As in perfect and wonderful contrast to the magnificent floating palaces
just described, we close the subject of navigation by a view of the
clumsy Chinese junk, which is represented in the cut below. The Chinese,
though neither a savage, nor a barbarous people, are still, in most
respects, very unlike other civilized nations. In houses, dress,
furniture, equipage, worship, indeed, in most of the actions, feelings,
and opinions of life, they are a peculiar people. They have, in fact,
struck out a civilization of their own. Their religion, their
literature, their arts, are all Chinese, and nothing but Chinese. It is
curious to observe that although, for many centuries, they have been a
cultivated people, and have even preceded the Europeans in many useful
and ingenious discoveries, they seem to stand still at a certain point,
beyond which they are not capable of improvement. There they remain,
century after century; and, while other nations have surpassed them,
they still conceive that they are the most learned, civilized and
polished people in the world. All other nations they conceive to be
barbarians, and hold them in supercilious contempt. And the Chinese
vessels may serve as a sample of their national character. We give above
a picture of one of their junks, which shows some ingenuity, and no
little industry; yet how clumsy, how ineffective is it, in comparison
with a Yankee steamboat! The Chinese can go, by dint of rowing, three
miles an hour, while we go fifteen. This is about the difference between
the energy of the Chinese and the civilized people of Europe and
America.
[Illustration: CHINESE JUNKS.]