CLIMATE OF CANTON AND MACAO--METEOROLOGICAL AVERAGES--DEPARTURE
FROM CANTON FOR MACAO AND LINTING--MACAO--POPULATION--SUPERSTITIOUS
CEREMONY.
[Sidenote: CLIMATE.]
The coast of China being similarly situated to that of the United
States, having a vast continent stretching from the south and northwest
to the northeast, possesses a climate nearly of the same character and
temperature. From the gulf of Tung-hing to the vicinity of Canton, it
may well be compared to the coast stretching from the Mississippi to
North Carolina, and the coast extending from Canton to that of Tartary,
to the states from North Carolina to Maine.
The climate of Peking is salubrious, and like that of the middle and
northern states of the union. The water is frozen from December until
March. Violent storms occur in the spring; the heat in summer is great,
and the autumnal months of September, October and November are the most
pleasant part of the year. But my principal object is to delineate
the climate of Canton and Macao, which lie between the latitudes of
twenty-two and twenty-three north; the statement is copied from the
Canton Register. I have added thereto several tables of meteorological
averages. Canton is regarded by the Chinese, as one of the most
unhealthy portions of their country, yet it is a more healthy climate
than that of most other places, situated in the same degree of latitude.
The weather during the month of January, is dry, cold, and bracing,
differing but little, if at all, from the two preceding months,
November and December. The wind blows generally from the north,
occasionally inclining to northeast or northwest. Any change to
the south, causes considerable variation in the temperature of the
atmosphere.
During the month of _February_ the thermometer continues low; but the
dry, bracing cold of the three preceding months is changed for a damp
and chilly atmosphere: the number of fine days is much diminished, and
cloudy or foggy weather of more frequent recurrence in February and
March than in any other months. At Macao, the fog is often so dense as
to render objects invisible at a few yards’ distance.
The weather in the month of _March_, as stated above, is damp and
foggy; but the temperature of the atmosphere becomes considerably
warmer. To preserve articles from damp, it is requisite to continue the
use of fires and closed rooms, which the heat of the atmosphere renders
very unpleasant. From this month the thermometer rises until July and
August, when the heat is at its maximum.
The thick fogs which begin to disappear towards the close of _March_,
are, in April, seldom if ever seen. The atmosphere, however, continues
damp, and rainy days are not unfrequent; the thermometer at the same
time, gradually rises, and the nearer approach of the sun, renders
its heat more perceptible. In this, and the following summer months,
southeasterly winds generally prevail.
In the month of _May_, summer is fully set in, and the heat,
particularly in Canton, is often oppressive; the more so from the
closeness of the atmosphere, the winds being usually light and
variable. This is the most rainy month in the year, averaging fifteen
days and a half of heavy rain; cloudy days, without rain, are, however,
of unfrequent occurrence; and one half of the month averages fine sunny
weather.
_June_ is also a very wet month, yet, taking the aggregate, the number
of rainy days is less than in the other summer months. The thermometer
in this month rises several degrees higher than in May, and falls
but little at night. It is this latter circumstance chiefly, which
occasions the exhaustion often felt in this country from the heat of
summer.
The month of _July_ is the hottest in the year, the thermometer
reaching eighty-eight in the shade, at noon, both at Canton and Macao.
This month is also subject to frequent heavy showers of rain, and, like
the month of August, to storms of thunder and lightning. The winds blow
almost unintermittingly from southeast or south.
In the month of _August_ the heat is generally as oppressive as in
July, and often more so, although the thermometer usually stands lower.
Towards the close of the month, the summer begins to break up, the wind
occasionally veering from southeast, to north and northwest. Typhoons
seldom occur earlier than this month or later than the end of September.
In _September_ the monsoon is generally broken up, and northerly winds
begin to blow, but with little alleviation of heat. This is the period
most exposed to the description of hurricanes called typhoons, the
range of which extends southward, over about one half of the Chinese
sea, but not far northward; they are most severe in the gulf of Tonquin.
Northerly winds prevail throughout the month of _October_, occasionally
veering to northeast or northwest; but the temperature of the
atmosphere is neither so cold nor dry as in the following months, nor
does the northerly wind blow so constantly, a few days of southerly
wind frequently intervening. The winter usually sets in with three or
four days of light drizzling rain.
_November_, and the following months, are the most pleasant in the
year, at least to the feelings of persons from more northern climes.
Though the thermometer is not often below forty, and seldom so low
as thirty, the cold of the Chinese winter is often very severe. Ice
often forms about one eighth of an inch thick; but this is usually in
December or January.
The months of _December_ and _January_ are remarkably free from rain;
the average fall, in each month, being under one inch; and the average
number of rainy days being only three and a half. On the whole, the
climate of Canton, but more especially of Macao, may be considered
superior to that of most other places situated between the tropics.
Tables of observations on the thermometer and barometer for the year
1831. The averages at Canton are taken from the Canton Register. The
averages at Macao, from a private diary, kept by Mr. Blettersnan.
Column headings:
ad: aver. noon.
an: aver. night.
h: highest.
l: lowest.
am: aver. 7 a. m.
pm: aver. 2 p. m.
mh: mean height.
Table I. Table II. Table III. Table IV.
Thermometer at Thermometer at Barometer at Barometer at
Canton. Macao. Canton. Macao.
--------------------+--------------+-----------------+-----------------
ad an h l |am pm h l | mh h l | mh h l
-----+--------------+--------------+-----------------+-----------------
Jan. |64 50 74 29|62 65 72 53|30.22 30.50 30.00|30.26 30.50 30.05
Feb. |57 49 78 38|59 59 71 49|30.13 30.50 29.60|30.13 30.40 29.97
March|72 60 82 44|66 69 77 55|30.17 30.50 29.95|30.20 30.48 30.05
April|77 68 86 55|73 75 83 66|30.03 30.25 29.85|30.08 30.27 29.93
May |78 72 88 64|77 78 85 71|29.92 30.10 29.80|29.95 30.06 29.85
June |85 79 90 74|82 84 89 74|29.88 30.00 29.75|29.92 30.00 29.85
July |88 81 94 79|84 88 92 81|29.83 30.00 29.60|29.87 30.01 29.60
Aug. |85 78 90 75|82 85 90 79|29.85 30.00 29.55|29.88 30.02 29.56
Sept.|83 76 88 70|81 84 88 76|29.91 30.10 29.70|29.91 30.05 29.35
Oct. |77 69 85 57|75 78 86 61|30.01 30.20 29.50|30.03 30.19 29.45
Nov. |67 57 80 40|65 68 80 57|30.16 30.55 29.95|30.14 30.36 29.95
Dec. |62 52 70 45|62 65 70 57|30.23 30.35 30.15|30.23 30.31 30.15
The average of rain is the mean of its fall at Macao, during sixteen
years, furnished by Mr. Beale. The number of rainy days and continuance
of winds, are the mean of four years at Canton, taken from the Canton
Register.
Column headings:
a: average.
h: high.
l: low.
mq: mean quantity in inches.
mn: mean number of rainy days.
|Table V. | Table VI.| Table VII.
|Hygrom. | Rain at | Continuance of Winds at Canton, the
|at Macao.| Canton. | mean of four years.
+---------+----------+---------------------------------------
|a h l | mq mn | days.
+---------+----------+---------------------------------------
| | | N. NE. E. SE. S. SW. W. NW.
Jan. |76 95 46 | 0.6¾ 3½|11 2 2¼ 4 4 0½ 0 7
Feb. |82 96 76 | 1.7 7 |11 1½ 2¼ 5¼ 1½ 0¼ 0 6¼
March|78 97 30 | 2.1½ 6 | 5¾ 1¾ 3¾ 10¾ 2½ 0 0½ 3
April|81 95 50 | 5.6¾ 10 | 6¼ 1 4 14¾ 1 0½ 0 3½
May |81 95 57 |11.8½ 15½| 4¾ 2½ 3½ 16¼ 1¼ 0¼ 0¼ 2½
June |80 95 70 |11.1 9 | 1¾ 0¾ 2 21¼ 3 0¾ 0 0½
July |83 96 70 | 7.7½ 10 | 1¼ 1 1¾ 21 3 1¾ 0¼ 1
Aug. |84 97 70 | 9.9 12½| 3 2 3 18 1¼ 0¼ 0½ 3
Sept.|84 95 50 |10.9¼ 10 |10⅜ 4 3⅛ 8¾ 0 0 0 2¾
Oct. |75 95 20 | 5.5 5 |12 3¼ 3⅛ 5⅞ 1¾ 0½ 0⅛ 5¾
Nov. |61 96 20 | 2.4½ 3 |23 0½ 0⅜ 1¼ 1⅞ 0 0 3
Dec. |71 90 30 | 0.9¾ 3½|18½ 2⅞ 1⅛ 2 2¾ 0 0⅛ 3⅝
After remaining nearly two months at Canton, I took passage in a fine
cutter, under English colours, for Macao, via Linting, and anchored in
about twenty-four hours, within half a mile of the landing, at Pria
Grande. Immediately on our nearing the harbour, a race took place among
the amphibious damsels that inhabit the numerous sampans, tanka or
egg-boats, which always lie within a short distance of the shore. Whole
families inhabit them, and they are extremely encumbered with children,
and the various articles used by the family. Their length is from
twelve to eighteen feet, and the breadth is about one half the length.
They have oval, sliding roofs, made of bamboo or mats, in two or three
sections, which are extended occasionally the whole length of the
boat. The occupants are extremely poor and miserable; they wear slight
dresses, consisting of a long frock and trousers, of tan-coloured
cotton. Except when heavy gales prevail, they rarely sleep on shore.
[Sidenote: MACAO.]
The town of Macao presents a pretty appearance from the roadstead. A
spacious semi-circular bay is encompassed with hills, crowned with
forts, convents, churches, and private buildings: the houses being
kept well whitewashed, it gives the town quite a neat appearance. The
streets are generally narrow, but they are exceedingly so through the
Chinese bazar, &c., not exceeding, perhaps, six or eight feet. Most of
the houses are built in the Portuguese style; but the Chinese houses
are, with very few exceptions, dark, filthy, and uncomfortable. Macao
is the summer residence of the foreign merchants of Canton; and it
is reputed to be one of the most immoral places in the world. It is
a rocky peninsula, about eight English miles in circumference; its
greatest length is about three, and its breadth less than one mile.
It forms part of the island of Heong-shan-nne, and was renowned, long
before the Portuguese were settled there, for its safe and commodious
inner harbour, and a temple consecrated to Ama. This settlement was
formerly called Amangas, that is, the port of Ama; and first took the
name of A-macao; but, in time, the first letter was suppressed, and
the place has ever since been called Macao by the Portuguese, and Moon
by the Chinese. The Portuguese had _temporary_ abodes at this place,
for about twenty years, by giving bribes to the authorities to erect
huts, under the false pretext of drying damaged goods, until they were
expelled by mal-conduct, in 1558, from Ningpa and Chinchew, when they
induced the local officers of Macao, by their old system of bribery, to
erect permanent dwellings.
[Sidenote: POPULATION OF MACAO.]
The population from that time, rapidly increased; a temporary
government was established, and a great influx of priests followed. In
the year 1573, the wall across the isthmus was erected by the Chinese
government, to prevent the _kidnapping of children_, as well as the
sale of them by their wretched parents to over-zealous missionaries,
who adopted every means, however infamous, to make converts to their
religion, and to prevent the ingress of the Chinese; but it has been
long disregarded by the latter. The wall is now in a ruinous state near
the bay, being partly broken down by the encroachment of the sea; but
still no foreigners are allowed to cross it; and all provisions must
come to the gate, where a market is still held at daybreak.
It was supposed by the world, that Portugal exercised sovereign
authority over Macao, till 1802, when a British military detachment
arrived and offered to defend it, in conjunction with the Portuguese,
against an apprehended attack from the French; knowing if they obtained
possession of it, the British commerce with Canton would be destroyed:
the Portuguese governor could not accept of their assistance, because
the Chinese authorities would not permit it. In 1808, although a
British force obtained possession of three forts, by the connivance
of the Macao government, the Chinese authorities ordered them to quit
their territories, or they would put a stop to the British trade at
Canton, and drive the Portuguese from Macao, for suffering foreign
troops to land there, without first obtaining permission of the
emperor. Macao, therefore, is still part of the Chinese empire. This is
acknowledged by the Portuguese, who still pay an annual ground-rent,
which has varied at different times, but is now limited to five hundred
taels. The Portuguese and Chinese are both governed by their respective
laws and officers; but in case of collision between two persons of
the different nations, the Chinese always dictate to the former in
what way the affair must be settled. For fifty or sixty years, the
Portuguese enjoyed the exclusive trade to China and Japan. In 1717,
and again in 1732, the Chinese government offered to make Macao the
emporium for all foreign trade, and to receive all duties on imports;
but, by a strange infatuation, the Portuguese government refused, and
its decline is dated from that period. In 1686, when all vessels of
the Chinese empire were prohibited from navigating the southern sea,
their shipping and commerce declined rapidly, till, in 1704, only two
ships remained, which could neither be manned nor fitted out. This
prohibition was, some time after, annulled. The vessels that belonged
to the port in 1832, consisted of only fifteen, (being ten less than
is allowed by the Chinese government;) their united tonnage being
four thousand five hundred and sixty-nine tons. In 1833, the number
had diminished to twelve. These vessels are principally chartered
for foreign ports by Chinese adventurers, the owners generally being
destitute of means to load them. The whole income from the customs, in
1830, was only sixty-nine thousand one hundred and thirty-eight taels;
and of this sum, thirty thousand one hundred and thirty-two taels were
paid on one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three and a half chests
of opium. The disbursements were: to the military, twenty-nine thousand
six hundred and twenty-two; civil servants, twenty-four thousand four
hundred and seventy; and to the church establishment, eight thousand
seven hundred and thirty. The extraordinary expenses were forty-six
thousand six hundred and twenty-nine, making a deficiency of about
forty thousand eight hundred taels, which must be supplied from Goa.
The population of Macao was estimated, in 1830, at four thousand six
hundred and twenty-eight, viz.: one thousand two hundred and two
white men; two thousand one hundred and forty-nine white women; three
hundred and fifty male slaves; seven hundred and seventy-nine female
slaves; and thirty-nine men, and one hundred and eighteen women, of
different castes, who are all Roman Catholics. The Chinese population
is estimated at thirty thousand. The European Portuguese consist of
only sixty-two persons.
Macao is walled on one side, and has six forts; twelve churches,
including the church and college of St. Joseph; five small chapels,
and one Budhist temple: without the walls are three additional
temples. There is one school, where children are taught to read and
write correct Portuguese, (for this language, as spoken at Macao, is
exceedingly corrupt;) and another, where the Portuguese and Latin
grammar are taught. These are supported by royal bounty. There are an
English opthalmic hospital, and a small museum.
I visited a _Budhist temple_, facing the inner harbour, situated in
the midst of a number of large rocks, trees being seen growing out of
their crevices. It was really composed of a number of small temples,
seated on terraces, communicating with each other by means of steps
cut out of the rock. All the buildings, wall, and steps, leading to
it, are of hewn granite, very neatly wrought, and having ornamental
work, finished in a masterly manner. This temple is a place of great
resort for mariners; and near the landing, are various offerings of
anchors, ropes, and spars. The devotees were constantly passing in
and out from the temple to the priests’ houses, seated in a court.
There were several priests in attendance, and others were lounging
about the altars, with some old women, who appeared to be attached
to the premises. This temple is called “_Neang-ma-ho_,” a temple of
the “Queen of heaven.” The origin of it is said to be this: A number
of Fokein fishermen were about sailing from that province, when a
lady made her appearance, and told them they would all be lost in a
storm, unless they deferred it for some days. They paid no heed to her
advice, (excepting the crew of one boat,) and they were all lost in
a “ta-fung-pao,” or “great tempest.” The lady embarked on board the
remaining boat, when the storm had subsided, and safely landed near to
the spot where the temple now is; from that moment she was never seen
again. She is esteemed as holy, and is invoked as the protectress of
all Chinese mariners.
[Sidenote: BIRDS.]
I here witnessed a piece of superstition, which reminded me of drawing
lots, or cards, or opening the Bible in search of a cheering text
of Scripture, which is practised by superstitious people, in some
_Christian_ countries, for _good luck_. It was this: Many Chinese, of
both sexes, drew from a box on an altar, after considerable hesitation,
a bamboo slip, having Chinese characters marked on the end; which, I
was informed, was done by every one before they undertook any great
enterprise, and often in the minor affairs of life. They were asking a
sign from the gods; their request was to be answered favourably or not,
by carrying the mark on the stick to the priest, and ascertaining what
the corresponding mark decided. I went down near to the priest’s house,
and saw many return with cheerful countenances, and a light, elastic
step, having received a favourable decision; while others walked out
very slowly and despondingly, as though good fortune and themselves had
for ever parted company. The view of the inner harbour, from this spot,
and the beautiful garden, in which is found the celebrated cave, as
it is called, of Camoens, (which, by the by, is no cave, but a narrow
passage between two very large masses of rock; and on their apex, is
placed a summer-house,) is highly picturesque. The garden is extensive,
and laid out in a picturesque style; most of the walks are chunamed,
and it is suffering by neglect. The ascent to the higher grounds is
steep; but I was amply repaid by the fine scenery which it disclosed.
I had the pleasure of seeing the celebrated aviary of Mr. Beale.
There, for the first time, I saw one of the several species of the bird
of Paradise; also the silver pheasant, mandarin ducks, and a great
variety of the rarest birds, all in a most thriving condition, and
under the immediate superintendence of their worthy owner.
Mr. John R. Morrison, son of the Rev. Dr. Morrison, here joined me,
for the purpose of acting in the capacity of Chinese translator,
interpreter, and private secretary, on the mission to Cochin-China and
Siam, and to return to China from Singapore.