Engage a Passage in a Junk.--Leave the District of the Min.--An
Attack of Fever.--Religious Ceremonies on Board the Junk.--Attacked
by Pirates.--Scene on Board.--Cowardice of the Chinese.--Pirates
beat off.--Gratitude of the Crew.--A safe Anchorage!--Another Fleet
of Pirates.--Attack, and Results.--Arrive at Chusan.--Ingratitude of
the Crew.--Mode of making them keep their Word.--Kindness of foreign
Residents at Shanghae.--Large Peaches.--Collections paeked.--Leave the
north of China.--Sail for England.--Arrival in the Thames.--Conclusion.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
1. The City of Foo-chow-foo and Long Bridge
2. Marriage Procession
3. Map
4. City of Ningpo--Bridge of Boats
5. Old Pagoda in Ningpo
6. Ice Houses
7. River at Shanghae
8. Mountain Chair
9. Pans for drying the Tea
10. Bamboo Table for rolling Tea
11. Opium Pipe
12. Water-wheel on the Island of Chusan
13. Chusan Tombs
14. Tomb of a Mandarin's Wife
15. Pagoda on the River Min
16. Anemone on the Tombs
17. Chinese Funeral and Family Tomb
[Illustration: Map to illustrate Fortune's wanderings in China]
* * * * *
THREE YEARS' WANDERINGS
IN
CHINA.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.--ERRONEOUS NOTIONS REGARDING CHINA.--NO CORRECT SOURCES
OF INFORMATION.--INFORMATION GLEANED FROM THE CHINESE NOT TO BE
DEPENDED UPON.--IMAGINATIVE POWERS OF AUTHORS ON CHINA.--PECULIAR
TRAITS IN THE CHARACTER OF THE CHINESE.--REMARKS ON AGRICULTURE AND
SOIL.--ON GOVERNMENT AND LAWS.--CHINA HAS BEEN RETROGRADING FOR MANY
YEARS.--MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
When the news of the peace with China first reached England, in the
autumn of 1842, I obtained the appointment of Botanical Collector
to the Horticultural Society of London, and proceeded to China in
that capacity early in the spring of the following year. In laying
my travels and their results before the public, I beg to say at the
commencement, that I have no intention of writing or "making" a "book
on China." By this I mean such books as have often been issued from the
press, professing to give a faithful and true account of the history
of the Chinese from the earliest ages, and their earliest kings down
to Taouk-wang and the present day, of the arts, sciences, religion and
laws, and the social and moral condition of the people; whose authors,
with true Chinese "_Oula Custom_," stand manfully by what the writers
of other days have told them; and faithfully hand down to posterity,
by the aid of the scissors and the pen, all the exaggerations and
absurdities which have ever been written on China and the Chinese.
This celebrated country has been long looked upon as a kind of
fairy-land by the nations of the Western world. Its position on the
globe is so remote that few--at least informer days--had an opportunity
of seeing and judging for themselves; and besides, those few were
confined within the most narrow limits at Canton and Macao, the very
outskirts of the kingdom, and far removed from the central parts or the
seat of the government. Even the Embassies of Lord Macartney and Lord
Amherst, although they went as far as the capital, were so fettered and
watched by the jealous Chinese that they saw little more than their
friends who remained at Canton. Under these circumstances much that
was gleaned from the Chinese themselves relating to their country,
was of the most exaggerated description, if not entirely fabulous.
They, from the highest Mandarin down to the meanest beggar, are filled
with the most conceited notions of their own importance and power;
and fancy that no people however civilised, and no country however
powerful, are for one moment to be compared with them. As an instance
of this I may mention the following:--When the first steamer visited
the coast of China, the Chinese in Canton and Macao did not exhibit the
least surprise, but merely said "_Have got plenty, all same, inside,_"
meaning that such things were quite common in the interior of their
country. Moreover, they cannot appreciate statistical inquiries; but
always fancy that we have some secret motive for making them; or that
the subject cannot be of the slightest importance, either to ourselves
or others, and consequently do not trouble themselves about obtaining
correct information.
I have been often much annoyed with this propensity of theirs during
my travels in the country; and have had frequently to travel many a
weary mile, merely because they did not think it worth their while to
give me correct information. In fact, latterly I made a practice of
disbelieving every thing they told me, until I had an opportunity of
seeing and judging for myself.
Shut out from the country, and having no means of getting information
on which we could depend (for independent of Chinese statements,
the accounts written by the Jesuits were in many instances grossly
exaggerated), it is not to be wondered at if the works in our language
were more remarkable for the exhibition of the imaginative power of
their authors, than for facts concerning China and the Chinese. We were
in the position of little children who gaze with admiration and wonder
at a penny peep-show in a fair or market-place at home.--We looked
with magnifying eyes on every thing Chinese; and fancied, for the time
at least, that what we saw was certainly real. But the same children
who look with wonder upon the scenes of Trafalgar and Waterloo, when
the curtain falls, and their penny-worth of sights has passed by, find
that, instead of being amongst those striking scenes which have just
passed in review before their eyes, they are only, after all, in the
market-place of their native town. So it is with "children of a larger
growth." This mystery served the purpose of the Chinese so long as it
lasted; and although we perhaps did not give them credit for all to
which they pretended, at least we gave them much more than they really
deserved.
Viewing the subject in this light we have little difficulty in
accounting for the false colouring which has been given to every
picture drawn by authors who have written on this country, and who have
extolled to the skies her perfection in the arts, in agriculture, in
horticulture, the fertility of the soil, the industry of the people,
and the excellence of her government and laws. But the curtain which
had been drawn around the celestial country for ages, has now been rent
asunder; and instead of viewing an enchanted fairy-land, we find, after
all, that China is just like other countries. Doubtless the Chinese
were in that half-civilised state in which they are now, at a very
early period, and when the now polished nations of the West were yet
rude savages. It is long since they discovered the art of making the
beautiful porcelain, lacquer-ware, and silks, which have for centuries
been so much admired in Europe; but these very facts--their civilised
condition, their advancement in the arts, and even their discovering
a magnetic power in nature, which they could convert into a compass
for the purpose of navigation--instead of telling in their favour as
an active and intelligent people, do the very reverse when we consider
what they might have been now and what they really are.
A great proportion of the northern Chinese seem to be in a sleepy
or dreaming state, from which it is difficult to awake them. When a
foreigner at any of the northern ports goes into a shop, the whole
place inside and out is immediately crowded with Chinese, who gaze
at him with a sort of stupid dreaming eye; and it is difficult to
say whether they really see him or not, or whether they have been
drawn thereby some strange mesmeric influence over which they have no
control: and I am quite sure that, were it possible for the stranger to
slip out of his clothes and leave a block standing in his place, these
Chinese would still continue to gaze on, and never know the difference.
The conduct of the Chinese peasants during the war was very remarkable
in this respect. I have been told by some of the military officers,
that, when the whole fleet of sailing vessels and steamers went up
the Yang-tse-Kiang in 1842, many of the agricultural labourers on the
banks of the river used to hold up their heads for a few seconds, and
look with a kind of stupid gaze upon our noble fleet; and then quietly
resume their labours, as if the thing was only an every day occurrence,
and they had seen it a thousand times before. When the "Medusa"
steamer went up the Shanghae river for several miles above the city,
the river became so narrow that they had some difficulty in finding a
place wide enough to allow the steamer to come round. A peasant was
standing on the bank smoking his pipe, and looking on with the most
perfect unconcern when, the helm being put down, the little vessel in
coming round shot right across the stream, and came in contact with
the bank, just under the very feet of the Chinaman. The shock was of
course considerable, and the man who all at once seemed to awake from a
trance, set off in the utmost terror, like an arrow, across the fields,
without once looking behind him; and, as Captain Hewitt who related the
story, remarked, for any thing he knew, the man was running until this
day! Many of the Chinese are of course very different characters from
those I have just described; and are as active men as you find in any
part of the world: but the above are striking features in the character
of the inhabitants of the northern parts of the country which I have
had an opportunity of visiting.
In the knowledge and practice of agriculture, although the Chinese may
be in advance of other Eastern nations, they are not for a moment to be
compared with the civilised nations of the West. Perhaps more nonsense
has been written upon this subject than upon any other connected with
China; and we can only account for it by supposing the writers to
have been entirely unacquainted with the subject, and led away by the
fancies and prejudices above alluded to. How ridiculous, for example,
for them to speak in such glowing terms of the fertility of the land,
when we bear in mind that they judged from what they saw at Canton
and Macao! Had they seen the glorious scenery amongst the mountains
at Tein-tung near Ning-po, or the rich plain of Shanghae, then indeed
they might have written in the most glowing terms of the fertility of
Chinese soil; but what terms could they have found to describe it,
after giving the barren soil of the south such a character?
Although it is not my intention to devote any part of these pages to
the history and government of the Chinese, I must still notice, in
passing, what has been so often said about the perfection of their
government and laws. And here, too, I must differ from those who have
such high notions of the Chinese in these respects. I think no country
can be well governed where the government is powerless, and has not
the means of punishing those who break the laws. China is very weak
in this respect, compared with European nations, and the only thing
which keeps the country together is the quiet and inoffensive character
of the people. Everybody, who has travelled in China, knows that,
wherever the natives are enterprising and bold, they set the government
at defiance whenever it suits their purpose to do so. For example,
what can the government do if the natives on the coast of Fokien,--a
bold and lawless race, choose to disobey its mandates?--Positively
nothing. Even further north, where the Mandarins are more powerful--in
Shanghae for example--the Chinchew men, as they are called, often
fight pitched battles with fire-arms, in the streets and in open day;
and the Mandarins, with all their soldiers at their backs, dare not
to interfere. Surely no government worth any thing would tolerate
this state of things. The system of apprehension and punishment is so
curious, and so characteristic of the Chinese government, that I must
not omit to mention it. The belligerents are allowed to fight as long
and as fiercely as they choose, and the soldiers never interfere: but
when the weakest side is over-powered, and probably a number of lives
lost in the affray, they come down in great force and seize and carry
off to punishment the most defenceless: and, in circumstances of this
kind, they are not over particular about seizing the most riotous, or
those most implicated in the disturbances, provided those they seize
are the weakest and least able to resist. Such conduct in the Chinese
government I have been an eye-witness to, again and again, in the north
of China; more particularly in Shanghae. What should we think if such a
state of things existed in England? and yet this is a specimen of the
government which has been considered so perfect, and which has been so
highly eulogised.
There can be no doubt that the Chinese empire arrived at its highest
state of perfection many years ago; and since then it has rather been
retrograding than advancing. Many of the northern cities, evidently
once in the most flourishing condition, are now in a state of decay,
or in ruins; the pagodas which crown the distant hills, are crumbling
to pieces, and apparently are seldom repaired; the spacious temples
are no longer as they used to be in former days; even the celebrated
temples on Pootoo-San (an island near Chusan) to which, as to Jerusalem
of old, the natives come from afar to worship, show all the signs
of having seen better days. It is very true that these are heathen
temples, and the good in every land will hail with delight the day when
these shall give way to others which shall be erected to the true God:
but nevertheless such is the fact, that these places are not supported
as they used to be: and from this I conclude that the Chinese, as a
nation, are retrograding rather than advancing.
Although I have considered it necessary to expose in this manner the
prejudiced opinions which have been from time to time given out to
the world by authors on China, I am far from having any prejudice
against the Chinese people. On the contrary, in many respects they
stand high in my estimation. During the last three years I have been
continually among them; wandering over and among their hills, dining in
their houses, and sleeping in their temples: and from this experience
I do not hesitate in pronouncing them a very different race from
what they are generally supposed to be. The natives of the southern
towns, and all along the coast, at least as far north as Chekiang,
richly deserve the bad character which every one gives them; being
remarkable for their hatred to foreigners and conceited notions of
their own importance, besides abounding in characters of the very
worst description, who are nothing less than thieves and pirates.
But the character of the Chinese as a nation must not suffer from a
partial view of this kind; for it must be recollected that, in every
country, the worst and most lawless characters are amongst those who
inhabit sea-port towns, and who come in contact with natives of other
countries: and unfortunately we must confess that European nations
have contributed their share to make these people what they really
are. In the north of China, and more particularly inland, the natives
are entirely different. There are doubtless bad characters and thieves
amongst them too: but generally the traveller is not exposed to insult;
and the natives are quiet, civil, and obliging. And although they are
not entitled to the credit of being equal to, much less in advance of
the nations of the West in science, in the arts, in government, or in
laws; yet they are certainly considerably in advance of the Hindoos,
Malays, and other nations who inhabit the central and western portions
of Asia. Besides, the manners and customs of the people, and the
strange formation of the country, are indeed striking when viewed by
the stranger's eye;--the pagodas, like monuments to departed greatness,
towering on the hills; the strange dresses and long tails of the men,
and the small deformed feet of the women. Added to which, this is the
land of tea,--a beverage which in the eyes of Englishmen is enough
to immortalise any country, had it nothing else besides. But I must
again assert, that the great secret of the popularity of China, and
the Chinese people, lies in the manner in which foreigners allowed
themselves to be treated in former days, and in the mystery with which
the Chinese, from principle, enveloped every thing relating to their
country.
CHAP. II.
FIRST VIEW OF CHINA AND THE IMPRESSIONS PRODUCED.--CONTRASTED WITH
JAVA.--LAND AT HONG-KONG.--DESCRIPTION OF ITS HARBOUR.--TOWN OF
VICTORIA.--CHINESE TOWNS, STANLEY AND ABERDEEN.--DESCRIPTION OF
THE ISLAND.--EFFECTS OF RAINS.--"HAPPY VALLEY" NOTICED.--CHINESE
MODE OF "STOPPING THE SUPPLIES."--VIEWS FROM THE TOPS OF
MOUNTAINS.--CLIMATE.--BOTANY OF THE ISLAND--FEW ANIMALS
INDIGENOUS.--UNHEALTHINESS OF THE SETTLEMENT--ITS CAUSES.--CHARACTER OF
THE CHINESE POPULATION.--MIXED CHARACTER OF FOREIGNERS.--REMARKS ON THE
SETTLEMENT AS A PLACE OF TRADE.
On the sixth of July, 1843, after a passage of four months from
England, I had the first view of the shores of China: and although I
had often heard of the bare and unproductive hills of this celebrated
country, I certainly was not prepared to find them so barren as they
really are. Viewed from the sea, they have everywhere a scorched
appearance, with rocks of granite and red clay showing all over
their surface: the trees are few, and stunted in their growth, being
perfectly useless for any thing but fire-wood, the purpose to which
they are generally applied in this part of the country. A kind of
fir-tree (_Pinus sinensis_) seems to struggle hard for existence, and
is found in great quantities all over the hill sides; but, what with
the barren nature of the soil, and the Chinese practice of lopping
off its branches for fuel, it never attains any size, but is merely
a stunted bush. Was this, then, the "flowery land," the land of
camellias, azaleas, and roses, of which I had heard so much in England?
What a contrast betwixt this scenery and the hills and valleys of Java,
where I had been only a few days before! There, from the sea-shore
to the tops of the highest hills, the whole is clothed with the most
luxuriant vegetation; and when the sun rises in the morning, or when
his last rays scatter themselves over the lovely landscape, deepening
the tints of the foliage of all hues, the scene presented to the view
may well be called grand and sublime. But, as the poet sings,--
"'Tis the land of the East, the clime of the sun."
After a few hours' pleasant sailing amongst the islands, we at last
reached the beautiful bay of Hong-kong, and anchored opposite to
the new town of Victoria. Hong-kong bay is one of the finest which
I have ever seen: it is eight or ten miles in length, and irregular
in breadth; in some places two, and in others six miles wide, having
excellent anchorage all over it, and perfectly free from hidden
dangers. It is completely sheltered by the mountains of Hong-kong on
the south, and by those of the main land of China on the opposite
shore; land-locked, in fact, on all sides; so that the shipping can
ride out the heaviest gales with perfect safety.
The new town of Victoria is situated on the north side of the island,
along the shores of this splendid bay, with the mountain chain rising
precipitously and majestically behind it. When viewed from the sea
in 1843, it had a curious and irregular appearance; but as the plan
of the town becomes more developed, and better houses are built, it
will really be a very pretty little place. When I left China, at the
end of December, 1845, it had made most rapid progress; new houses
and even new streets had risen, as if by magic. Some noble government
buildings were nearly completed, to be used as barracks for the
soldiers; excellent and substantial houses were erected, or in the
course of erection, for the merchants; and a large Chinese town had
been built to the westward, for the principal part of the Chinese
population. A beautiful road, called the Queen's Road, has been formed
along the shore for several miles; and this was lined with excellent
houses, and many very good shops. Many of the Chinese shops are little
inferior to those in Canton, and certainly equal to what used to be in
Macao. In fact, a very large proportion of the Macao shopkeepers have
removed their establishments to Hong-kong; the former place being now
useless for the purpose of trade since the English left it. The bazaar
or market is also a most excellent one. Here we find all the natural
productions of China, which are brought regularly from the main land;
such as the fruits and vegetables indigenous to the country; fowls,
ducks, teal, quails, and pheasants; meat of all kinds; and in fact
every luxury which the natives or foreigners can possibly require.
Besides these, English potatoes, green peas, and several other kinds of
foreign vegetables are plentiful at almost all seasons of the year.
The only other Chinese towns on the island of any note besides the new
one just noticed, are on the south side, and used to be called Little
Hong-kong and Chuckehew; their names have been changed lately by the
governor, Sir J. Davis, into _Stanley_ and _Aberdeen_. They are merely
fishing-towns; but the government always keeps up a military station at
the latter, which renders it of some importance.
Hong-kong is one of the largest islands near the mouth of the Canton
river. It is about eight miles from east to west, and the widest part
of it is not more than six miles; but it is very irregular, some parts
being only three miles in breadth, and the land jutting out here and
there, forming a succession of headlands and bays. Imagine, then, an
island considerably longer than it is broad, perfectly mountainous,
and sloping in a rugged manner to the water's edge, having here and
there deep ravines almost at equal distances along the coast, which
extend from the tops of the mountains down to the sea, deepening and
widening in their course. There are immense blocks of granite in these
ravines, which have either been bared by the rapid currents of water
in its descent during the rains, or which have tumbled into them from
the sides of the mountains at some former period of time. The water
in these ravines is abundant and excellent; and hence the poetical
name which the Chinese have given our island. _Hong-kong_, or more
properly _Heang-Keang_, the "_Island of fragrant streams_." During
the wet season--for it rains in torrents then--these little streams
swell with the augmentation of fresh water; and rush down from the
mountains with a velocity which sweeps every thing before them. In
May, 1845, one of these storms of thunder and rain visited Victoria;
and the effects produced by it were perfectly astonishing; houses were
undermined, roads made at a great expense only a few months before,
were swept away; drains were burst open; and many of the bridges and
other public works rendered perfectly useless. "The Hong-kong Register"
thus notices the storm to which I allude:--"The damage was very great,
both to the recently-formed roads and to many buildings in the course
of erection; and had the violence of the rain continued an hour or two
longer, many houses must have been undermined and destroyed. As it
was, much individual inconvenience has been sustained. About 5 o'clock
the whole of Queen's Road, from the entrance to the large bazaar to
the market-place, was completely flooded, to the depth of from two
to four feet. All the streets leading upwards to the hill served as
feeders to this lake. In Peel Street particularly, the torrent rushed
along, bearing every thing before it, and the street still resembles
a dried up water-course, covered with stones and wrecks of buildings.
The passages from the Queen's Road to the sea were all full; the one
leading through Chunam's Hong for hours presented the appearance of
a rapid river, and many of the houses on each side were only saved
from the flood by mud walls hastily raised. About 6 o'clock the rain
moderated, but for some time after the road was quite impassable. A
Coolie, attempting to ford the stream rushing down D'Aguilar Street,
was borne off his feet, but saved himself by catching hold of the frame
of a mat-shed. The drain lately formed could not carry off the water,
which committed great devastation, flooding a new house in its vicinity
to the depth of nearly three feet, and destroying some new walls. All
the open drains in the upper streets have suffered, many are entirely
destroyed, leaving scarcely a trace of the street. A stream from a
distant water-course flowed along the road above the bungalow, occupied
by the attorney-general, and descending with great fury upon the roof
of one of his out-offices, carried away a great part of it. In many
places the Queen's Road has been covered with soil, sand, &c., to the
depth of more than two feet, and nearly all the cross drains are choked
up. The bridge at the Commissariat has been carried away, and that in
the Wong-nai-chung has also disappeared. Several lives were lost by
the fall of a house in which some Chinese resided; and it is said the
stream at Pokfowlum burst upon a mat hut in which were a number of
Coolies, employed upon the new road; three saved themselves in a tree,
but many more are missing, and are supposed to have been carried out to
sea."
There is very little flat ground on the Island capable of being brought
under cultivation; indeed the only tract of any extent is the "Wang-Nai
Chung," or, as the English call it, the "happy Valley," about two miles
east from the town; and even that is not more than twenty or thirty
acres in extent. There are several other small plots of ground near
the bottom of the hills, and some few terraced patches amongst them,
but the whole is of very trifling extent. In former times the Chinese
used to cultivate crops of rice and vegetables in the Wang-Nai-Chung
Valley, but the place proved to be very unhealthy; and the Government,
supposing that the malaria might proceed from the water necessary to
bring the crops to maturity, prohibited the natives from cultivating
them, and set about draining the land. From this description it will be
seen that our settlement on this Island is entirely dependent on the
dominions of his Celestial Majesty for supplies, which he, of course,
can cut off when he pleases. Shortly after the present Governor, Sir
John Francis Davis, took the helm of affairs in China, he, with the
advice of the Legislative Council of Hong-kong, passed a law for
registering all the inhabitants of the island, English and Chinese,
the latter of course being under the rule of Her Britannic Majesty's
representative. The Chinese population, ever jealous of foreigners,
fancied there was more in this than met the eye, and that it was done
for the purpose of _squeezing_ them, and they actually rebelled against
the decree. A meeting of all the Compradores and other great men took
place, and one of the results was, that the "supplies" were stopped.
For several days every thing stood still, the Coolies would not work,
the boats would not bring provisions, in fact, the Chinese were in
a fair way of starving the "Legislative Council of Hong-kong" into
making better laws; and they succeeded at last in making them alter the
celebrated Registration Act into one more agreeable to their feelings.
From the tops of the mountains the view is grand and imposing in the
extreme; mountain is seen rising above mountain, rugged, barren and
wild--the elevation of the highest being nearly two thousand feet--the
sea as far as the eye can reach is studded with islands of the same
character as Hong-kong; on one side our beautiful bay lies beneath us
crowded with shipping and boats, and on the other, the far extending
waters of the China sea.
The climate of Hong-kong is far from being agreeable, and up to the
present time, has proved very unhealthy, both to Europeans and to the
native Chinese. During the months of July and August--the hottest
in the year--the maximum heat shown by my thermometer was 94° Fahr.
and the minimum in the same time was 80°. The difference between the
heat of day and night is generally about 10 degrees. In winter the
thermometer sometimes sinks as low as the freezing point, but this is a
rare occurrence. Even in the midst of winter, when the sun shines, it
is scarcely possible to walk out without the shelter of an umbrella,
and if any one has the hardihood to attempt it, he invariably suffers
for his folly. The air is so dry that one can scarcely breathe, and
there is no shade to break the force of the almost vertical rays of the
sun. At other times in winter, the wind blows cold and cutting from the
north, and fires are necessary in the houses; indeed, at all seasons
the climate is liable to sudden changes of temperature.
The botany of the island possesses a considerable degree of interest,
at least would have done so some years ago, when the plants indigenous
to it were less known than they now are. By far the most beautiful
plants met with on the low ground, are the different species of
_Lagerstrœmia_. There are two or three varieties, having red, white,
and purple flowers, and in the summer months when they are in bloom,
they are quite the hawthorns of China; surpassing in their gorgeous
flowers even that beautiful family. I have generally met with them in
a wild state, very near the sea shore. A little higher up we find the
beautiful _Ixora coccinea_ flowering in profusion in the clefts of
the rocks, and its scarlet heads of bloom under the Hong-kong sun are
of the most dazzling brightness. The ravines are crowded with ferns
and creeping shrubs of different kinds, not however of much interest
to the lover of ornamental flowering plants. Here, however, under the
ever-dripping rocks, we find the beautiful _Chirita sinensis_, a plant
with elegant foxglove lilac flowers, which I sent to the Horticultural
Society soon after I arrived in China, and which is now to be found in
many of the gardens of England.
It is a curious fact connected with the vegetation of Hong-kong, that
all the most ornamental flowering plants are found high up on the
mountains, from a thousand to two thousand feet above the level of the
sea. In the northern parts of China, such as Chusan and the mountainous
country near Ning-po, the same description of plants are indigenous
to less elevated situations, and there, on the tops of the hills, we
find little else than specks of grass, wild roses and violets, thus
showing how plants accommodate themselves to the climate, by choosing
a higher or lower altitude as the climate in which they are placed may
be hot or cold. All the beautiful plants indigenous to Hong-kong, with
the exceptions already pointed out, grow and flourish high up amongst
the hills. Several species of _Azalea_, a plant now so well known in
England, are found covering the sides of the hills at least fifteen
hundred feet above the level of the sea, and they are not met with at
all at a low elevation on the same hills. The _Polyspora axillaris_
grows in the same situations, and another plant, perhaps the most
beautiful of all; I mean the _Enkianthus reticulatus_. This plant is
very highly prized by the Chinese. It flowers in February and March,
about the time of their new year, and they then bring the branches down
from the hills in great quantities for the decoration of their houses.
The flowers are unexpanded when they are gathered, but by being placed
in water, they very soon bloom in the houses, and remain for more than
a fortnight as fresh and beautiful as if they had been taken up with
their roots in the most careful manner. Even the more beautiful amongst
the native Orchids are only found at a considerable elevation. The tops
of the highest hills are covered in the summer and autumn months with
the purple _Arundina sinensis_, and the yellow _Spathoglottis Fortuni_.
The trees on the island are few, and generally in a stunted condition.
The fir (_Pinus sinensis_) is common here as it is all along the
coast of China; _Cunninghamia sinensis_ is rare on Hong-kong,
although frequently met with on the main land; the tallow-tree is
also indigenous, but no use is made of its fruit. Many kinds of the
fig tribe are common, and one, the _Ficus nitida_, a kind of banyan,
sometimes forms a very ornamental tree. Several species of bamboo seem
to grow very well, and in the situations where they are found are
strikingly ornamental.
The only trees to the cultivation of which the Chinese pay any
attention, are the fruit bearing kinds; and in some places there are
very fair orchards containing the Mango, Leechee, Longan, Wangpee,
Orange, Citrons, and Pumelows.
Although there are many more species of shrubs and trees indigenous
to Hong-kong, yet after all the island has a barren and desolate
appearance. The nature of the soil will always be a great barrier in
the way of any improvement in this state of things; but even this, to
a certain extent at least, may be overcome by the liberality of the
Government, or even by the energy and taste of private individuals,
and Hong-kong or Victoria may become in a few years very different
from what it now is. We have only to look at what has been done as an
earnest of what may follow. Trees lately planted are already growing
beautifully in the grounds of Messrs. Dents, the Honourable Major
Caine, Messrs. Jardine, and Messrs. Matheson, and at Mr. Stewart's, a
considerable way up the hill.
The island is not rich in indigenous animals. I have frequently seen
wild goats feeding in the most inaccessible parts of the rocky crags;
there are also deer and foxes, but these are extremely rare. The only
animals of the feathered tribe one meets with are, two or three species
of king-fishers, some small singing birds and a few wood-pigeons
where there are any trees or bushes to shelter them. The main land
is much better stocked with birds. From thence the natives bring to
the market large quantities of pheasants, partridges, quail, ducks,
teal, and sometimes woodcocks and snipes. These birds are seldom seen
wild amongst the mountains of Hong-kong, and when they are, they have
only accidentally strayed from the main land. Luckily for the poor
Chinese, their waters are much more productive than the land, and an
inconceivable variety of fish is daily brought to the markets, and
forms, with rice, the staple article of their food.
There are numerous fine quarries of granite along the coast, from which
the stone has been obtained for the new town of Victoria. Much of the
granite in different parts of the island is in a state of decay, and
some ingenious persons have fancied that to this may be ascribed the
prevalence of that malignant disease called the "Hong-kong fever,"
which has baffled medical skill, and carried hundreds to the tomb.
The autumnal months, August, September, and October, are most
unhealthy. In 1843, when I first visited the island, it was in a
lamentable condition. A place called the "West Point," where some
barracks stood, and which was to all appearance as healthy as any
other, proved fatal to the greater part of a detachment of our troops
quartered there. The mortality was such, that Lord Saltoun, then
commander-in-chief, was obliged to remove the wretched remnant, and
ordered the barracks to be pulled down.[1] The "Wang-nai-chung," that
"_happy_ Valley" already noticed, was another most unhealthy spot. One
of my fellow-passengers, Mr. Dyer, and his partner, who came out with
high hopes of succeeding in business under the new regulations, went to
live in this place, where, in a few days, they were seized with fever,
and in a few more they had both gone to "that undiscovered country
from whose bourn no traveller returns." In other parts of the island,
which were at that time considered more healthy, fever prevailed to a
great extent. Among those who were carried off, and whose death caused
the greatest regret, were Major Pottinger and the Honourable J. R.
Morrison, Chinese interpreter, son of the celebrated Dr. Morrison.
The former had been only out for a few days, and was on the point of
returning home with despatches for the Government. Many other instances
might be mentioned; but these are sufficient to show the deplorable
condition of our new settlement at this time; and so malignant and
fatal was this disease, that few who were seized ever recovered. The
only advice the doctors gave, was at once to leave the island and fly
to Macao.
The south side of Hong-kong was at this time considered much more
healthy than the north, where the new town of Victoria was being built.
The prevailing opinion amongst the inhabitants then was that the town
ought to have been placed on the south side, which had the advantage
of being exposed to the refreshing breeze of the south-west monsoon,
from which the north was in a great measure shut out by the range of
mountains. This theory, however, was soon disproved, for latterly the
troops stationed at Aberdeen, on the south side, have suffered more
than those in Victoria.
My own observation has led me to the following conclusions:--Much of
the sickness and mortality, doubtless, proceeded from the imperfect
construction and dampness of the houses in which our people were
obliged to live when the colony was first formed; and a great deal may
be also attributed to exposure to the fierce and burning rays of the
Hong-kong sun. All the travellers in the East, with whom I had any
conversation on the subject, agreed, that there was a fierceness and
oppressiveness in the sun's rays here, which they never experienced in
any other part of the tropics, even under the line. I have no doubt
that this is caused by the want of luxuriant vegetation, and the
consequent reflection of the sun's rays. The bare and barren rocks
and soil reflect every ray that strikes them; there are no trees or
bushes to afford shade, or to decompose the carbonic acid, and render
it fit for the respiration of man, and thus the air wants that peculiar
softness which makes it so agreeable even in hot tropical climates.
If these are the principal causes of the mortality in our new colony,
the remedy will of course be apparent to every one. Already a great
improvement has taken place in the houses of the merchants, and in the
barracks of the soldiers, and the results have been most satisfactory.
But the colonists must not stop at this stage in their improvements.
Let the Government and the inhabitants use every means in their
power to clothe the hill-sides in and around the town with a healthy
vegetation; let them plant trees and shrubs by the road sides, in
gardens, and in every place available for such purposes; and then I
have no doubt that Victoria will be quite as healthy as Macao. No one
can approve of the selection of Hong-kong as a British settlement; but
that part of the business being irremediable, we must make the most of
our bargain.
The native population in Victoria, consist of shopkeepers, tradesmen,
servants, boat-people, and Coolies, and altogether form a most motley
group. Unfortunately there is no inducement for the respectable Chinese
merchant to take up his quarters there, and until that takes place,
we shall always have the worst set of people in the country. The town
swarms with thieves and robbers, who are only kept under by the strong
armed police lately established. Previous to this, scarcely a dark
night passed without some one having his house broken into by an armed
band, and all that was valuable being carried off or destroyed. These
audacious rascals did not except the Governor even, for one night
Government House was robbed; and another time they actually stole the
arms of the sentries. These armed bands, sometimes a hundred strong,
disappeared, as they came, in a most marvellous manner, and no one
seemed to know whence they came or whither they went. Such attacks are
fortunately now of rare occurrence. In all my wanderings on the island,
and also on the main land hereabouts, I found the inhabitants harmless
and civil. I have visited their glens and their mountains, their
villages and small towns, and from all the intercourse I have had with
them, I am bound to give them this character. But perhaps the secret
of all was, that I had nothing for them to take, for I was always most
careful not to have any thing valuable about me, and my clothes, after
scrambling amongst the rocks and brushwood, were not very tempting even
to a Chinaman.
Since the island of Hong-kong has been ceded to England, the foreign
population in it has been much changed. In former days there were only
a few mercantile establishments, all known to each other, and generally
most upright and honourable men. Now people from all countries, from
England to Sydney, flock to the Celestial country, and form a very
motley group.
Viewed as a place of trade, I fear Hong-kong will be a failure. The
great export and import trade of southern China must necessarily be
carried on at Canton, as heretofore, there being at present, at least,
no inducement to bring that trade to Hong-kong. It will, nevertheless,
be a place of great importance to many of the merchants, more
particularly to those engaged in the opium trade; and will, in fact, be
the head-quarters of all houses who have business on the coast, from
the facilities of gaining early information regarding the state of
the English and Indian markets, now that steam communication has been
established between this country and the south of China. Moreover, with
all its faults, its importance may yet be acknowledged in the event
of another war. Our countrymen cannot have so entirely forgotten the
kind of protection which used to be afforded them by the Portuguese at
Macao, as to make them wish to be put in the same circumstances again;
and it is of no little importance to know that their lives and property
are safe under the British flag, which has
.... " braved a thousand years
The battle and the breeze."
[1] Before leaving China, I had occasion to visit this spot of
ground--the grave of many a brave soldier. A fine road leading round
the island, for the recreation and pleasure of the inhabitants, passed
through the place where they had been buried. Many of their coffins
were exposed to the vulgar gaze, and the bones of the poor fellows lay
scattered about on the public highway. No one could find fault with the
road having been made there, but if it was necessary to uncover the
coffins, common decency required that they should be buried again.
CHAP. III.
LEAVE HONG-KONG FOR AMOY.--OPIUM STATION AT NAMOA.--LIBERTY THE ENGLISH
ENJOY THERE.--CHINESE POPULATION, AND THEIR MODES OF LIVING.--A NEW
ADMIRAL MAKES NEW LAWS.--CHERRY-BRANDY ALTERS HIS VIEWS.--THE ACCOUNT
WHICH, AS IN DUTY BOUND, HE SENDS TO PEKING.--NATURAL TUNNEL THROUGH
CHAPLE ISLAND.--AMOY.--REMARKS ON ITS TRADE.--TRAVELS IN THE COUNTRY
AMONGST THE PEOPLE.--THE WANT OF A TAIL.--THE HILLS.--ISLAND OF
KOO-LUNG-SOO.--EFFECTS OF WAR.--STRANGE ROCKS.--UNHEALTHY NATURE OF THE
ISLAND.--BOTANY AND BIRDS.--VISIT TO ONE OF THE CHIEF MANDARINS.--HIS
HOUSE AND GROUNDS.
I left the pleasant bay of Hong-kong on the 23d of August, and sailed
for Amoy. As we came out of the harbour by the western entrance, and
rounded the south side of the island, I had an excellent view of the
little town of Chuckchew, and the military station established there.
The town, or village, for it is but a small place, is pleasantly
situated on the shores of a deep bay, and fully exposed to the
refreshing breezes of the south-west monsoon, and is generally
considered much more healthy than the town of Victoria, on the opposite
side of the island.
It was now my lot to be seized with that dreadful fever, which I have
already noticed, as so prevalent in our new settlement at this time. I
lay in a very precarious state for several days, without the means of
procuring medical aid; but the sea air probably did more for me than
any thing else, and, under Providence, was the means of saving my life.
After encountering a strong gale of wind, which we rode out in a deep
bay for three days, we at last reached the opium station at Namoa.
_Namoa_ is the name of a small island about half way between Hong-kong
and Amoy, and is well known as one of the stations where the contraband
trade in opium is carried on between foreign vessels and the Chinese
smugglers. At this time I was fresh from England, and full of all the
notions which we form there of the sacredness of the Chinese empire. I
then thought that, although I might perhaps get a view of the celestial
country, no barbarian feet would be allowed to pollute the sacred soil.
Great was my surprise and pleasure when I found the captains of vessels
wandering about all over the island unmolested. They had made roads to
a considerable extent, and had built a cottage as a sort of smoking
lodge when they landed in the evenings for recreation. They had also
erected stables, and had small Chinese ponies for riding all over the
island; in fact, they seemed quite the lords of the soil, and were not
subjected to the least annoyance from the natives.
Hundreds of Chinamen gather round this spot, where they have erected
huts and a bazaar, or market, for supplying the shipping, and, what
appears not a little strange to European eyes, whenever the ships move
to any other anchorage in the vicinity, the whole of the inhabitants,
houses, market, and all, move along with them, so easily do these
individuals change about from one place to another. One of the captains
informed me that it was in contemplation to leave that particular spot
shortly, and that if I happened to visit it a day or two after this
event, all the motley groups would be gone, and the place entirely
deserted. Nor was this statement at all exaggerated, for on my return a
few months afterwards, the change of station had taken place, and not
a vestige of the little village remained: men, women, and children,
with their huts, boats, and all that belonged to them, had followed the
ships, and had again squatted opposite to them on the beach.
The different modes which these people have of obtaining a livelihood
are really astonishing: with one of these I was particularly struck.
There are boats of all kinds engaged in bringing off stock, such as
ducks, fowls, and other things, to the ships; but one kind consisted
only of five or six thick pieces of bamboo fastened together in the
form of a raft, and with this the poor fellows paddled along with two
oars, the water washing all over the raft, and frequently also over
its contents. The fowls which some of these people brought off were in
a most pitiable plight, and certainly could not exist long in such a
state.
A few months after this time a complaint was made to Sir Henry
Pottinger, then governor of Hong-kong, by the Chinese authorities
regarding this state of affairs at Namoa. It set forth that the
subjects of Her Britannic Majesty had built houses, made roads, and
in fact were making another Hong-kong at the island of Namoa, which,
according to the treaty, they had no right to do. The old Chinese
admiral, who had shut his eyes to all these irregular proceedings, had
been removed, and another, remarkable for his _prowess and bravery_ in
the suppression of piracy on that coast! had been appointed to this
station, and it was the latter with whom the complaint originated.
Sir Henry Pottinger acknowledged the irregularity of the proceeding,
but blamed the Chinese authorities for allowing it for such a length
of time, and claimed a period of six months to give time for the sale
or removal of any articles the English might have on shore. This was
agreed to on the part of the Chinese.
And now comes the part of the business, which so nicely illustrates the
peculiar character of the Chinese. When I visited Namoa, in October,
1845, I made enquiry regarding the state of affairs on shore, and
found that a little civility and a few bottles of cherry brandy had
wonderfully softened the good old admiral, and that a communication had
been received stating that some little show of compliance was actually
necessary: they must pull down the house, for example, but the stables
and horses might remain as before, and the captains might go on taking
their accustomed exercise and recreation on the island, as they had
been in the habit of doing. It was even hinted that no objection would
be made to their putting up another cottage, if they chose to do so.
In the mean time, a fine account had doubtless gone to Peking, showing
how the barbarians had been driven from the island which they had dared
to set foot upon: perhaps a battle had been fought, and a few of our
ships and their crews taken and destroyed, which would give a certain
amount of éclat to the affair. This is the way things are managed in
China! Matters being in this state, I had no difficulty in prosecuting
my botanical researches amongst the hills. These hills are of the same
barren nature as those formerly noticed, and the natural productions,
both in the animal and vegetable kingdoms, resemble those of Hong-kong.
The island of Namoa is about fifteen miles long, and of irregular
breadth; in some places about five miles. The principal town is
situated on the northern side, having a very fine bay, swarming with
fishing-boats; indeed the whole of the coasts of this celebrated
country are studded with small sailing boats belonging to fishermen,
who seem to be a most industrious and hard-working race of men: many of
them, in this island, go perfectly naked, a practice which I have not
observed so common in any other part of China.
Leaving Namoa, and sailing up the coast towards Amoy, the stranger
is continually struck with the barren rocky nature of the coast, and
in some parts has a view of hills of sand, the particles of which,
when a hurricane blows, mix with the wind, and whiten the ropes of
vessels, and render it most unpleasant to be in the vicinity. Here and
there he has a view of what appear to be rather fertile plains amongst
the hills, cultivated with sweet potatoes, rice and the other staple
productions of the country. On the top of the highest hills along
the coast, and as far as the eye can reach inland, pagodas are seen
towering, which serve as excellent marks to the mariner as he sails
along the shores. As we approached nearer to Amoy we passed Chapel
Island, remarkable for having a large natural tunnel right through its
centre, which has a most striking and curious appearance when vessels
come in a line with it. In the afternoon we anchored in the harbour of
Amoy between that island and Koo-lung-soo.
Amoy is a city of the third class, seven or eight miles in
circumference, and densely populated. It is one of the filthiest towns
which I have ever seen, either in China or elsewhere; worse even than
Shanghae, and that is bad enough. When I was there in the hot autumnal
months, the streets, which are only a few feet wide, were thatched over
with mats to protect the inhabitants from the sun. At every corner
the itinerant cooks and bakers were pursuing their avocations, and
disposing of their delicacies; and the odours which met me at every
point were of the most disagreeable and suffocating nature. The suburbs
are rather cleaner than the city; but as it is not customary to use
carriages of any kind in this part of China, the roads are narrow.
It is from this place and the adjacent coast that the best and most
enterprising Chinese sailors come. Many, or rather most of those who
emigrate to Manila, Singapore, and other parts of the straits are
natives of Amoy and the coast of Fokien, and hence this place has
generally been the head-quarters of the foreign junk trade. During the
war it was remarked by our officers, that the merchants here showed
more knowledge of English customs than those at other places did, and
all were acquainted with our settlement at Singapore, and spoke highly
of it.
Since this port has been thrown open several foreign merchants have
established themselves, and the trade, although small when compared
with that of the more northern port of Shanghae, is still considerable.
Indian cotton, cotton twist, long cloths of English and American
manufacture, and opium seem to be the principal articles of import, if
we except the Straits produce, which is chiefly brought in their own
junks. Since the arrival of the British Consul the opium ships have
been removed from the harbour, and now lie just outside its limits,
where the Chinese smugglers are allowed to visit them with impunity.
Unfortunately for the trade at Amoy, the exports of which we are most
in need--I mean teas and silk--are not so easily brought to it as to
the northern port of Shanghae. This, of course, will be much against
Amoy; but nevertheless it may do a considerable portion of business
in other ways. All sorts of coins are current here: dollars, rupees,
English shillings and sixpences, Dutch coins, &c. &c., are all met
with, and pass current by weight. Native gold, in bars, is sometimes
brought in considerable quantities, to pay for the cotton and opium,
and is I believe considered of a very pure quality.
During my stay here I was continually travelling in the interior, going
sometimes a considerable distance up the rivers, and then landing, and
prosecuting my botanical researches in the adjacent country. Frequently
in these excursions I came unexpectedly upon small towns and villages,
and generally walked into them without the least obstruction on the
part of the natives; indeed, they seemed in most cases highly delighted
to see me. When the day was hot I would sit down under the shade of a
large banyan-tree, generally found growing near the houses, and then
the whole village--men, women, and children, would gather around,
gazing at me with curiosity not unmixed with fear, as if I were a being
from another world. Then one would begin to examine my clothes, another
would peep into my pockets, while several others were examining my
specimens. The general opinion seemed to be that I was a medical man,
and in a very short time I was surrounded with invalids of all classes
and ages, begging assistance and advice. The number of persons who are
diseased in a Chinese village is really astonishing. Many of them are
nearly blind, and a much greater number, in this part of the country
at least, were affected with cutaneous diseases of the most loath-some
description; originating probably in their peculiar diet, and dirty
habits.
I was one day travelling amongst the hills in the interior of the
island in places where I suppose no Englishman had ever been before.
The day was fine, and the whole of the agricultural labourers were at
work in the fields. When they first saw me, they seemed much excited,
and from their gestures and language I was almost inclined to think
them hostile. From every hill and valley they cried "Wyloe-Fokei," or
"Wyloe-san-pan-Fokei," that is, "Be off to your boat, friend;" but on
former occasions I had always found that the best plan was to put a
bold face on the matter and walk in amongst them, and then try to get
them into good humour. In this instance the plan succeeded admirably:
we were in a few minutes excellent friends; the boys were running in
all directions gathering plants for my specimen-box, and the old men
were offering me their bamboo-pipes to smoke. As I got a little nearer
to the village, however, their suspicions seemed to return, and they
evidently would have been better pleased, had I either remained where
I was, or gone back again. This procedure did not suit my plans, and
although they tried very hard to induce me to "wyloe" to my "san-pan,"
it was of no use. They then pointed to the heavens, which were very
black at the time, and told me that it would soon be a thunder-storm,
but even this did not succeed. As a last resource, when they found
that I was not to be turned out of my way, some of the little ones
were sent on before to apprize the villagers of my approach, and when
I reached the village, every living thing, down even to the dogs and
pigs, were out to have a peep at the "Fokei." I soon put them all, the
dogs excepted[1], in the best possible humour, and at last they seemed
in no hurry to get rid of me. One of the most respectable amongst
them, seemingly the head man of the village, brought me some cakes and
tea, which he politely offered me. I thanked him and began to eat. The
hundreds who now surrounded me were perfectly delighted. "He eats and
drinks like ourselves," said one; "Look," said two or three behind me
who had been examining the back part of my head rather attentively,
"look here, the stranger has no tail;" and then the whole crowd, women
and children included, had to come round me, to see if it was really
a fact, that I had no tail. One of them, rather a dandy in his way,
with a noble tail of his own, plaited with silk, now came forward, and
taking off a kind of cloth, which the natives here wear as a turban,
and allowing his tail to fall gracefully over his shoulders, said to
me in the most triumphant manner, "_look at that._" I acknowledged it
was very fine, and promised if he would allow me to cut it off, I would
wear it for his sake. He seemed very much disgusted at the idea of such
a loss, and the others had a good laugh at him.
The hills in this part of the country are more barren than any I ever
recollect to have seen either before or since; consisting entirely
of bare rocks and gravelly sand, as hard and as solid as stone, with
scarcely a vestige of vegetation. In height they vary from five hundred
to two thousand feet above the level of the sea. Further inland the
ground is more level: it is also much more fertile, and yields good
crops of rice, sweet potatoes and earth-nut, besides a considerable
quantity of ginger and sugar.
The island of Koo-lung-soo is situated opposite to the town of Amoy,
and commands it. At the time of the war this island was taken by
the English troops, and occupied until the spring of 1845, when the
Chinese paid a part of the ransom money, and it was again placed in
their hands. It is scarcely two miles long, and of irregular breadth,
and seems to have been, before the war, the residence of some of the
principal inhabitants in this part of the country. Most of the houses
on the island are in ruins, but their remains show what they were,
and prove the wealth of their former residents. I could not look upon
the ruined walls, the pretty fish-ponds, all overgrown with weeds
and filled up with rubbish, the remains of gardens, ruinous as the
houses, without wishing most sincerely that war, and all its attending
calamities, might long be kept from my own peaceful, happy home, and
soon be unnecessary in every part of the world. According to all
accounts, the less respectable part of the natives had done more to
make the houses of this island have a ruinous appearance, than our
troops during the war, by pulling down every thing that they could
possibly carry away and dispose of.
Some immense blocks of stone (granite) are here supported naturally on
the tops of the hills in the strangest manner, and are objects of great
interest to the traveller. One, in particular, appears as if some giant
arm had raised it to its present position, and left it there solely to
astonish the beholder in after-ages, and leave him to wonder not only
how it came there, but how it could remain in its present position,
and, most assuredly, a very small quantity of gunpowder exploded below
it would hurl it from the hill into the plain beneath. Another huge
rock stands near the entrance of the harbour: this, however, seems to
have been on the point of giving way, for it is now supported by a mass
of stone-work on one side. The natives have a tradition concerning this
rock, and say that as long as it stands, the town of Amoy will never
fall before a foreign enemy. Unfortunately for the prophecy, Amoy, like
the rest of the places attacked by the English, was taken, although the
rock still stands as before.
The island, particularly on the north-eastern and eastern sides, is
very unhealthy: fever and cholera prevail to a great extent during the
south-west monsoon, and are most fatal. Our troops suffered far more
from the climate, when they had possession of the place, than from
the guns of the Chinese at the taking of Amoy. In the autumn of 1843,
the sickness amongst the officers and men of the 18th Royal Irish was
almost unprecedented: dismay was painted in every countenance, for
every one had lost his comrade or his friend. It was dismal indeed. I
have known many who were healthy and well one day, and on the morrow
at sunset their remains were carried to their last resting-place. The
little English burial-place was already nearly full, and the earth was
red and fresh with recent interments, scarcely a day passing without
two or three being added to the number of the dead. And yet what was
rather strange, a detachment of the 41st M. N. I. commanded by Captain
Hall, were, officers and men, all perfectly healthy; they were,
however, on a different part of the island.
I fear that the more we know of China the more will be dispelled the
notions of its being a healthy country, which we had formed from the
experience of those who lived in their shaded airy houses at Macao and
Canton. During my rambles on Koo-lung-soo I stumbled on the tombstones
of some Englishmen, who, according to the inscriptions on them, had
been interred upwards of one hundred and fifty years: their graves had
been preserved during that long period by the Chinese, who seem to pay
great respect to the tombs of the dead. Lately the stones had been
replaced and the tombs repaired by one of our captains on the coast,
who, for this respectful and praiseworthy act, had acquired amongst his
comrades the name of _Old Mortality_.
In the midst of such rocky mountains and barren scenery, it will not
be expected that I could have much success in my botanical researches.
Besides, the flora has still much of the same tropical character as
the Canton province. In the gardens there were several pretty shrubs,
but the greater part of them were well known, such, for example, as
the _Jasminum Sambac, Olea fragrans, China rose, Chrysanthemums_, and
various other common species. The hedges and crevices of the rocks
abound in a little creeper called _Pæderia fœtida_, very pretty, but
having a most disagreeable odour. There are, however, some very pretty
roses on the island, producing small double flowers of great neatness
and beauty, although destitute of perfume. These I sent home to the
garden of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick.
Birds are very rare, and the species most meagre in number: indeed this
may be expected, as there is no shelter for them. A small Mina with
white wings is met with in large flocks; white-necked crows are common,
as well as paddy-birds, Indian kites, and two or three varieties of
kingfishers. During my stay here I was much assisted by Captain Hall of
the 41st N. I., who was fond of botany, and well acquainted with the
localities of all the plants in the neighbourhood.
One day I went in company with this gentleman and the Rev. Mr. Abele,
an American missionary, to pay our respects to one of the principal
mandarins, and to see his houses and gardens. His residence is in
the suburbs of the town, on the side of a rocky hill, close to the
beach. When we entered the outer court, we were received by a number
of officers of inferior rank, and conducted to a kind of office,
where, after politely desiring us to sit down, they offered us their
pipes to smoke, and snuff-boxes, or rather phials of glass and stone,
containing something which was like Scotch snuff, and rather agreeable.
There were two couches or beds in the room, on one of which I observed
a small lamp burning and an opium pipe lying by its side, by which
I conjectured we had disturbed an opium-smoker in the midst of his
enjoyment. Tea was immediately set before us, as is the custom in this
country; but it was very indifferent, and, as Mr. Abele informed us
that we should get much better when we were introduced to the principal
Mandarin, we only tasted it in compliment to our good friends.
In a few minutes the Mandarin himself came to conduct us into a more
splendid apartment. It was a large airy room, one side fitted up with
finely carved cases, in the centre of which stood a time-piece and
some beautiful jars filled with flowers. I here had an opportunity of
seeing the great veneration with which the Chinese regard anything that
is old. One of these pieces of porcelain, he informed us, had been in
his family for five hundred years, and had the peculiar property of
preserving flowers or fruits from decay for a lengthened period. He
seemed to prize it much on account of its age, and handled it with
great veneration. The other side of the room was elevated a little, and
fitted up for the "sing-song," or theatricals, of which the Chinese,
from the highest to the lowest, are passionately fond. Tea was soon
brought in, in a tea-pot, in the European fashion, and not in the
manner usual amongst the Chinese; for the custom with them is first
to put the tea into the cup, and then to pour the water over it, the
visitor drinking the beverage and leaving the leaves in the bottom of
the cup--an admirable mode for such persons as the Aberdeen gentleman,
who, some years since, when coffee was not so common as it is now,
complained that "his landlady did not give him the thick as well as the
thin." Sugar is never used by the Chinese with their tea.
The Mandarin, after making various inquiries about us--what our names
were? what our occupations? how long we had been from home? and more
particularly how old we were?--and after minutely inspecting our
clothes, the coloured waist-coats apparently gratifying him very much,
asked us to walk out and see the grounds around the mansion. The house
stands near the base of the hill, and the garden lies behind it:
the whole is really pretty; the large banyan-trees overhanging the
walks, and the huge and rugged rocks forming caves and shades from
the sun. A very fine spring issues from the hill-side, from beneath a
rock. This water the proprietor praised very much, and we all drank
heartily of it to please him: really such a spring, in a place like
this, is invaluable. A telescope was brought to us, which he evidently
considered a great curiosity. He placed it upon a large stone table,
carefully adjusting it to the desired view, and then asked us to
look through it; but we were not accustomed to use the instrument in
that way, and took it up in our hands in the usual manner. He seemed
surprised that we could see through it this way. After showing us all
the curiosities in the garden, he took us back into the house, where
tea was again set before us, with the addition of six or seven kinds
of cake, which, however good they may be considered by the Chinese, I
must confess I did not like. I have since tasted excellent buns and
short cakes in Chusan and Shanghae. After some further conversation,
we withdrew, the Mandarin inviting us to renew our visit as often as
we pleased. It was now dark, and we were lighted to the river with
torches, followed, as usual, by some hundreds of the Chinese, who
were all respectful and civil. Indeed, we were always honoured with a
body-guard of this description wherever we went.
[1] The Chinese house-dog has a great antipathy to foreigners, and will
scarcely make friends with them.
CHAP. IV.
LEAVE AMOY.--GALE IN THE FORMOSA CHANNEL.--DRIVEN BACK TO
CHIMOO.--CHIMOO BAY.--CHINESE MODE OF PAYING TAXES.--CHARACTER OF
THE NATIVES.--JOURNEY TO THE HILLS.--CHIMOO PAGODA.--INTERESTING
SCENERY.--ATTACKED AND ROBBED.--MY SERVANT'S OPINION OF THE STATE OF
MATTERS.--GET BACK IN SAFETY TO THE SHORE.--NOVEL MODE OF CROSSING THE
WET SANDS.--NEW PLANTS FOUND.--THE BAY OF CHINCHEW.
Having travelled all over the country adjacent to Amoy, and completed
my researches, at the end of September I sailed again towards the
Formosa Channel, on my way to our most northern stations of Chusan,
Ningpo and Shanghae. The Monsoon, however, had now changed from
south-west to north-east, and we experienced very stormy weather, with
strong northerly currents, which, of course, were directly against
us. The vessel was at last obliged to put into the Bay of Chinchew
from stress of weather, and having sprung her bowsprit in the gale,
it was impossible for her to proceed. At one time the sea was running
so high, and the vessel plunging so much, that the whole of her decks
were frequently under water. Some idea may be formed of the storm when
I mention that a large fish weighing at least thirty pounds was thrown
out of the sea upon the skylight on the poop, the frame of which was
dashed to pieces, and the fish fell through, and landed upon the cabin
table.
In a day or two our cargo was got out and put into another vessel,
in which I also embarked, and we again proceeded on our voyage. This
attempt was even more disastrous than the last, for after being out for
several days, and having got nearly through the Formosa Channel, we met
one of those dreadful gales so well known to the navigators of these
seas. Our newest and strongest sails were split to pieces, the bulwarks
washed away, and in spite of the best seamanship, and every exertion,
we were driven back far below the bay from which we started about a
week before. I shall long remember one of these fearful nights. The
poor Lascar crew were huddled together under the long boat, to shelter
themselves from the wind: the sea was running very high, and washing
our decks fore and aft, as if we had been a narrow plank tossing on the
waves. I had gone below, and the Captain had come down for a second,
to look at the barometer, when we felt a sea strike the vessel with
terrible force, and heard a crash which sounded as if her sides had
been driven in; at the same moment the glass of the skylight came down
about our ears, and the sea forced its way into the cabin. I certainly
thought the little schooner had gone to pieces; but Captain Landers
rushed on deck to ascertain the damage which had been done, and to
try to repair it. The night was very dark; but he soon found that our
weather bulwarks had been stove in, and the long-boat carried over to
leeward from its place in mid-ships, where it was fixed. Luckily the
lee bulwarks held it fast, otherwise the boat and the whole of our crew
would have been swept together into the angry foaming ocean, where no
mortal arm could have rendered them any assistance. Two glazed plant
cases filled with plants from Amoy, which were on the deck, were dashed
to pieces, and their contents, of course, completely destroyed. In the
long voyage from England to China, even in rounding the celebrated
"Cape of Storms," I never experienced such weather as I met with on the
east coast of China, at the commencement of the north-east monsoon.
After being three days in the storm, having only as much sail on the
vessel as to steady her, the gale moderated a little, and we were able
to hoist more sail, and make for the land, which proved to be a place
called Chimoo, which was far below the point which we started from a
week before.
_Chimoo Bay_ is about fifty miles north of Amoy. It has been an opium
station for foreign ships for some years; and here, even during the
war, that trade was carried on in spite of the mandarins. The natives
of the different towns on the shores of this bay are an independent and
lawless race. An anecdote was related to me by one of the captains,
which gives a fair idea how things are managed in this part of the
country.
Some of the opium merchants came on board one of the ships in the bay,
and requested the loan of some guns, for each of which they offered to
deposit a large piece of Sycee silver, which was, of course, much more
than its value; and promised to return them in a day or two. When asked
what they intended to do with them, they replied, that the mandarins
and officers of government were expected shortly to levy the taxes, and
that the people were determined not to pay. They said they only wanted
four or five guns for the purpose: these were granted them; and in a
day or two, when they returned them, inquiry was made if they had been
successful. "Oh, yes," they said: "they had driven the mandarins over
the hills." It certainly had been no very difficult matter to effect
this object.
The inhabitants in the towns and villages around the bay are frequently
at war with each other; in this they resemble the borderers of our own
country in ancient feudal times, when "might was right." As in those
days, too, a sort of black mail is levied, and treaties of peace are
concluded, one of the parties paying a stipulated sum to the other.
This, however, I am sorry to say, is not the worst trait in their
character: they are the greatest thieves and robbers in existence; as I
myself found to my cost.
One day I had sent my Chinese servant on shore with orders to gather
all the plants he could find in a certain direction, which I pointed
out to him before he left the ship; but he returned to me the next
morning with only a few useless things, which he had evidently gathered
very near the landing-place on the shore. I felt much annoyed at
this, and scolded him pretty sharply for his conduct; but he excused
himself by saying, that he durst not go in the direction to which I
had pointed, as he would have been beaten and robbed by the Chinchew
men. This I did not believe at the time, and imagined that it was
laziness on his part, for, like most of the Chinese, who receive a
specified sum per month for their services, he was rather remarkable
for this propensity; I therefore determined to set out myself on
the day following, and give him the treat of a long walk for his
misconduct. The following morning was fine, and I jumped into a China
boat which I had hired for the purpose, and reached the shore, after
being completely drenched by the breakers, which roll high along the
shores of this bay, and render the landing, particularly in small
boats, rather dangerous. When I got on shore, and proceeded to walk in
the direction I intended, the boatman and others came round me, and
attempted to dissuade me from going, by intimating that I was sure to
be attacked by the Chinchew men, and robbed or murdered. I also saw
signs of warfare in the shape of matchlocks and long bamboo poles,
in the hands of the Chinamen, who, as my servant informed me, were
obliged to carry them in self-defence. I began to wish, then, that I
had brought off from the ship a few of the crew for protection--indeed
Captain Woodrow kindly offered to send some with me when I set out:
however, it was now too late; and I determined to put a bold face on
the matter and proceed. I set out towards the hills, on one of which
stands the Chimoo pagoda, which I was anxious to visit on my route, as
I expected to get a good view of the country from its summit.
Many acres of ground here, all along the shore, are used for
evaporating sea water and forming salt, which is a great article of
trade in China. As the traveller proceeds inland, the ground, capable
of cultivation, is covered with crops of sweet potato and earth-nut,
which form the staple productions of this part of the country in the
autumnal months. Between the different fields, one often stumbles upon
the graves of the natives, sometimes finely ornamented with those
half-circular erections, so common in the south of China, and at other
times without any ornament whatever; this of course depending upon the
wealth of the relatives. The hills are like those near Amoy, rocky and
barren, having here and there a few wild plants growing on the sides of
the ravines; some of which, however, are very beautiful. The pagoda,
already mentioned, stands on the top of the highest hill, and affords
an excellent landmark to the vessels on the coast.
On my way towards the hills, I was frequently surrounded by hundreds of
the Chinese, and was evidently considered a great _natural curiosity_.
The country, although barren, teems with inhabitants; indeed, I almost
thought the very stones were changing into Chinamen, so rapidly did
the crowd accumulate at times. The sight was droll enough:--here were
I and my servant on one side of some ravine, with our specimen boxes
and other implements gathering samples of every thing we could find;
there, on the top of the other, stood three or four hundred of the
Chinese, of both sexes, and all ages, looking down upon us with wonder
painted in every countenance. And then, their features, their manners
and costume, were all so striking to a stranger, that I believe our
surprise and curiosity were mutual. They were generally civil, but
I ran a risk at last of getting into trouble, on account of a silk
neckcloth which I had on, and to which some of them took a great
fancy, telling me that it would look so well round their heads--for
in this part of China they wear a handkerchief like a turban. I was
much amused with the various plans they employed to get it from me:
one brought a handful of chillies, which he held out in one hand, and
with the other pointed to the neckcloth, intimating that he would close
the bargain in that way; another did the same with a few earth-nuts,
and some brought me a few weeds; all, however, taking care to offer
nothing of value. I began blundering Chinese to them as well as I
could, upon which two of the men ran off to the village as fast as they
could, desiring me to wait until they returned. I could not divine the
reason of this; but in order to please them, I complied with their
wishes. They soon returned, bringing with them a bottle of sam-shew, or
Chinese spirits; which they supposed I had asked for, and which they
now tendered for the neckcloth, evidently considering that this offer
must be irresistible. The crowd, however, was now becoming rather too
great, and I walked on towards the hills, and began to ascend them--a
plan which I always adopted when I wanted to get away from the Chinese,
as they are generally too lazy to follow far, where much exertion is
required. The manoeuvre answered my purpose, for I was soon left to my
own meditations. When I reached the highest hill on which the pagoda
stands, and looked down on the level plain over which I had passed, I
was at no loss to comprehend from whence the numbers came by whom I
had been surrounded, as large villages or towns now met my eye in all
directions which had not been visible when I was on the plain.
On reaching the pagoda, I was astonished to find it in a most
dilapidated condition, almost ruinous, although the main part of it,
which had been strongly built, was nearly entire. A few stone josses
or gods--a dome, with a double wall, containing a winding staircase
leading to the different balconies through which the wind howled in a
most dismal manner, are all that I can particularise about the pagoda.
I went over the whole of it, and obtained an excellent view of the
surrounding country for many miles on all sides. As far as the eye can
reach, it has the same barren and rocky character. No one noticed or
molested me in any way.
After enjoying the view of the country from the top of the hills, I
again descended to the low ground by a different way from that by which
I had come; but no sooner did I reach the plain, than I was again
surrounded by the natives. It was getting late in the afternoon, and
my servant, I believe, felt rather tired, as I had intended he should
when we started in the morning. He now began to scheme a little, to
save himself from walking any farther than he could possibly help;
and as I sometimes traversed rather wide circular routes in search of
plants, he generally took the nearest way in the direction in which
he knew we had ultimately to go. A few of the natives now began to
follow me rather closely, and from their manner I suspected that their
intentions were not good; but as they pretended to take me to some
place where I should see some good plants and flowers, I allowed them
to accompany me, and tried to keep them all in good humour. We arrived
at last in sight of a large mansion, standing in a retired part of the
country, and I was proceeding with perfect confidence towards it, when
the Chinamen began to press more closely round me; and upon feeling a
hand in my pocket, I turned quickly round, and saw the thief running
off with a letter which he had abstracted. As soon as he saw he was
discovered, he threw it on the ground, and made off; but when I put my
hand into my pocket, I found that I had lost several things of more
value. This incident stopped my progress, and made me look about for
my servant, whom I saw at some distance attacked by about eight or ten
of the fellows. They had surrounded him, presenting their knives, and
threatening to stab him if he offered the least resistance, at the same
time endeavouring to rob and strip him of every thing of the slightest
value, and my poor plants collected with so much care were flying about
in all directions. I felt that we were in a dangerous situation, and
instantly leaving my pickpockets, set off to his assistance as fast as
I could. When the Chinamen saw me coming, they all took to their heels
and left him, making off towards their companions, who were looking
on from a distance. My servant was pale with fright when I reached
him, and very much excited; nor did he fail to remind me of all he had
said the day before. I felt there was no denying we were in dangerous
company, and that the only thing to be done was to get out of it as
soon as we could. Accordingly I made straight for the village where
we had left the boat, and my servant took good care to follow close
at my heels. As we approached the landing-place the boatman came to
meet us in high spirits, saying he had expected us long ago, and was
fearful that the Chinchew men had either robbed or murdered us. It was
now ebb tide, and there was about half a mile of bare sand to cross,
with the surf breaking furiously beyond it. The boatman at first said
it was impossible to go to the ship before morning, and the people of
the village promised me good chow-chow (food), and quarters for the
night. I thanked them for all their kind offers, but told them that I
should be much better pleased to get on board of the Ka pan with three
masts, as I was to sail to Chusan early next day. Upon this, a sign
was made to some other boatmen hard by, and immediately all were in
motion. A boat was carried by a number of men across the sands to the
water. I jumped upon the back of a stout Chinaman, who scampered like a
race-horse across the wet sands, and deposited me in the boat; and they
rowed us through the rolling surf in a masterly manner. I reached the
ship, all safe and sound, although completely drenched with wet, but
with my opinion of the Chinese considerably lowered by the adventures
of the day.
Amongst the plants which were nearly destroyed in the fight between
my servant and the natives were several fine roots of _Campanula
grandiflora_, which grows wild amongst these hills, and a new species
of Abelia (_Abelia rupestris_). Both have ultimately arrived safe in
England, and are now in the garden of the Horticultural Society at
Chiswick.
The bay which bears the name of _Chinchew_ has also a station for
merchants' vessels, a few miles further north than that of Chimoo. I
mention this place to show the great change which has taken place in
the Chinese since the late war. The captains of the ships here, as at
Namoa, have now horses to take exercise in the morning and evening.
A little incident occurred about this time, which speaks for itself.
It was necessary, from some cause or other, to remove the officers'
stable, and build it on another part of the shore. The men employed for
this purpose, when taking away the stones from the one place to the
other, were stopped by some natives of the lower order, who took the
stones and appropriated them to their own use. In going past the site
of the old stable a few days afterwards, our people were surprised to
see the stones all brought back; doubtless through the interference
of some superior officer amongst the Chinese. This incident shows,
I think, that the mandarins are anxious to preserve peace with the
English, although some people, who pretend to secret sources of
information, assert that in the interior they are preparing for another
war.
The country, both with regard to vegetation and general features, is
the same as at Chimoo: I was, however, much struck with the formation
of one part of the main-land near the entrance to the bay. Part of
the hill was rocky, but other parts were formed by immense banks of
sea-sand, which appear to have been driven up from the bottom of the
ocean by some terrific storm, or convulsion of nature. Sea shells,
stony shingle, large fragments of rock, as well as sand, contribute
their share in swelling the mighty mass, and all formed a great
contrast with the appearance of every thing around it.
The natives bear the same character as those all along the coast in
this province--that of thieves and pirates; but they are the best and
most enterprising sailors in China, and you meet them in every port you
go to. Their trade will be much injured by the admission of English
vessels into the northern ports.
I must here notice the great kindness and assistance which I have
always received from the captains of vessels at these opium stations,
who were always ready to lend me a helping hand, and forward my views
by every means in their power.
CHAP. V.
LAND AT CHUSAN.--DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND.--TOWN OF
TINGHAE.--AGRICULTURE.--STAPLE PRODUCTIONS.--HEMP PLANTS.--PALM
OF WHICH ROPES ARE MADE.--TREFOIL CULTIVATED FOR MANURE.--OIL
PLANT.--FLORA.--HILLS COVERED WITH AZALEAS, ETC.--THE TALLOW
TREE.--GREEN-TEA SHRUB.--BAMBOOS AND OTHER TREES.--FRUITS.--YANG MAI
AND KUM-QUAT.--INHABITANTS AND SHOPS IN TINGHAE.--ENGLISH NAMES ON
SHOP DOORS.--A NEW LANGUAGE.--MODE OF CLASSING FOREIGNERS.--DISEASES
OF THE EYE COMMON.--SALT-MAKING.--METHOD OF PREPARING THE VEGETABLE
TALLOW.--MODE OF HATCHING EGGS BY ARTIFICIAL HEAT.
Our little vessel being sufficiently repaired, we were able to proceed
on our voyage. This time we were more fortunate, and reached the Chusan
group of islands in ten days from Chimoo. When we neared the islands,
I was delighted with the change in the aspect of the country; and as
we anchored off Keto Point, waiting for the tide, Captain Landers
kindly allowed me to have the ship's boat and crew to go on shore.
The first glance at the vegetation convinced me that this must be the
field of my future operations, and I had then no doubt that my mission
would end most successfully. Here the hills were no longer barren, but
either cultivated, or clothed with beautiful green grass, trees, and
brushwood. I returned to the vessel in high spirits, and in a few hours
afterwards we were at anchor in the fine Bay of Chusan.
Chusan is a large and beautiful island, twenty miles in length and ten
or twelve in breadth at the broadest part. In approaching it, the view
of the numerous other islands which stud the sea in all directions,
is striking and picturesque, noble mountains towering above the other
land, and fertile valleys sloping gradually to the ocean. The island
itself is a succession of hills, valleys, and glens, presenting an
appearance not unlike the scenery in the Highlands of Scotland. At
the head of every valley there are mountain passes, over which the
inhabitants cross when they wish to visit the interior of the island.
The valleys are rich and beautiful, surrounded by mountains, which in
many parts are covered with trees, and in others under cultivation:
these, in their turn, again open and expose other vallies no less
fertile, rich in vegetation, and watered by the clear streams from
the mountains. Thus the traveller can visit the whole of the island,
his way winding through valleys and over mountain passes, until his
prospect is at last arrested by the sea, of which he has had frequent
glimpses during the journey. Did our island of Hong-kong possess the
natural advantages and beauties of Chusan, what a splendid place it
might have been made by our enterprising English merchants in a very
few years!
The principal town is Tinghae, well known as the place twice taken
by the English troops during the last war. It is but small, compared
with any of the other five ports where foreigners are now trading:
the walls are not more than three miles in circumference, and the
suburbs not very extensive. When I was there, the island was in the
hands of the English, being retained by them until 1846, under the
treaty of Nanking, and Tinghae was of course the head quarters of the
troops: we had also military stations at Sing-kong and Sing-kie-mun,
the western and eastern parts of the island. Major-General Sir James
Schoedde, the officer in command, to whom I had letters from Lord
Stanley, very kindly procured me quarters in a house within the walls,
and I immediately commenced operations. I was fortunate in becoming
acquainted with Dr. Maxwell, of the 2d Madras native infantry, who was
stationed there. This gentleman, an ardent lover of botanical pursuits,
had been most indefatigable in his researches, and was consequently
able to give me much valuable information. He had also made drawings of
all the more striking plants which he had met with on the island, and I
was thus at once put in possession of information which it would have
taken me some months to acquire in any other way.
During two years from this date (Nov. 1843), I had frequent
opportunities of visiting Chusan, at all seasons of the year, and
was consequently enabled to gain a perfect knowledge of the soil,
productions, and flora of the island. The soil of the hills is a rich
gravelly loam; in the valleys it is more stiff, from having less
vegetable matter mixed with it, and from being almost continually under
water. The rocks of granite, however, of the same kind as those noticed
on the barren southern hills, exist here also; and although they are
generally covered with soil and vegetation, they have doubtless been at
some former time as bleak and barren as their southern neighbours.
All the valleys and hill-sides are under cultivation; paddy is the
principal crop on the low grounds, and sweet potatoes on the hills. In
the spring and early summer months, crops of wheat, barley, beans, peas
and maize are grown on the hilly and rising grounds, the low paddy land
being too wet for such crops. Cotton is also grown on the island, but
the quantity is inconsiderable it is only for the home use of the small
farmers on whose land it grows. There is a species of _Urtica_, both
wild and cultivated, which grows about three or four feet in height,
and produces a strong fibre in the bark, which is prepared by the
natives, and sold for the purpose of making ropes and cables. Another
strong fibre is obtained from the bracts of a palm-tree cultivated on
the hill-sides of Chusan, as well as in similar situations all over the
province of Chekiang. These articles answer the purposes to which they
are applied extremely well; but the rope made from the Manila hemp is
of much greater strength and durability. From the bracts of this same
palm the natives of the north make what they call a _So-e_, or garment
of leaves, and a hat of the same material, which they put on during
rainy weather; and although they look comical enough in the dress,
still it is an excellent protection from wind and rain. In the south
of China the _So-e_ is made from the leaves of the bamboo and other
broad-leaved grasses.
After the last crop of rice has been gathered in, the ground is
immediately ploughed up and prepared to receive certain hardy green
crops, such as clover, the oil plant, and other varieties of the
cabbage tribe. The trefoil, or clover, is sown on ridges, to keep it
above the level of the water, which often covers the valleys during
the winter months. When I first went to Chusan, and saw this plant
cultivated so extensively in the fields, I was at a loss to know the
use to which it was applied, for the Chinese have few cattle to feed,
and these are easily supplied from the road-sides and uncultivated
parts of the hills. On inquiry I was informed that this crop was
cultivated almost exclusively for manure. The large fresh leaves of the
trefoil are also picked and used as a vegetable by the natives.
The oil plant, _Brassica chinensis_, is in seed and ready to be taken
from the ground in the beginning of May. This plant is extensively
grown in this part of China, both in the province of Chekiang and also
in Kiangsoo, and there is a great demand for the oil which is pressed
from its seeds. For the information of readers not acquainted with
botany, I may state that this plant is a species of cabbage, producing
flower stems three or four feet high, with yellow flowers, and long
pods of seed like all the cabbage tribe. In April, when the fields are
in bloom, the whole country seems tinged with gold, and the fragrance
which fills the air, particularly after an April shower, is delightful.
The small ox-plough, and the celebrated water-wheel which is here
worked by hand, are the two principal implements in husbandry; the
plough seems a rude thing, but it answers the purpose remarkably well,
and is probably better for the Chinese in their present state, with
their oxen and buffaloes, than our more improved implement. An immense
quantity of water is raised with great ease by the water-wheel, and
is made to flow into the different rice flats with great rapidity. I
have often stood for a considerable time looking on and admiring the
simplicity and utility of this contrivance.
The flora of Chusan, and all over the main land in this part of the
province of Chekiang, is very different from that of the south. Almost
all the species of a tropical character have entirely disappeared, and
in their places we find others related to those found in temperate
climates in other parts of the world. I here met, for the first time,
the beautiful _Glycine sinensis_ wild on the hills, where it climbs
among the hedges and on trees, and its flowering branches hang in
graceful festoons by the sides of the narrow roads which lead over the
mountains. The _Ficus nitida_, so common around all the houses and
temples in the south, is here unknown; and many of those beautiful
flowering genera which are only found on the tops of the mountains in
the south, have here chosen less exalted situations. I allude more
particularly to the _Azaleas_ which abound on the hill-sides of this
island. Most people have seen and admired the beautiful azaleas which
are brought to the Chiswick fêtes, and which, as individual specimens,
surpass in most instances those which grow and bloom on their native
hills: but few can form any idea of the gorgeous and striking beauty of
these azalea-clad mountains, where, on every side, as far as our vision
extends, the eye rests on masses of flowers of dazzling brightness
and surpassing beauty. Nor is it the azalea alone which claims our
admiration; clematises, wild roses, honeysuckles, the Glycine, noticed
above, and a hundred others, mingle their flowers with them, and make
us confess that China is indeed the "central flowery land." There are
several species of myrtaceous and ericaceous plants, which are also
common on the hills, but no species of heath has ever been found, and I
believe the genus does not exist in this part of the country.
The tallow tree (_Stillingia sebifera_) is abundant in the valleys of
Chusan, and large quantities of tallow and oil are yearly extracted
from its seeds: tallow mills are erected in several parts of the island
for this purpose. The _Laurus Camphora_, or camphor tree, is also
abundant, but no camphor is extracted or exported from the island.
The green tea shrub (_Thea viridis_) is cultivated every where; but,
if we except a small quantity which is annually sent over to the main
land--to Ningpo and the adjacent towns,--the whole is used by the
inhabitants themselves. Every small farmer and cottager has a few
plants on his premises, which he rears with considerable care, but
seems to have no wish to enter on its cultivation on a larger scale.
Indeed it is questionable if it would answer, as the soil is scarcely
rich enough; and, although the shrub grows pretty well, it is far from
being so luxuriant as it is in the larger tea districts on the main
land. The forests of different varieties of bamboo are very striking,
and give a kind of tropical character to the Chusan scenery. I do not
know any thing more beautiful than the yellow bamboo with its clean and
straight stem, and graceful top and branches waving in the breeze: it
always reminded me of our young larch forests at home. The fir tree,
found in the south, is also common in this part of China: it seems to
be an exception to a general rule, being met with all over the country,
and in every degree of latitude. Here the _Cunninghamia sinensis_,
another of the pine tribe, is also found in abundance: it is more
rare in the south. Besides these there are several species of cypress
and juniper, which are always found growing around the tombs of the
wealthy, which are scattered over the valley and hill-sides.
In fruits Chusan is meagre indeed. All the peaches, grapes, pears,
plums, oranges, &c., which are brought to the markets of Tinghae in the
summer season, are from the main land. There are, however, two fruits
cultivated on the island, which are of considerable excellence; the
one is called _Yang-mai_: it is a scarlet fruit, not unlike an arbutus
or strawberry, but having a stone like a plum in the centre; the other
is the _Kum-quat_, a small species of Citrus, about the size of an
oval gooseberry, with a sweet rind and sharp acid pulp. This fruit
is well known in a preserved state by those who have any intercourse
with Canton, and a small quantity is generally sent home as presents
every year. Preserved in sugar, according to the Chinese method, it is
excellent. Groves of the kum-quat are common on all the hill-sides of
Chusan. The bush grows from three to six feet high, and, when covered
with its orange-coloured fruit, is a very pretty object.
The islands of the Chusan Archipelago having every variety of elevation
and soil, and a large proportion of the hills and ravines being in a
state of nature[1], I found them not only rich in plants, but had also
the satisfaction of meeting with several novelties of great interest.
The natives of Chusan are a quiet and inoffensive race, and were
always civil and obliging to me. Like the vegetation of their hills,
they are very different from their countrymen of the south, and the
change, I am happy to say, is for the better and not for the worse.
Doubtless there are thieves and bad characters amongst them; but
these are comparatively few, and are kept in better check by the
government, the result of which is, that unprotected property is in a
great measure safe, and cases of theft are almost unknown. The people
may be divided into three classes:--the countrymen or agricultural
farmers and labourers, the shopkeepers in the towns, and the mandarins
or officers of government. The trade of Tinghae and the other towns
seems to consist chiefly in articles of food and clothing, and owing
to the number of British soldiers who were there from the time of our
taking possession of the island until it was again handed over to the
Chinese, this trade was of course in a flourishing condition. Fruits
and vegetables were brought in great quantities from the main land,
fish were plentiful; good sheep were sold at about three dollars each,
and the Chinese even got so far over their religious prejudices as to
keep the market well supplied with bullocks, which were sold at prices
varying from eight to twelve dollars. It was astonishing how quickly
they got accustomed to our habits, and were able to supply all our
wants. Bread baked in the English mode was soon exposed for sale in the
shops[2], and even ready-made clothes were to be had in any quantity.
The tailors flocked from all quarters: a large proportion of the shops
near the beach were occupied by them, and they doubtless reaped a rich
harvest, although they made and sold every article of dress on the
most reasonable terms. Then there were curiosity shops without number,
containing josses or gods carved in bamboo or stone, incense burners,
old bronzes, animals of strange forms which only exist in the brains of
the Chinese, and countless specimens of porcelain and pictures. Silk
shops, too, were not wanting, and here were to be had beautiful pieces
of manufactured silk, much cheaper and better than could be purchased
in Canton. The embroidery in these shops was of the most elaborate and
beautiful description, which must be seen before it can be appreciated;
this the Chinese were making into articles, such as scarfs and aprons,
for English ladies.
The shopkeepers in Tinghae supposed an English name indispensable to
the respectability of their shops and the success of their trade, and
it was quite amusing to walk up the streets and read the different
names which they had adopted under the advice and instruction of
the soldiers and sailors to whom they had applied on the subject.
There were "Stultz, tailor, from London;" "Buckmaster, tailor to the
army and navy;" "Dominic Dobbs, the grocer;" "Squire Sam, porcelain
merchant;" and the number of tradesmen "to Her Majesty" was very
great, among whom one was "Tailor to Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen
Victoria and His Royal Highness Prince Albert, by appointment," and
below the name was a single word, which I could not make out for some
few seconds,--_Uniformsofalldescriptions._ Certificates from their
customers were also in great request, and many of these were most
laughable performances. The poor Chinese were never quite at their ease
about these certificates, as they were so often hoaxed by the donors,
and consequently were continually showing them to other customers and
asking "_what thing that paper talkie; can do, eh?_" The answer was
probably in this strain--"Oh, yes, _Fokei_, this can do, only a little
alteration, more better." Poor Fokei runs and brings a pen, the little
alteration is made, and it is needless to add that the thing is ten
times more ridiculous than it was before.
Almost all the natives who come in contact with the English understand
a little of the language; and as they have also a smattering of
Portuguese, Malay, and Bengalese, they soon mix them up all together,
and draw out of the whole a new tongue, which the most accomplished
linguist would have very great difficulty in analysing. And, what is
most amusing, they fancy all the time that this is capital English.
The way in which the Chinese classed the foreigners on the island
was somewhat droll. There were three degrees of rank which they
generally bestowed upon them,--Mandarins, or, as they pronounced it,
_Mandalees_, _Sien-sangs_, and _A-says_. In the first class they
included all persons of rank holding government situations, as well as
the officers of the army and navy; the higher being styled "Bulla Bulla
Mandalees," and the lower "Chotta Chotta Mandalees," corruptions of
Hindostan words, signifying very large and very small. The merchants
were honoured with the title of "_Sien-sang_" and the common soldiers,
sailors, and the rest of the lower orders, were all classed under the
head of A-says. The word Mandarin is not Chinese, but has always been
used by the Portuguese at Macao, as well as by the English, to denote a
Chinese government officer; Sien-sang is a Chinese term, and signifies
master or teacher, being generally used by the people as a title of
respect, in the same way as we commonly use our word Sir; but _A-say_
is quite a new appellation. "I say," or "Ay say," is a very common
expression amongst our soldiers and sailors; and when the northern
towns were taken by us during the war, the Chinese continually heard
our men shouting it out to each other, and naturally concluded that
this was the name of the class to which the lower orders belonged. It
was quite common to hear them asking each other whether such a one was
a Mandarin, a Sien-sang, or an A-say.
Cutaneous diseases are less common amongst the natives here than
amongst those in the south of China, probably owing to the more
healthy nature of the climate. They are, however, dreadfully affected
with diseases of the eye and ultimate blindness. This is, doubtless,
caused in a great measure by the operations of the native barber, who,
whenever he shaves the heads of his customers, also tickles their
eyes and probes their ears, and the result is that they become both
blind and deaf. The lashes of the eye, probably also from this cause,
frequently grow inwards, and the hairs rubbing on the eyeball soon
causes inflammation. Many of the poor natives were cured by my friend
Dr. Maxwell, who, in the kindest and most philanthropic manner, set
apart a portion of every day for the purpose. They flocked to him from
all parts of the island, submitting cheerfully and without a murmur
to operations of a most painful nature. Many most remarkable cures
resulted from his skill, and his fame spread not only all over the
island, but also to the main land--to Chinhae and Ningpo,--from whence
numbers came and begged to be admitted on his lists of patients. One
day, when I was out with the Doctor on a botanising expedition, as
we were passing a small cottage at the foot of the hills a man and
his wife rushed out, and begged us to enter their humble dwelling. We
did so, chairs were set for us, tea was brought, and the worthy pair
thanked the Doctor in the most feeling and grateful manner for his
former kindness to them. The man had been nearly blind, and unable to
work for his family, when, hearing of the wonderful English doctor, he
came over to Chusan, and soon received his sight.
Many of the inhabitants of Chusan and the neighbouring islands gain
their living by making salt on the shores. Large heaps of clay are
scraped together in winter on the flats close by the sea; and when
the weather becomes warm in summer, these heaps are spread out, and
regularly watered with sea water several times a day, which quickly
evaporates and leaves a highly saline mixture. When by this means the
soil is completely saturated, the next operation is to make a filter.
This the natives do by forming a round basin of clay and mud; in the
bottom of this they put a quantity of straw or grass, and some charcoal
or ashes on the top; they then surround the whole with another layer
of mud, and place a quantity of the saline earth in the centre. Water
is then regularly poured over this earth, and the particles of salt
are carried down through the filter in a liquid state. A pipe made of
bamboo, which had been placed below, leads the liquid into a well dug
at the side, into which it comes clear, pure, and highly saline. This
mixture is now carried off to pans, where it is boiled, until the whole
of the water is evaporated. I cannot say whether the Chinese have any
means of purifying the salt. In Chimoo Bay, the natives evaporate sea
water with the aid of the sun alone, and do not saturate the soil as
they do in Chusan; but there the sea water is perfectly clear. Amongst
the Chusan group of islands the water is yellow and muddy, being
rendered so by the large rivers which are pouring in their waters from
the main land, and more particularly by the Yang-tse-kiang.
For the following account of the Chinese method of extracting the
tallow from the seeds of the _Stillingia sebifera_ I am indebted to Dr.
Rawes, of the Madras army, who was some time resident in the island of
Chusan:--
"The seeds are picked at the commencement of the cold weather, in
November and December, when all the leaves have fallen from the
trees,--this I saw at Singkong when out shooting in the Sah-hoo valley,
close by our quarters through the village. The seeds are in the first
place taken to the building where the process of making the tallow is
carried on, and picked and separated from the stalks. They are then
put into a wooden cylinder, open at the top, but with a perforated
bottom. This is placed over an iron vessel (about the same diameter or
rather larger than the wooden cylinder, and about six or eight inches
deep) containing water, by which means the seeds are well steamed, for
the purpose of softening the tallow and causing it more readily to
separate. The furnace I saw had four or five iron vessels in a row, was
about three feet high, four or five feet broad, and eight or ten feet
long. The fire was placed at one end and fed with the husk of the rice,
dry grass, and such like cheap materials which make a great flame, and
the flue was of course carried directly under the whole of the iron
vessels.
"When the seeds have steamed ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, they
are thrown into a large stone mortar, and are gently beaten by two men
with stone mallets for the purpose of detaching the tallow from the
other parts of the seed. They are then thrown upon a sieve, heated over
the fire, and sifted, by which process the tallow is separated, or
nearly so, although they generally undergo the process of steaming &c.
a second time that nothing may be lost. The other part of the seed is
ground and pressed for oil.
"The tallow now resembles coarse linseed meal, but with more white
spots in it, and derives its brown colour from the thin covering over
the seed (between it and the tallow) which is separated by the pounding
and sifting. In this state it is put between circles of twisted straw,
five or six of which are laid upon each other, and thus forming a
hollow cylinder for its reception. When this straw cylinder (we may
call it so) has been filled, it is carried away and placed in the
press, which is a very rude and simple contrivance, but which, like
every thing Chinese, answers the purpose remarkably well. The press
consists of longitudinal beams of considerable thickness, placed about
a foot and a half, or two feet, asunder, with a thick plank at the
bottom, forming a kind of trough, and the whole is bound together with
iron. The tallow is pressed out by means of wedges driven in very
tightly with stone mallets, and passes through a hole in the bottom
of the press into a tub, which is sunk there to receive it. It is now
freed from all impurities, and is a semifluid of a beautiful white
colour, but soon gets solid, and in cold weather is very brittle. The
inside of the tubs which collect the tallow are sprinkled or dusted
over, with a fine red earth, well dried, which prevents the tallow from
adhering to their sides. It is thus easily removed in a solid state
from the tubs, and in this condition the cakes are exposed for sale
in the market. As the candles made from this vegetable tallow have a
tendency to get soft and to melt in hot weather, they are commonly
dipped in wax of various colours, as red, green, and yellow. Those
which are intended for religious purposes are generally very large, and
finely ornamented with golden characters."
"The cake, or refuse, which remains after the tallow has been pressed
out of it, is used for fuel, or to manure the land, and so is the
refuse from the other part of the seeds from which oil is extracted."
One of the greatest Lions in Chusan is an old Chinaman, who every
spring hatches thousands of ducks' eggs by artificial heat. His
establishment is situated in the valley on the north side of the city
of Tinghae, and is much resorted to by the officers of the troops and
strangers who visit the island. The first question put to a sight-seer
who comes here is, whether he has seen the hatching process, and if he
has not, he is always recommended to pay a visit to the old Chinaman
and his ducks.
When I set out upon this excursion for the first time, it was a
beautiful morning in the end of May, just such a morning as we have in
the same month in England, but perhaps a little warmer. The mist and
vapour were rolling lazily along the sides of the hills which surround
the plain on which the city of Tinghae is built; the Chinese, who are
generally early risers, were already proceeding to their daily labours,
and although the greater part of the labouring population are very
poor, yet they seem contented and happy. Walking through the city, and
out at the north gate, I passed through some rice fields, the first
crop of which had been just planted, and a five minutes' walk brought
me to the poor man's cottage. He received me with Chinese politeness;
asked me to sit down, and offered me tea and his pipe, two things
always at hand in a Chinese house, and perfectly indispensable. Having
civilly declined his offer, I asked permission to examine his hatching
house, to which he immediately led the way.
The Chinese cottages generally are wretched buildings of mud and stone,
with damp earthen floors, scarcely fit for cattle to sleep in, and
remind one of what Scottish cottages were a few years ago, but which
now, happily, are among the things that were. My new friend's cottage
was no exception to the general rule: bad fitting, loose, creaking
doors, paper windows, dirty and torn; ducks, geese, fowls, dogs, and
pigs in the house and at the doors, and apparently having equal rights
with their masters. Then there were children, grand-children, and, for
aught that I know, great-grand-children, all together, forming a most
motley group, which, with their shaved heads, long tails, and strange
costume, would have made a capital subject for the pencil of Cruikshank.
The hatching-house was built at the side of the cottage, and was a kind
of long shed, with mud walls, and thickly-thatched with straw. Along
the ends and down one side of the building are a number of round straw
baskets, well plastered with mud, to prevent them from taking fire.
In the bottom of each basket there is a tile placed, or rather the
tile forms the bottom of the basket; upon this the fire acts,--a small
fire-place being below each basket. Upon the top of the basket there is
a straw cover, which fits closely, and which is kept shut whilst the
process is going on. In the centre of the shed are a number of large
shelves placed one above another, upon which the eggs are laid at a
certain stage of the process.
When the eggs are brought, they are put into the baskets, the fire is
lighted below them, and an uniform heat kept up, ranging, as nearly as
I could ascertain by some observations which I made with a thermometer,
from 95° to 102°, but the Chinamen regulate the heat by their own
feelings, and therefore it will of course vary considerably. In four or
five days after the eggs have been subject to this temperature, they
are taken carefully out, one by one, to a door, in which a number of
holes have been bored nearly the size of the eggs; they are then held
against these holes, and the Chinamen look through them, and are able
to tell whether they are good or not. If good, they are taken back,
and replaced in their former quarters; if bad, they are of course
excluded. In nine or ten days after this, that is, about fourteen days
from the commencement, the eggs are taken from the baskets, and spread
out on the shelves. Here no fire-heat is applied, but they are covered
over with cotton, and a kind of blanket, under which they remain about
fourteen days more, when the young ducks burst their shells, and the
shed teems with life. These shelves are large, and capable of holding
many thousands of eggs; and when the hatching takes place, the sight
is not a little curious. The natives who rear the young ducks in the
surrounding country know exactly the day when they will be ready for
removal, and in two days after the shell is burst, the whole of the
little creatures are sold, and conveyed to their new quarters.
[1] This description will scarcely agree with those writers who inform
us that such is the persevering industry of the Chinese, that every
inch of ground in China is under cultivation! "Facts, however, are
stubborn things."
[2] A mode of baking and cooking in use here is ingenious. A large
rice-pan is filled with water, with a fire below it: upon this is
placed a kind of sieve, made of bamboo, and filled with bread or other
articles to be cooked; several of these sieves one above another have
all their contents cooked at the same time, the steam rising through
the lower to the upper ones. The sides of course fit nicely, and
prevent the steam from escaping, and there is a close cover which fits
on to the uppermost one. Our common brick oven is also in use here.