Creek settlement in the Maryborough division; is, perhiips, one of their most prominent "townships" up country, and during their celebration of the Feast of the New Year, which is observed with great ceremony and display, this place presents a novel appearance to the European, and attracts many visitors. In company with several others, I explored "Hong Kong" in the summer of 1863. It then contained a population varying from two to three thousand, Lying on the trans- Loddon route to Dunolly and the remote north-western goldfields, it occupies the upper end of a ' large flat that may be said to have been systematically " burrowed " by the Mongolians, who have had a settlement a.t Burnt Creek since 18j-1. It is sheltered by a succession of alluvial hills that gradually stretch away to the west until they unite with the Black Ranges. Among the buildings I which border each side of the principal

streets of the camp, we noticed gambling saloons, and opium and smoking rooms : shops of jewellers, gold buyers, and coach proprietors; clothing,' fish, fruit, and provision stores, the contents of the latter •being most temptingly displayed.. An elaborate barber's shop, built of shingles and fancifully ornamented, occupied a prominent site, where the "'professor" might be seen carefully shaving the hair off the face, neck, and forehead of a celestial^ dandy, or perhaps tickling his ears. Here also a pretentious and venerable Esculapuis dispensed his astringent medicines. His diploma, if it measured the length of his tail, was unexceptionable, thoughjseemingly it was not appreciated. A cobbler vigorously plying his craft in a tent about five feet square, professed to make lt very good shoes," and in the building adjoining might be observed a round, plethoric individual' intently occupied in the development of some 'fancy " juniper," or other shorty Mongolian garment. Restaurateurs abounded, the most of whom displayed, hanging in rows suspended from a horizontal pole, an infinity of v long porcine shreds, which to a suspicious observer looked - like so many rats' tails grilling in the sun, although the whole animal was seen temptingly garnfehed with maudarian orange and perfumed seeds. Here, too, in all the glitter of Chinese ornamentation, which ranges from small gilded emblems to imposing globular lantern, was their temple of worship, or " Joss House," which is a prominent feature in a" Chinese township, even the smallest encampment possessing onei The building, which we were' permitted to enter, was draped in crimson cloth, highly ornamented and lavishly inscribed with Chinese characters. Surmounting an altar in the centre of the room, was the idol or goddess of the temple, " Que Sin," to propitiate whom, offerings of wheat, wine and fruit were deposited in jars and baskets around the altar in profusion. The fetishrlike image — possessing the grotesque characteristics of all Chinese idols — was decked out , with various colored articles, — gold bands, peacocks' feathers, and Dutch metal entering largely into the composition of its attire. In this instauce the beautiful tail feathers of the lyre bird adorned the head dress of the goddess, the whole presenting a curious combination, ■ the -bizarre appearance of which was heightened by a large robe bearing various devices in crimson and gold- Immediately surrounding' the figure were numerous wax tapers, joss sticks, incense burners, and Chinese saucers, while suspended from the ceiling were small transparent lanterns for evening illumination.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, in. which all evinced a lively desire to ", chin chin Joss, we were invited to taste some ol the highly-prized " saqui " — a Buddhist inspiration, which takes the form of a strongly spiritualised cordial — an invitation which a lady friend of ours was prevailed upon to accept. Some native brandy — a kind of arrack— very hot and unpalatable, was then introduced, along with a few hard and flavorless seed cakes, and a peculiar conserve, chiefly remarkable for the stone it contained.

After examing these offerings and ornaments, we left the building, and directed our steps towards a gambling saloon. The propensity' for games of chance among the Chinese is proverbial. While they are almost entirely free from the vice of intoxication, the passion for gambling pervades alf classes of society.

The building to which we went contained about a- hundred people, and was furnished with half a dozen high square tables, equally distributed down the two sides of the room. There was no attempt at privacy or seclusion. Selecting one of the tables for observation, we found the banker, who was disposed a la Turk at the upper end, with a heap of "counters" raked in front of him. The quantity contained in this heap is varied afc frequent intervals, the interest of the game being centred in the number left piled on the table.

There are two prizes : success being dependent upon guessing correctly at the actual and next lowest number contained in the heap, and failing the former, of the two next lower numbers; the first prize being one-half, and the second or lowest of the two numbers, one-fonrth of the receipts. Those who guess over or wide of the actual number (of course the greater partion) forfeited the stake* to the croupier. Great dexterity was displayed by the latter in the manipulation of the numerous counters, with a short stick held between the two forefingers. Sometimes John, with increasing confidence in his judgment, would double or triple the ordinary sura bet, in which case he would of course be entitled to pro rata returns. The whole affair was of the most transparent character, devoid of &übtelty or point. The aspect of the various groups, the excited gamblers loudly disputing and reaching over eachother round the table, their feverish earnestness during the process of couuting, while convulsively toying with the tails which, fantastically wreathed their respective heads and necks, and the delirium of success occasionally depicted on the countenance of some winner, altogether presented a curious spectacle. Adjoining this place was an opium and smoking saloon, where the devotees to this pernicious system were reclining at full length in berths ranged one above the other round the room, and enclosed with curtains. To a European the atmosphere of the room was in itself a soporific. The various stages of the opium smoker were here presented at one view. Voluble and excited, a number were laughing and talking incoherently as we entered, while others were fast merging into the wished-for state of unconsciousness, the countenance the while wearing an expression of imbecility. By way of pipe a narrow reed is used — having a brass bowl at one end, with a small hole in it for the 'reception of the opium. The .drug is prepared and scented, and a small quantity only is inhaled — the smoke being taken into the lungs. Surrendering to the influence of the drugT the v smoker professes to experience an absorbing delight,, the charm of 'which is indescribable. But the pernicious effects of the practice arc fearfully apparent in the confirmed devotee. The suffering which accompanies the reaction is not unfrequenly attended with the most calamitous results. Suicide', a very prtvalent crime among the Chinese, often follows excessive indulgence in this narcotic. The Chinese set a slight value upon s life, and the fate which they so rashly anticipate has fewer terrors for them than than, impending poverty and want. It may

here be also stated that, although they associato closely for mutual protection, they are in their relations with each other treacherous and distrustful ; and their conduct towards their suffering countrymen whf n stricken down by disease is at onco cowardly and inhuman. On coming" into- the -main street again the noise of musicians and peripatetic vendors resounded on all sides. Our proximity to an eating-houso induced a visit to a portly celestial rejoicing in the appellation of "Sun Fat," Avhose gastronomic talent was of no mean order, judging by the thirty or forty unctuous and gratified countenances which greeted our entrance. Invited by the obliging restaurateur to taste some of his productions, we complied, and of course acknowledged their excellence. One dish, Aye were told, consisted of eggs, sugar, and flour, Avith small layers of fat pork disposed in the centre. Another " chou'a" Avas composed of strings of pork, fowls, rice, and flour, all mixed up together, and crisped. on the top. • " Bang," another dish, was a material covered with seeds, and to the eye bore an unpleasant resemblance to thin glue. Fowls, suckingpigs, and sweetened strings of pork, made up the remainder of the bill of fare. Small Chinese cups Avere then handed round,' containing a pale-colored tea, upon Avhich boiling ' water was poured'; after a short infusion the decoction, was to. 'be drunk, but upon tasting it, the unsophisticated beverage Avas entirely opposed to our notions of the proper flavor. Lastly, Aye were presented Avith a small quantity of Chinese plums, and carrying a disinfectant in the shape of a pocketflask of cognac, we offered a portion of its contents to our host, Avho pronounced it " welly good," and after handing it to one or two other " pigtails" we took our departure, tendering the customary "ho-ki."

The Chinese circus next claimed our attention. It is a favorite evening resort of the Celestials, who, -at the sound of the tom-toms, hurry to the centre of attraction from all points of the ranges, guiding their steps by the light of small oil lanterns, which at a distance have the appearance of so many fire-flies fllitting about the dark leads. The entertainment consisted of Chinese acting, and gymnastic and acrobatic performances, periodically enlivened by a grand discharge of crackers. The tumbling was excellent, and was in fact the only redeeming part of the evening's amusement. We Avere, however, obliged to withdraw before it Avas concluded, the dramatic uproar, and the suddenly redoubled exertions of the excited operators on the gongs, perilling our tympanums. Passing into the Dunolly road our attention w#s attracted by a number of veryfine children — half-castes. Several of the more wealthy Chinese have married white women, and thus perhaps taken the most effectual step towards relieving themselves of the social ban under which the community have for a long time suffered.

There are no female celestials on the diggings, aud it is even doubtful whether the odd specimen or two popularly believed ip have been in Melbourne for some years past, had any other than a mythical existence. The introduction of Chinese ladies into Victoria, however, has become an accomplished fact ; an importation of three or four almond-eyed damsels having recently taken place.

There is little doubt but that as the gold-fields at present -available to them are gradually narrowed by the superior energy of the European, and by the absorption of the old ground by leasing companies, they will form an important element in the future of the colony. With a natural-taste for the cultivation of most ground products, quick at receiving instruction, and thoroughly acclimatised, their services Avill prove invaluable in connection with those enterprises to which attention has of late been directed — the culture of tae tobacco plant, the vine, and the olive.