the golden chersonese and the way thither-第8节

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colored　people；　have　attracted　here　thousands　of　the　scum　of　Canton　and
other　Chinese　cities；　to　say　nothing　of　a　mass　of　European　and　Asiatic
ruffianism；　much　of　which　is　at　all　times　percolating　through　the
magnificent　Victoria　prison。

On　returning；　I　was　just　beginning　to　unpack　when　the　flames　burst　out
again。　It　was　luridly　grand　in　the　twilight；　the　tongues　of　flame
lapping　up　house　after　house；　the　jets　of　flame　loaded　with　blazing
fragments；　the　explosions；　each　one　succeeded　by　a　burst　of　flame；
carrying　high　into　the　air　all　sorts　of　projectiles；　beams　and　rafters
paraffine　soaked；　strewing　them　over　the　doomed　city；　the　leaping
flames　coming　nearer　and　nearer；　the　great　volumes　of　smoke；
spark…laden；　rolling　toward　us；　all　mingling　with　a　din　indescribable。
Burning　fragments　shortly　fell　on　the　window…sills；　and　as　the　wind　was
very　strong　and　setting　this　way；　there　seemed　so　little　prospect　of
the　palace　being　saved　that　important　papers　were　sent　to　the　cathedral
and　several　of　the　refugees　fled　with　their　things　to　the　hills。　At
that　moment　the　wind　changed；　and　the　great　drift　of　flame　and　smoke
was　carried　in　a　comparatively　harmless　direction；　the　fire　was　got
well　in　hand　the　second　time；　the　official　quarter　was　saved；　and
before　10　P。M。　we　were　able　for　the　first　time　since　my　arrival　at
mid…day　to　sit　down　to　food。

Most　people　seem　much　upset　as　well　from　personal　peril　as　from
sympathy；　and　all　parties　and　picnics　for　two　days　were　given　up。　Even
the　newspapers　did　not　come　out　this　morning；　the　types　of　one　of　them
being　in　this　garden。　The　city　is　now　patrolled　night　and　day　by　strong
parties　of　marines　and　Sikhs；　for　both　the　disposition　to　loot　and　the
facilities　for　looting　are　very　great。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　II

A　Delightful　ClimateImprisoned　Fever　Germs〃Pidjun〃　EnglishHong
Kong　HarborProsperity　of　Hong　KongRampageous　Criminal
ClassesCircumspice！


THE　PALACE；　VICTORIA；　December　29。


I　like　and　admire　Victoria。　It　is　so　pleasant　to　come　in　from　the　dark；
misty；　coarse；　loud…tongued　Pacific；　and　the　December　colorlessness　of
Japan　to　bright　blue　waters　crisped　by　a　perpetual　north　windto　the
flaming　hills　of　the　Asian　mainland；　which　are　red　in　the　early
morning；　redder　in　the　glow　of　noon；　and　pass　away　in　the　glorious
sunsets　through　ruby　and　vermilion　into　an　amethyst　haze；　deepening
into　the　purple　of　a　tropic　night；　when　the　vast　expanse　of　sky　which
is　seen　from　this　high　elevation　is　literally　one　blaze　of　stars。
Though　they　are　by　no　means　to　be　seen　in　perfection；　there　are　here
many　things　that　I　love；bananas；　poinsettias；　papayas；　tree…ferns；
dendrobiums；　dracenas；　the　scarlet　passion…flower；　the　spurious　banyan；
date；　sago；　and　traveler's　palms；　and　numberless　other　trees　and
shrubs；　children　of　the　burning　sun　of　the　tropics；　carefully　watered
and　tended；　but　exotics　after　all。

It　is　a　most　delightful　winter　climate。　There　has　not　been　any　rain　for
three　months；　nor　will　there　be　any　for　two　more；　the　sky　is　cloudless；
the　air　dry　and　very　bracing。　　It　is　cold　enough　at　night　for　fires；
and　autumn　clothing　can　be　worn　all　the　day　long；　for　though　the　sun　is
bright　and　warm；　the　shade　temperature　does　not　rise　above　65　degrees；
and　exercise　is　easy　and　pleasant。　At　night；　even　at　a　considerable
height；　the　lowest　temperature　is　40　degrees。　It　is　impossible　to
praise　the　climate　too　highly；　with　its　bright　sky；　cool　dry　air；　and
five　months　of　rainlessness；　but　I　should　write　very　differently　if　I
came　here　four　months　later；　when　the　mercury　ranges　from　80　degrees　to
90　degrees　both　by　day　and　night；　and　the　cloudy　sky　rests　ever　on　the
summits　of　the　island　peaks；　and　everything　is　moist；　and　the　rain
comes　down　continually　in　torrents；　rising　in　hot　vapors　when　the　sun
shines；　and　people　become　limp　and　miserable；　and　their　possessions
limp　and　moldy；　and　insect　life　revels；　and　human　existence　spent　in　a
vapor　bath　becomes　burdensome。　But　the　city　is　healthy　to　those　who
live　temperately。　It　has；　however；　a　remarkable　peculiarity。　Standing
in　and　on　rock；　one　fancies　that　fever　would　not　be　one　of　its
maladies；　but　the　rock　itself　seems　to　have　imprisoned　fever　germs　in
some　past　age；　for　whenever　it　is　quarried　or　cut　into　for　foundations；
or　is　disturbed　in　any　way；　fever　immediately　breaks　out。

Victoria　is　a　beautiful　city。　It　reminds　me　of　Genoa；　but　that　most　of
its　streets　are　so　steep　as　to　be　impassable　for　wheeled　vehicles；　and
some　of　them　are　merely　grand　flights　of　stairs；　arched　over　by　dense
foliaged　trees；　so　as　to　look　like　some　tropical；　colored；　deep
colonnades。　It　has　covered　green　balconies　with　festoons　of　creepers；
lofty　houses；　streets　narrow　enough　to　exclude　much　of　the　sun；　people
and　costumes　of　all　nations；　processions　of　Portuguese　priests　and
nuns；　and　all　its　many…colored　life　is　seen　to　full　advantage　under
this　blue　sky　and　brilliant　sun。

This　house　is　magnificently　situated；　and　very　large　and　airy。　Part　is
the　Episcopal　Palace；　and　the　rest　St。　Paul's　College；　of　which　Bishop
Burdon　is　warden。　The　mountainous　grounds　are　beautiful；　and　the
entrance　blazes　with　poinsettias。　There　are　no　female　servants；　but
Chinese　men　perform　all　the　domestic　service　satisfactorily。　I　learn
that　for　a　Chinese　servant　to　appear　without　his　skull…cap　is　rude；　but
to　appear　with　his　pig…tail　wound　round　his　head　instead　of　pendent；　is
a　gross　insult！　The　〃Pidjun　English〃　is　revolting；　and　the　most
dignified　persons　demean　themselves　by　speaking　it。　The　word　〃pidjun〃
appears　to　refer　generally　to　business。　〃My　pidjun〃　is　undoubtedly　〃my
work。〃　How　the　whole　English…speaking　community；　without　distinction　of
rank；　has　come　to　communicate　with　the　Chinese　in　this　baby　talk　is
extraordinary。

If　you　order　a　fire　you　say　something　like　this：　〃Fire　makee；　chop；
chop；　here；　makee　fire　number　one；〃　chop　being　quick；　and　number　one
good；　or　〃first…class。〃　If　a　servant　tells　you　that　some　one　has　called
he　says；　〃One　piecey　manee　here　speak　missey；〃　and　if　one　asks　who　he
is；　he　very　likely　answers；　〃No　sabe；〃　or　else；　〃Number　one；　tink；〃　by
which　he　implies　that　the　visitor　is；　in　his　opinion；　a　gentleman。
After　the　courteous；　kindly　Japanese；　the　Chinese　seem　indifferent；
rough　and　disagreeable；　except　the　well…to…do　merchants　in　the　shops；
who　are　bland；　complacent；　and　courteous。　Their　rude　stare　and　the　way
they　hustle　you　in　the　streets　and　shout　their　〃pidjun〃　English　at　you
is　not　attractive。　Then　they　have　an　ugly　habit　of　speaking　of　us　as
barbarian　or　foreign　devils。　　Since　I　knew　the　word　I　have　heard　it
several　times　in　the　streets；　and　Bishop　Burdon　says　that　before　his
servants　found　out　that　he　knew　Chinese；　they　were　always　speaking　of
him　and　Mrs。　Burdon　by　this　very　ugly　name。

＇Victoria　is；　or　should　be；　well　known；　so　I　will　not　describe　its
cliques；　its　boundless　hospitalities；　its　extravagances　in　living；　its
quarrels；　its　gayeties；　its　picnics；　balls；　regattas；　races；　dinner
parties；　lawn　tennis　parties；　amateur　theatricals；　afternoon　teas；　and
all　its　other　modes　of　creating　a　whirl　which　passes　for　pleasure　or
occupation。　Rather；　I　would　write　of　some　of　the　facts　concerning　this
very　remarkable　settlement；　which　is　on　its　way　to　being　the　most
important　British　colony　in　the　Far　East。

Moored　to　England　by　the　electric　cable；　and　replete　with　all　the
magnificent　enterprises　and　luxuries　of　English　civilization；　with　a
population　of　one　hundred　and　sixty　thousand；　of　which　only　seven
thousand；　including　soldiers　and　sailors；　are　white；　and　possessing　the
most　imposing　city　of　the　East　on　its　shores；　the　colony　is　only　forty
years　old；　the　island　of　Hong　Kong　having　been　ceded　to　England　in
1841；　while　its　charter　only　bears　the　date　of　1843。　The　island；　which
is　about　eleven　miles　long；　from　two　to　five　broad；　and　with　an　area　of
about　twenty…nine　square　miles；　is　one　of　a　number　situated　off　the
south…eastern　coast　of　China　at　the　mouth　of　the　Canton　river；　ninety
miles　from　Canton。　It　is　one　of　the　many　〃thieves'　islands；〃　and　one　of
the　first　necessities　of　the　administration　was　to　clear　out　the　hordes
of　sea　and　river　pirates　which　infested　its　very　intricate
neighborhood。　It　lies　just　within　the　tropic　of　Cancer　in　lat。　22
degrees　N。　　and　long。　114　degrees　E。　The　Ly…ee…moon　Pass；　the　narrow
strait　which　separates　it　from　the　Chinese　mainland；　is　only　half　a
mile　wide。　Kowloon；　on　the　mainland；　an　arid　peninsula；　on　which　some
of　the　Hong　Kongese　have　been　attempting　to　create　a　suburb；　was　ceded
to　England　in　1861。　The　whole　island　of　Hong　Kong　is　picturesque。　The
magnificent　harbor；　which　has　an　area　of　ten　square　miles；　is
surrounded　by　fantastic；　broken　mountains　from　three　thousand　to　four
thousand　feet　high；　and　the　magnificent　city　of　Victoria　extends　for
four　miles　along　its　southern　shore；　with　its　six　thousand　houses　of
stone　and　brick　and　the　princely　mansions　and　roomy　bungalows　of　its
merchants　and　officials　scrambling　up　the　steep　sides　of　the　Peak；　the
highest　point　of　the　island；　carrying　verdure　and　shade　with　them。　Damp
as　its　summer　is；　the　average　rainfall　scarcely　exceeds　seventy…e