the golden chersonese and the way thither-第12节

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indescribable；　either　by　pen　or　pencil。

There　are　junks　with　big　eyes　on　either　side　of　the　stem；　〃without
which　they　could　not　see　their　way；〃*　and　with　open　bows　with　two
six…pounders　grinning　through　them。　　Along　the　sides　there　are　ten
guns；　and　at　the　lofty；　square；　quaint；　broad；　carved　stern；　two　more。
This　heavy　armament　is　carried　nominally　for　protection　against
pirates；　but　its　chief　use　is　for　the　production　of　those　stunning
noises　which　Chinamen　delight　in　on　all　occasions。　　In　these　helpless
and　unwieldy…looking　vessels　which　are　sailed　with　an　amount　of　noise
and　apparent　confusion　which　is　absolutely　shocking　to　anyone　used　to
our　strict　nautical　discipline；　the　rudder　projects　astern　six　feet　and
more；　the　masts　are　single　poles；　the　large　sails　of　fine　matting；　and
what　with　their　antique　shape；　rich　coloring；　lattice　work　and　carving；
they　are　the　most　picturesque　craft　afloat。　Then　there　are　〃passage
boats〃　from　the　whole　interior　network　of　rivers　and　canals；　each
district　having　its　special　rig　and　build；　recognizable　at　once　by　the
initiated。　These　sail　when　they　can；　and　when　they　can't　are　propelled
by　large　sweeps；　each　of　which　is　worked　by　six　men　who　stand　on　a
platform　outside。　These　boats　are　always　heavily　laden；　crowded　with
passengers　and　〃armed　to　the　teeth〃　as　a　protection　against　river
pirates；　and　they　carry　crews　of　from　thirty…five　to　fifty　men。
＇*These　eyes　are　really　charms；　but　the　above　is　the　explanation　given
to　〃griffins。〃＇

At　some　distance　below　Shameen　there　are　moored　tiers　of　large；
two…storied　house　boats；　with　entrance　doors　seven　feet　high；　always
open；　and　doorways　of　rich　wood　carving；　through　which　the　interiors
can　be　seen　with　their　richly　decorated　altars；　innumerable　colored
lamps；　chairs；　and　settees　of　carved　ebony　with　white　marble　let　into
the　seats　and　backs；　embroidered　silk　hangings；　gilded　mirrors　and
cornices；　and　all　the　extravagances　of　Chinese　luxury。　　Many　of　them
have　gardens　on　their　roofs。　These　are　called　〃flower　boats；〃　and　are
of　noisy　and　evil　reputation。　Then　there　are　tiers　of　three…roomed；
comfortable　house　boats　to　let　to　people　who　make　their　homes　on　the
water　in　summer　to　avoid　the　heat。　〃Marriage　boats；〃　green　and　gold；
with　much　wood　carving　and　flags；　and　auspicious　emblems　of　all　kinds；
river　junks；　with　their　large　eyes　and　carved　and　castellated　sterns
lying　moored　in　treble　rows；　duck　boats；　with　their　noisy　inmates；
florists'　boats；　with　platforms　of　growing　plants　for　sale；　two…storied
boats　or　barges；　with　glass　sides；　floating　hotels；　in　which　evening
entertainments　are　given　with　much　light　and　noise；　restaurant　boats；
much　gilded；　from　which　proceeds　an　incessant　beating　of　gongs；　washing
boats；　market　boats；　floating　shops；　which　supply　the　floating
population　with　all　marketable　commodities；　country　boats　of　fantastic
form　coming　down　on　every　wind　and　tide；　and；　queerest　of　all；　〃slipper
boats；〃　looking　absurdly　like　big　shoes；　which　are　propelled　in　and　out
among　all　the　heavier　craft　by　standing　in　the　stern。

One　of　the　most　marvelous　features　of　Canton　is　the　city　of　house
boats；　floating　and　stationary；　in　which　about　a　quarter　of　a　million
people　live；　and　it　may　with　truth　be　added　are　born　and　die。　This
population　is　quite　distinct　in　race　from　the　land　population　of
Canton；　which　looks　down　upon　it　as　a　pariah　and　alien　caste。　These
house　boats；　some　of　which　have　a　single　bamboo　circular　roof；　others
two　roofs　of　different　heights；　and　which　include　several　thousand　of
the　marvelous　〃slipper　boats；〃　lie　in　tiers　along　the　river　sides；　and
packed　closely　stem　and　stern　along　the　canals；　forming　bustling　and
picturesque　water　streets。　Many　of　the　boats　moored　on　the　canals　are
floating　shops；　and　do　a　brisk　trade；　one　end　of　the　boat　being　the
shop；　the　other　the　dwelling…house。　As　the　〃slipper　boats〃　are　only
from　fifteen　to　twenty　feet　long；　it　may　be　imagined；　as　their　breadth
is　strictly　proportionate；　that　the　accommodation　for　a　family　is
rather　circumscribed；　yet　such　a　boat　is　not　only　the　home　of　a　married
pair　and　their　children；　but　of　the　eldest　son　with　his　wife　and
children；　and　not　unfrequently　of　grandparents　also！　The　bamboo　roofs
slide　in　a　sort　of　telescope　fashion；　and　the　whole　interior　space　can
be　inclosed　and　divided。　The　bow　of　the　boat；　whether　large　or　small；
is　always　the　family　joss　house；　and　the　water　is　starred　at　night　with
the　dull；　melancholy　glimmer；　fainter；　though　redder　than　a　glow…worm's
light；　of　thousands　of　burning　joss…sticks；　making　the　air　heavy　with
the　odor　of　incense。　Unlike　the　houses　of　the　poor　on　shore；　the　house
boats　are　models　of　cleanliness；　and　space　is　utilized　and　economized
by　adaptations　more　ingenious　than　those　of　a　tiny　yacht。　These　boats；
which　form　neat　rooms　with　matted　seats　by　day；　turn　into　beds　at
night；　and　the　children　have　separate　〃rooms。〃　The　men　go　on　shore
during　the　day　and　do　laborer's　work；　but　the　women　seldom　land；　are
devoted　to　〃housewifely〃　duties；　and　besides　are　to　be　seen　at　all
hours　of　day　and　night　flying　over　the　water；　plying　for　hire　at　the
landings；　and　ferrying　goods　and　passengers；　as　strong　as　men；　and
clean；　comely；　and　pleasant…looking；　one　at　the　stern　and　one　at　the
bow；　sending　the　floating　home　along　with　skilled　and　sturdy　strokes。
They　are　splendid　boat…women；　and　not　vociferous。　　These　women　don't
bandage　their　feet。

Their　dress　is　dark　brown　or　blue　cotton；　and　consists　of　wide　trousers
and　a　short；　loose；　sleeved　upper　garment　up　to　the　throat。　The　feet
are　big　and　bare；　the　hair　is　neat　and　drawn　back　from　the　face　into　a
stiff　roll　or　chignon；　and　they　all　wear　jade…stone　earrings。　You　see　a
woman　cooking　or　sewing　in　most　housewifely　style　in　one　of　these
〃slipper　boats；〃　but　if　you　hail　it；　she　is　plying　the　heavy　oar　in　one
moment；　and　as　likely　as　not　with　a　wise…looking　baby　on　her　back；
supported　by　a　square　piece　of　scarlet　cloth　embroidered　in　gold　and
blue　silks。　Not　one　of　this　river　population　has　yet　received
Christianity。　　Very　little　indeed　is　known　about　them　and　their
customs；　but　it　is　said　that　their　morals　are　low；　and　that　when
infanticide　was　less　discouraged　than　it　is　now；　the　river　was　the
convenient　grave　of　many　of　their　newly…born　female　children。　I　spent
most　of　one　afternoon　alone　in　one　of　these　boats；　diving　into　all
canals　and　traversing　water　streets；　hanging　on　to　junks　and　〃passage
boats；〃　and　enjoying　the　variety　of　river　life　to　the　full。

On　another　day　I　was　carried　eighteen　miles　through　Canton　on　a　chair
by　four　coolies；　Mr。　Smith　and　his　brother　walking　the　whole
distancea　great　testimony　to　the　invigorating　influences　of　the
winter　climate。　As　to　locomotion；　one　must　either　walk　or　be　carried。　A
human　being　is　not　a　heavy　weight　for　the　coolies；　but　it　is
distressing　to　see　that　the　shoulders　of　very　many　of　them　are
suffering　from　bony　tumors；　arising　from　the　pressure　of　the　poles。　We
lunched　in　the　open　air　upon　a　stone　table　under　a　banyan…tree　at　the
〃Five…storied　Pagoda〃　which　forms　the　north…east　corner　of　the　great
wall　of　Canton；　from　which　we　looked　down　upon　the　singular　vestiges　of
the　nearly　forgotten　Tartar　conquest；　the　walled　inner　city　of　the
Tartar　conquerors；　containing　the　Tartar　garrison；　the　Yamun　（official
residence）　of　the　Tartar　governor；　the　houses　of　the　foreign　consuls；
and　the　unmixed　Tartar　population。　The　streets　of　this　foreign　kernel
of　Canton　are　narrow　and　dirty；　with　mean；　low　houses　with　tiled　roofs
nearly　flat；　and　small　courtyards；　more　like　the　houses　of　Western　than
Eastern　Asia。　These　Tartars　do　not　differ　much　in　physiognomy　from　the
Chinese。　They　are　somewhat　uglier；　their　stature　is　shorter；　and　the
women　always　wear　three　rings　in　their　ears。　I　saw　more　women　in　a
single　street　in　one　day　in　the　Tartar　city　than　I　have　seen　altogether
in　the　rest　of　Canton。

The　view　from　that　corner　of　the　wall　（to　my　thinking）　is　beautiful；
the　flaming　red　pagoda　with　its　many　roofs；　the　singularly　picturesque
ancient　gray　wall；　all　ups　and　downs；　watch…towers；　and　strongholds；
the　Tartar　city　below；　with　the　〃flowery　pagoda；〃　the　mosques；　the
bright　foliage　of　the　banyan；　and　the　feathery　grace　of　the　bamboo；
outside　the　wall　the　White…Cloud　hills；　and　nearer　ranges　burrowed
everywhere　for　the　dead；　their　red　and　pink　and　orange　hues　harmonized
by　a　thin　blue　veil；　softening　without　obscuring；　all　lying　in　the
glory　of　the　tropic　winter　noon…light　without　heat；　color　without
glare。　Vanish　all　memories　of　grays　and　pale　greens　before　this
vividness；　this　wealth　of　light　and　color！　Color　is　at　once　music　and
vitality；　and　after　long　deprivation　I　revel　in　it。　This　wall　is　a　fine
old　structure；　about　twenty　feet　wide　and　as　many　high；　with　a　broad
pavement　on　which　to　walk；　and　a　high　platform　on　the　outside；　with　a
battlement　pierced　for　marksmen。　It　is　hardly　ever　level　for　ten　yards；
but　follows　the　inequalities　of　the　ground；　and　has　picturesque　towers
which　occur　frequently。　It　is　everywhere　draped　with　ferns；　which　do
not　help　to　keep　it　in　repair。　　The　〃Five…storied　Pagoda〃　which　flames
in　red　at