the golden chersonese and the way thither-第19节

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They　don't　adopt　any　disinfectants；　indeed；　they　don't　appear　to　know
their　use。　The　patients　all　lie　with　their　backs　to　the　light；　and
there　is　a　space　five　feet　wide　between　the　beds　and　the　windows。　All
the　windows　were　open　both　at　the　top　and　bottom；　so　as　to　create　a
complete　current　of　air；　and　the　airiness　and　freedom　from　smells　and
closeness　were　quite　remarkable；　considering　the　state　in　which　the
wounds　are；　which　is　worse　than　I　dare　attempt　to　describe。　The
hospital　is　conducted　on　strictly　〃temperance　principles；〃　i。e。；　no
alcoholic　stimulants　are　given；　which　is　not　remarkable；　considering
how　little　comparatively　they　are　used　in　China；　and　with　what
moderation　on　the　whole　by　those　who　use　them。　There　were　seventy…five
patients　in　the　wards　yesterday；　and　the　cases　were　mostly　either
serious　originally；　or　have　been　made　so　by　the　treatment。　There　are
one　hundred　and　twenty　beds。　There　is　much　to　admire　in　this　hospital；
the　humane　arrangements；　the　obvious　comfort　of　the　patients；　and　the
admirable　ventilation　and　perfect　cleanliness　of　the　beds　and　wards；
but　the　system　adopted　is　one　of　the　most　antiquated　quackery；　and　when
I　think　of　the　unspeakably　horrible　state　of　the　wounds；　the　mortifying
limbs；　and　the　gangrened　feet　ready　to　drop　off；　I　almost　question
Governor　Hennessey's　wisdom　in　stamping　the　hospital　with　his　approval
on　his　〃State　Visit。〃

The　Governor　and　I　were　received　in　the　boardroom　after　our　two　hours'
inspection；　where　we　were　joined　by　Mrs。　　Hennessey；　and　entertained　by
the　directors　at　what　might　be　called　〃afternoon　tea。〃　But　when　is　the
Chinaman　not　drinking　tea？　A　monstrous　plateau　of　the　preserved　and
candied　fruits；　in　the　making　of　which　the　Chinese　ladies　excel；　had
been　placed　upon　the　ebony　table；　and　when　we　were　seated　in　the
stately　ebony　chairs　on　the　chairman's　right；　with　the　yellow；
shining…faced；　wadded　or　corpulent　directors　opposite　to　us；　excellent
tea　with　an　unusual　flavor　was　brought　in；　and　served　in　cups　of
antique　green　dragon　china。　The　Governor　made　kindly　remarks　on　the
hospital；　which　fluent　Mr。　Ng　Choy　doubtless　rendered　into　the　most
fulsome　flattery；　the　chairman　complimented　the　Governor；　and　unlimited
〃soft　sawder；〃　in　Oriental　fashion；　passed　all　round。

It　is　proper　in　China　on　such　an　occasion　to　raise　the　tea…cup　with
both　the　hands　to　a　good　height　and　bow　to　each　person；　naming　at　the
same　time　the　character　so　continually　seen　on　tea…cups　and　sake
bottlesHappiness；which　is　understood　to　be　a　wish　for　happiness　in
this　formula；　〃May　your　happiness　be　as　the　Eastern　Sea；〃　but　the　wish
may　also　mean　〃May　you　have　many　sons。〃　It　is　strange　that　these
Chinamen；　who　showed　all　fitting　courtesy　to　Mrs。　Hennessey　and　me；
would　only　have　spoken　of　their　wives　apologetically　as　〃the　mean　ones
within　the　gates！〃　It　was　a　charming　Oriental　sight；　the　grand；　open…
fronted　room　with　its　stone　floor　and　many　pillars；　the　superbly
dressed　directors　and　their　blue…robed　attendants；　and　the　immense
costumed　crowd　outside　the　gate　in　the　sunshine；　kept　back　by
crimson…turbaned　Sikh　orderlies。

If　civilization　were　to　my　taste；　I　should　linger　in　Victoria　for　the
sake　of　its　beauty；　its　stirring　life；　its　costume　and　color；　its
perfect　winter　climate；　its　hospitalities；　its　many　charming　residents；
and　for　various　other　reasons；　and　know　nothing　of　its　feuds　in　state；
church；　and　society。　But　I　am　a　savage　at　heart；　and　weary　for　the
wilds　first；　and　then　for　the　beloved　little　home　on　the　wooded　edge　of
the　moorland　above　the　Northern　Sea；　which　gleams　like　a　guiding　star；
even　through　the　maze　of　sunshine　and　color　of　this　fascinating　Eastern
world。　to…day　I　lunched　at　（acting）　Chief　Justice　Snowden's；　and　he
urges　me　to　go　to　Malacca　on　my　way　home。　I　had　never　dreamed　of　the
〃Golden　Chersonese；〃　but　I　am　much　inspired　by　his　descriptions　of　the
neighborhood　of　the　Equator；　and　as　he　has　lent　me　Newbold's　Malacca
for　the　voyage；　and　has　given　me　letters　to　the　Governor　and　Colonial
Secretary　of　the　Straits　Settlements；　you　will　next　hear　from　me　from
Singapore！

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　VI

A　Cochin　China　RiverThe　Ambition　of　SaigonA　French　Colonial
MetropolisEuropean　Life　in　Saigon…A　Cochin…Chinese
Village〃Afternoon　Tea〃　in　ChoquanAnamese　ChildrenAnamite
CostumeAnamite　River…DwellingsAn　Amphibious　PopulationAn
Unsuccessful　Colony〃With　the　Big　Toe〃Three　Persecuting
KingsSaigon


S。S。　〃SINDH；〃　CHINA　SEA；　January。

This　steamer；　one　of　the　finest　of　the　Messageries　Maritimes　line；　is
perfect　in　all　respects；　and　has　a　deck　like　that　of　an　old…fashioned
frigate。　The　weather　has　been　perfect　also；　and　the　sea　smooth　enough
for　a　skiff。　The　heat　increases　hourly　though；　or　rather　has　increased
hourly；　for　hotter　it　cannot　be！　Punkahs　are　going　continually　at　meal
times；　and　if　one　sits　down　to　write　in　the　saloon；　the　〃punkah…wallah〃
spies　one　out　and　begins　his　refreshing　labors　at　once。　But　we　took　on
board　a　host　of　mosquitoes　at　Saigon；　and　the　nights　are　consequently
so　intolerable　that　I　weary　for　the　day。

The　twenty…four　hours　spent　at　Saigon　broke　the　monotonous　pleasantness
of　our　voyage　very　agreeably　to　me；　but　most　of　the　passengers　complain
of　the　wearisome　detention　in　the　heat。　In　truth；　the　mercury　stood　at
92　degrees！

At　daybreak　yesterday　we　were　steaming　up　a　branch　of　the　great　Me…kong
river　in　Cochin　China；　a　muddy　stream；　densely　fringed　by　the　nipah
palm；　whose　dark　green　fronds；　ten　and　twelve　feet　long；　look　as　if
they　grew　out　of　the　ground；　so　dumpy　is　its　stem。　The　country；　as
overlooked　from　our　lofty　deck；　appeared　a　dead　level　of　rice　and
scrubby　jungle　intermixed；　a　vast　alluvial　plain；　from　which　the　heavy；
fever…breeding　mists　were　rising　in　rosy　folds。　Every　now　and　then　we
passed　a　Cochin　Chinese　villagea　collection　of　very　draughty…looking
wooden　huts；　roofed　with　palm　leaves；　built　over　the　river　on　gridiron
platforms　supported　on　piles。　Each　dwelling　of　the　cluster　had　its　boat
tethered　below　it。　It　looked　a　queer　amphibious　life。　Men　were　lying　on
the　gridirons　smoking；　women　were　preparing　what　might　be　the
breakfast；　and　babies　were　crawling　over　the　open　floors；　born　with　the
instinct　not　to　tumble　over　the　edge　into　the　river　below。　　These
natives　were　small　and　dark；　although　of　the　Mongolian　type；　with　wide
mouths　and　high　cheek　bonesan　ugly　race；　and　their　attitudes；　their
tumble…to…pieces　houses；　and　their　general　forlornness；　gave　me　the
impression　that　they　are　an　indolent　race　as　well；　to　be　ousted　in　time
possibly　by　the　vigorous　and　industrious　Chinaman。

After　proceeding　for　about　forty　miles　up　this　mighty　Me…kong　or
Cambodia　river；　wearying　somewhat　of　its　nipah…fringed　alluvial　flats；
and　of　the　monotonous　domestic　economy　of　which　we　had　so　good　a　view；
we　reached　Saigon；　which　has　the　wild　ambition　to　propose　to　itself　to
be　a　second　Singapore！　All　my　attempts　to　learn　anything　about　Saigon
on　board　have　utterly　failed。　People　think　that　they　told　me　something
altogether　new　and　sufficient　when　they　said　that　it　is　a　port　of　call
for　the　French　mail　steamers；　and　one　of　the　hottest　places　in　the
world！　This　much　I　knew　before　I　asked　them！　If　they　know　anything　more
now；　no　dexterity　of　mine　can　elicit　it。　There　was　a　general　stampede
ashore　as　soon　as　we　moored；　and　gharriescovered　spring　cartsdrawn
by　active　little　Sumatra　ponies；　and　driven　by　natives　of　Southern
India；　known　as　Klings；　were　immediately　requisitioned；　but　nothing
came　of　it　apparently；　and　when　I　came　back　at　sunset　I　found　that；
after　an　hour　or　two　of　apparently　purposeless　wanderings；　all　my
fellow…passengers　had　returned　to　the　ship；　pale　and　depressed。　True；
the　mercury　was　above　90　degrees！

Arriving　in　this　condition　of　most　unblissful　ignorance；　I　was
astonished　when　a　turn　in　the　river　brought　us　close　upon　a
considerable　town；　straggling　over　a　great　extent　of　ground；
interspersed　with　abundant　tropical　greenery；　its　river　front
consisting　of　a　long；　low　line　of　much…shaded　cafes；　mercantile
offices；　some　of　them　flying　consular　flags　and　Government　offices；
behind　which　lies　the　city　with　its　streets；　shops；　and　great　covered
markets　or　bazaars；　and　its　barracks；　churches；　and　convents。

The　Me…kong；　though　tortuous　and　ofttimes　narrow；　is　navigable　as　the
Donnai　or　Saigon　branch　up　to　and　above　Saigon　for　vessels　of　the
largest　tonnage；　and　the　great　Sindh　steamed　up　to　a　wharf　and　moored
alongside　it；　almost　under　the　shade　of　great　trees。　A　French
three…decker　of　the　old　type；　moored　higher　up；　serves　as　an　hospital。
There　were　two　French　ironclads；　a　few　steamers；　and　some　big　sailing
ships　at　anchor；　but　nothing　looked　busy；　and　the　people　on　the　wharf
were　all　loafers。

After　all　my　fellow…passengers　had　driven　off　I　stepped　ashore　and
tried　to　realize　that　I　was　in　Cochin　China　or　Cambodia；　but　it　would
not　do。　The　irrepressible　Chinaman　in　his　loose　cotton　trousers　was　as
much　at　home　as　in　Canton；　and　was　doing　all　the　work　that　was　done；
the　shady　lounges　in　front　of　the　cafes　were　full　of　Frenchmen；
Spaniards；　and　Germans；　smoking　and　dozing　with　their　feet　upon　tables
or