Amoy--Its Trade--Cause of Decay--Infanticide--Manner of
destroying Female Infants--China Woman's Confession--
Environs--British and American Cemeteries--The Fatal
Rock--Koo-lung-Seu--Chinese Gunnery--Chinese Customs--
Marriage--Death--Manner of Mourning--Pagoda of
Nan-tae-Woo-Shan.
On the morning of the 29th of May, came into the port of Amoy and
anchored. Communicated with our Consul, who stated that our commerce was
very small at that point, and although it is connected with the tea
district, but five American vessels had entered the port for the past
two years.
Of all the "five ports," Amoy appears to have the least foreign trade,
and notwithstanding its contiguity to the region of China, in which its
principal article of export is produced, enjoys but little commerce.
This is in a measure to be attributed to the difficulty of entering its
bay at all seasons, but is mainly caused by the apathy and lack of
enterprise of its inhabitants. They appear to be less disposed to trade
with foreigners than any other Chinese we visited, and in their shops
were perfectly indifferent whether we became purchasers or not, using no
exertions to effect sales. This was so opposite to what we had always
found to be a prominent feature of Chinese character as to excite
remark. In Canton, Macào, and Shanghae, they had pressed their wares
upon us, but in Amoy you might examine the contents of a shop, without
being importuned to purchase a single article.
The principal trade appeared to be in opium. There were two receiving
ships in the bay, and from the general appearance of the people, would
be led to suppose that a great deal of it was smoked by them, and this
accounted for their apathy and want of energy.
It must end so, that this opium trade will be the ruin of China, for in
its use it not only enervates the people, but it is procured by draining
the country of the precious metals, and it may be fairly stated, that
for every ounce of opium brought into the country, nearly its weight in
Sycee silver has been extracted.
The town of Amoy presents the same features as Shanghae, and other
Chinese cities: streets narrow and filthy, and dirt abundant, an equal
number of offensive smells pervade the atmosphere, and as many
disgusting sights offend the eye; beggars, to be sure, are not so common
as at Shanghae, but the inhabitants have a squalid look, as if _too lazy
to beg_. Infanticide--or if I may be allowed to coin a word for this
peculiar kind of child murder on account of its being confined entirely
to the female sex--"Puellacide" is said to prevail to a greater extent
in this region than even in Canton itself. Whilst sons are considered an
honor, and their growth looked upon as a matter of profit, the giving
birth to a daughter is proportionably a disgrace, and the rearing of it
a disadvantage, consequently the female infant is generally allowed but
a few moments existence in "this breathing world," and is usually
strangled by the hands of its unnatural mother immediately upon its
birth. The manner in which this act is said to be performed, is by
filling up the mouth of the babe with rice, and holding its nostrils
closed with the hand until suffocation is produced.
It is hard to suppose that a mother can thus act towards her offspring,
but it is known to be too true, and it may be a better fate than is
reserved for many of the sex whose lives have been spared, for so
useless an incumbrance are females considered in the families of the
lower orders, and so little regard have their parents for them, that
even before they grow up, they are often sold for the worst purposes.
A Chinese woman, who had been converted to Christianity, confessed, that
in her ignorance, she had destroyed _seven_ of her own infants, females
of course, not considering the custom of her country, at that time, a
crime.
Although there is but little to interest one in the town of Amoy, there
are several pleasant places in its vicinity. Yet every where appeared
the evidence of "decay's effacing fingers." On the opposite side of the
bay was once a flourishing site, which previous to the attack of the
English had been the residence of the wealthier citizens, mandarins,
etc. When the British troops invested this place, they occupied these
buildings as barracks; and being withdrawn after the treaty, left them
in a ruinous condition. They have not been used since, and the large
gardens, evidently at one time cultivated with much taste, have now run
to waste. In these were romantic grottoes, in which are curiously carved
resting-places, cut out of the rock.
The English burial ground is in this neighborhood; it is a small place,
and walled in. The mortality amongst the troops was very great during
the occupancy of this place, and this area is said to contain over a
regiment of soldiers.
The American cemetery is more prepossessing in appearance. It is
situated in a picturesque valley, full of beautiful trees, and did not
contain many graves. From it there is a fine view of the bay and
islands, and the city of Amoy.
In crossing the bay on our return, there was pointed out a singularly
shaped rock in height about thirty feet, with a narrow base, and
swelling out as it ascended, in appearance similar to a boy's top. The
Chinese have a startling prophecy connected with it, which is, that when
it shall fall, the present dynasty of China will also decline; reminding
one of the Latin saying, "When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall." But
Rome has fallen, and the Coliseum still stands! Will the parallel hold
good between this rock and China? The island of Koo-lung-Seu, when the
British made the attack upon Amoy, appears to have been well fortified,
but the Chinese committed a great error in the _training_ of their guns,
or rather in placing them so as to have been unable to take any other
range than point blank! Here is a fort mounting upwards of fifty guns of
large calibre, which would have commanded the bay, but the embrasures
are so small as barely to admit the muzzle of the gun, the breech of
which was imbedded in the earth. These were soon silenced, as may well
be supposed, by the attacking squadron taking a position beyond their
range, and training their own batteries to bear upon the Chinese
gunners within, who kept blazing away into the unresisting air, whilst
the British riddled the fort at leisure. The mandarin in charge, a
Tartar, who would not be caught, drowned himself.
From Mr. Bradley, our intelligent Consul at Amoy, who appears to have
devoted much time to the study of the Chinese and their customs,
obtained a great deal of information respecting them.
In regard to marriages, he stated, that when a Chinaman considers
himself rich enough to take a wife, he informs the object of his choice
_by letter_, which is usually a sheet of paper some five or six feet in
length; this is shown to her parents, and if the match is thought a
proper one, she is allowed to make known her compliance in a
_billet-doux_ of equal proportions. After this interchange, the father
of the selected fair calls upon the proposing party to arrange
preliminaries, amongst not the least important of which is the payment
of a sum of money agreed upon between them; this fund is _supposed_ to
be for the furnishing of the bride.
The happy day is then appointed, and when it arrives a plentiful supply
of edibles flows in from the friends of both families to the house of
the bridegroom; from whence are dispatched a number of his friends to
carry the bride to her future home; by these she is borne along in a
sedan chair, closely veiled, accompanied by music, and is received by
her future "lord and _master_" seated in state, and surrounded by the
tablets of his ancestors; then for the _first_ time in his life he
_beholds the face_ of the woman of his choice!
The marriage being consummated, three days succeeding are devoted to
festivities.
When a woman has been so unfortunate as to become a widow, especially
without male issue, she testifies her grief in every imaginable manner,
filling the air with her lamentations, tearing her loosened hair, and
giving all the demonstrations of the deepest sorrow. At each meal food
is placed at the accustomed seat, and the absentee is entreated to
return and partake in the most endearing terms. This is continued for a
season, when, as if tired of entreaty so unavailingly lavished, and in
the true spirit of her sex, the widow changes her tune, and commences to
abuse the "dear departed." For one year this practice is kept up, after
that, twice a month for three years; then only upon the anniversary of
his death. Have not been apprised of any success having attended these
applications, or whether the applicants were sincere in their
expressions; but am rather inclined to doubt the sincerity of the
mourner, excepting in cases where male issue is desired, and then their
grief has a selfish motive.
There was an instance in a Chinese house opposite the Consulate, where a
woman, who had been deprived of her partner by death, a short time
previously, was calling him to breakfast, and deprecating his delay in
no measured terms.
The Pagoda, or tower of Nan-tae-Woo-Shan, is a conspicuous object near
Amoy. It is one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight feet above the
level of the sea, and an excellent mark for vessels making the harbor.