the golden chersonese and the way thither-第10节

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bamboo　chair；　carried　by　two　coolies；　through　a　covered　and　crowded
street　of　merchandise　six　feet　wide；　to　Shameen；　the　island　in　the
river　on　which　the　foreigners　reside；　most　of　the　missionary　community；
however；　living　in　the　buildings　on　the　site　of　the　old　factory　farther
down。

I　am　now　domiciled　on　Shameen；　a　reclaimed　mud　flat；　in　the　beautiful
house　belonging　to　the　firm　of　Jardine；　Matheson　&　Co。　This　island；
which　has　on　the　one　side　the　swift　flowing　Canton　river；　with　its　ever
shifting　life；　has　on　the　other　a　canal；　on　which　an　enormous
population　lives　in　house　boats；　moored　stem　and　stern；　without　any
space　between　them。　A　stone　bridge　with　an　iron　gate　gives　access　into
one　of　the　best　parts　of　Canton；　commercially　speaking；　but　all　the
business　connected　with　tea；　silk；　and　other　productions；　which　is
carried　on　by　such　renowned　firms　as　Jardine；　Matheson　&　Co。；　the
Dents；　the　Deacons；　and　others；　is　transacted　in　these　handsome
dwellings　of　stone　or　brick；　each　standing　in　its　tropical　garden；　with
a　wall　or　ornamental　railing　or　bamboo　hedge　surrounding　it；　but
without　any　outward　sign　of　commerce　at　all。　The　settlement；　insular
and　exclusive；　hears　little　and　knows　less　of　the　crowded　Chinese　city
at　its　gates。　It　reproduces　English　life　as　far　as　possible；　and　adds　a
boundless　hospitality　of　its　own；　receiving　all　strangers　who　are　in
any　way　accredited；　and　many　who　are　not。　A　high　sea…wall　with　a　broad
concrete　walk；　shaded　by　banyan　trees；　runs　round　it；　a　distance　of　a
mile　and　a　quarter。　It　is　quite　flat　and　covered　with　carefully　kept
grass；　intersected　with　concrete　walks　and　banyan　avenues；　the　tropical
gardens　of　the　rich　merchants　giving　variety　and　color。

The　community　at　present　consists　of　forty…five　peopleEnglish；
French；　and　German。　The　establishment　of　the　electric　telegraph　has　not
only　favored　business；　but　has　enabled　some　of　the　senior　partners　of
the　old　firms　to　return　home；　leaving　very　junior　partners　or　senior
clerks　here；　who　receive　their　instructions　from　England。
Consequently；　in　some　of　these　large　family　dwellings　there　are　only
young　men　〃keeping　bach。〃　There　are　a　pretty　English　church；　a　club
bungalow；　a　book　club；　lawn　tennis　and　croquet　grounds；　and　a　small
hall　used　for　dancing；　lectures　and　amateur　theatricals。　No　wheeled
vehicle　larger　than　a　perambulator　ever　disturbs　the　quiet。　People　who
go　into　the　city　are　carried　in　chairs；　or　drop　down　the　river　in　their
luxurious　covered　boats；　but　for　exercise　they　mostly　walk　on　the　bund；
and　play　croquet　or　lawn　tennis。　　In　this　glorious　weather　the　island
is　very　charming。　It　is　possible　to　spend　the　whole　year　here；　as　the
tidal　breezes　modify　the　moist　heat　of　summer；　but　the　English　children
look　pale　and　languid　even　now。

Canton；　January　4。If　I　were　to　describe　Canton；　and　had　time　for　it；
my　letters　would　soon　swell　to　the　size　of　Archdeacon　Gray's　quaint　and
fascinating　book；　〃Walks　in　Canton；〃　but　I　have　no　time；　and　must
content　myself　with　brief　sketches　of　two　or　three　things　which　have
greatly　interested　me；　and　of　the　arrangement　and　management　of　the
city；　putting　the　last　first；　if　I　am　able　〃to　make　head　or　tail　of
it；〃　and　to　cram　its　leading　features　into　a　letter。

Viewing　Canton　from　the　〃five…storied　pagoda；〃　or　from　the　dignified
elevation　of　a　pawn　tower；　it　is　apparent　that　it　is　surrounded　by　a
high　wall；　beyond　which　here　and　there　are　suburban　villages；　some
wealthy　and　wood…embosomed；　others　mean　and　mangy。　The　river　divides　it
from　a　very　populous　and　important　suburb。　Within　the　city　lies　the
kernel　of　the　whole；　the　Tartar　city；　occupied　by　the　garrison　and　a
military　colony　numbering　about　twenty　thousand　persons。　This
interesting　area　is　walled　round；　and　contains　the　residence　of　the
Tartar　General；　and　the　consulates　of　the　great　European　Powers。　It　is
well　wooded　and　less　closely　built　than　the　rest　of　Canton。　Descending
from　any　elevation　one　finds　oneself　at　once　involved　at　any　and　every
point　in　a　maze　of　narrow；　crowded　streets　of　high　brick　and　stone
houses；　mostly　from　five　to　eight　feet　wide。　These　streets　are　covered
in　at　the　height　of　the　house　roofs　by　screens　of　canvas　matting；　or
thin　boards；　which　afford　a　pleasant　shade；　and　at　the　same　time　let
the　sunbeams　glance　and　trickle　among　the　long；　pendent　signboards　and
banners　which　swing　aloft；　and　upon　the　busy；　many…colored；　jostling
throng　below。

Every　street　is　paved　with　large　slabs　of　granite；　and　under　each　of
the　massive　foot…ways　（for　carriage…ways　there　are　none）　there　is　a
drain　for　carrying　off　the　rain…water；　which　is　then　conveyed　into　six
large　culverts；　from　them　into　four　creeks　which　intersect　the　city；
and　thence　into　the　river。　These　large　drains　are　supervised　by　the
〃prefect；〃　who　is　bound　by　an　ancient　law　to　have　them　thoroughly
cleansed　every　autumn；　while　each　of　the　small　drains　is　cleansed　by
the　orders　and　at　the　expense　of　the　〃vestry〃　of　the　street　under　which
it　passes。　This　ancient　sanitary　law；　like　many　other　of　the　admirable
laws　of　this　empire；　is　said　to　be　by　no　means　punctiliously　carried
out；　and　that　Canton　is　a　very　healthy　city；　and　that　pestilences　of
any　kind　rarely　gain　a　footing　in　it；　may　be　attributed　rather　to　the
excellent　plan　of　sending　out　the　garbage　of　the　city　daily　to
fertilize　the　gardens　and　fields　of　the　neighborhood；　than　to　the
vigilance　of　the　municipal　authorities。

There　are　heavy　and　ancient　gates　or　barricades　which　enclose　each
street；　and　which　are　locked　at　night；　only　to　be　opened　by　favor　of
the　watchmen　who　guard　them。　Their　closing　brings　to　an　end　the　busy
street　life；　and　at　10　P。M。　Canton；　cut　up　into　small　sections；　barred
out　from　each　other；　is　like　a　city　of　the　dead。　Each　gate　watchman　is
appointed　and　paid　by　the　〃vestry〃　of　the　street　in　which　he　keeps
guard。　They　wear　uniform；　but　are　miserable　dilapidated…looking
creatures；　and　I　have　twice　seen　one　fast　asleep。　In　the　principal
streets　night　watchmen　are　stationed　in　watch…towers；　which　consist　of
small　mat　huts；　placed　on　scaffolds　raised　far　above　the　house…tops；　on
bamboo　poles　bound　together　with　strong　cords。　These　men　are　on　the
look…out　for　armed　bands　of　robbers；　but　specially　for　fire。　They　are
provided　with　tom…toms　and　small　gongs　on　which　to　proclaim　the　hours
of　the　night；　but；　should　fire　arise；　a　loud；　rapid；　and　incessant
beating　of　the　gong　gives　the　alarm　to　all　the　elevated　brotherhood　in
turn；　who　at　the　same　time；　by　concerted　signals；　inform　the　citizens
below　of　the　ward　and　street　in　which　the　fire　has　originated。　In　each
principal　street　there　is　a　very　large　well；　covered　with　granite
slabs；　with　its　exact　position　denoted　on　a　granite　slab　on　the
adjoining　wall。　These　wells；　which　are　abundant　reservoirs；　are　never
opened　except　in　case　of　fire。

Besides　these　watchmen；　eleven　hundred　military　constabulary　are
answerable　for　the　good　order　of　the　〃new　city〃　and　its　suburbs；　and　a
thousand　more；　called　the　Governor's　brigade；　garrison　the　outer　gates
in　the　city　wall　and　several　interior　guard…houses；　all　the　inner　gates
being　garrisoned　by　Tartar　troops。　Canton　is　divided　into　thirty…six
wards；　under　twelve　officers　in　summer；　but　in　winter；　as　now；　when
burglars　are　supposed　to　be　more　on　the　alert；　this　number　is
increased。　Each　officer　having　soldiers　under　him　traverses　at
intervals　during　the　night　every　street　under　his　jurisdiction；　and
these　armed　followers；　whether　to　intimidate　criminals　or　to　show　their
vigilance；　are　in　the　habit　of　discharging　their　old…fashioned
matchlocks　and　gingalls　as　they　patrol。　In　consequence　of　so　many
precautions；　which　are　carried　out　very　thoroughly；　fires　and
burglaries　are　much　minimized；　and　the　proverb　〃as　safe　as　Canton〃
appears　to　have　a　substantial　foundation。　The　barricaded　streets　at
night　have　an　eerie　solemnity　about　them。　One　night；　my　present
hostess；　Mrs。　H。；　and　I　prowled　through　some　of　them　quite　unattended；
on　our　way　back　from　a　friend's　dwelling；　roused　up　the　watchmen　to
unlock　and　unbar　the　gates；　saw　no　other　people　astir；　went　down　one　of
the　water　streets；　hailed　a　boat；　and　were　deposited　close　to　the　door
of　our　own　abode　about　midnight；　such　an　event　being　quite　of　common
occurrence　in　this　quarter。

In　the　streets　the　roofs　of　the　houses　and　shops　are　rarely；　if　ever；
regular；　nor　are　the　houses　themselves　arranged　in　a　direct　line；　This
queer　effect　results　from　queer　causes。　Every　Chinese　house　is　built　on
the　principles　of　geomancy；　which　do　not　admit　of　straight　lines；　and
were　these　to　be　disregarded　the　astrologers　and　soothsayers　under
whose　auspices　all　houses　are　erected；　predict　fearful　evils　to　the
impious　builders。　There　are　few　open　spaces　in　Canton；　and　these　are
decorated；　not　with　statues；　but　with　monumental　arches　of　brick；　red
sandstone；　or　gray　granite；　which　are　put　up　as　memorials　of　virtuous
men　and　women；　learned　or　aged　men；　and　specially　dutiful　sons　or
daughters。　Such　memorials　are　erected　by　citizens；　and；　in　some　cases；
by　Imperial　sanction　or　decree。

The　public　buildings　and　temples；　though　they　bear　magnificent　names；
are　e