the golden chersonese and the way thither-第13章

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miles　from　Canton；　are　receiving　shelter　in　the　compound　of　the　German
mission。　It　was　late　in　the　evening；　and　these　poor　refugees；　who　had
sacrificed　much　for　their　faith　and　had　undergone　great　terror；　were
singing　hymns；　and　reading　and　worshipping　in　Chinese。　In　the　place
from　which　they　came　a　Christian　of　wealth　wished　to　build　a　church；
and　last　week　he　was　proceeding　to　do　so；　when　the　heathen；　instigated
by　the　district　mandarin；　seized　upon　him　and　four　other　Christians；
and　when　he　would　neither　say　the　word　nor　make　the　obeisance　which　is
regarded　as　equivalent　to　denying　Christ；　they　wrapped　him　in　cotton
wadding　soaked　in　oil；　tied　him　to　a　cross；　and　burned　him；　no
extremity　of　torture　availing　to　shake　his　constancy。　They　cut　off　the
arms　and　legs　of　the　four　other　persons；　tied　crosses　to　the　trunks；
and　then　burned　them。　This　deed；　done　so　near　Canton；　has　caused　great
horror　among　the　foreigners　both　here　and　at　Hong　Kong；　and　the　deepest
sympathy　is　felt　both　with　the　converts　and　the　missionary　priests。　In
the　sympathy　with　the　heroism　and　sufferings　of　those　who　have　been
〃faithful　unto　death；〃　all　the　Protestant　missionaries　join　heartily；
as　in　the　belief　that　these　victims　are　reckoned　among　〃the　noble　army
of　martyrs。〃　It　is　estimated　that　there　are　seven　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　Romish　Christians　in　China；　many　of　them　of　the　third　or
fourth　generation　of　Christians；　and　in　some　places　far　in　the　interior
there　are　whole　villages　of　them。　The　Portuguese　and　French　missionary
priests　who　devote　themselves　for　life　to　this　work；　dress；　eat；　and
live　as　Chinamen；　and　are　credited　with　great　devotion。

It　is　most　interesting　to　be　brought　by　the　spectacle　of　these　poor
refugees　so　near　to　the　glory　and　the　woe　of　martyrdom；　and　to　hear
that　the　martyr　spirit　can　still　make　men　〃obedient　unto　death；　even
the　death　of　the　cross。〃　A　placard　was　posted　up　some　time　ago　calling
for　a　general　massacre　of　the　native　Christians　on　Christmas　Day。　　It
attributes　every　vice　to　the　〃Foreign　Devils；〃　and　says　that；　〃to
preserve　the　peace　and　purity　of　Chinese　Society；　those　whom　they　have
corrupted　must　be　cut　off。〃　One　phrase　of　this　placard　is；　〃The
wickedness　of　these　foreign　devils　is　so　great　that　even　pigs　and　dogs
would　refuse　to　eat　their　flesh！〃

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Henry　speak　Chinese；　and　are　both　fearless；　and　familiar
with　the　phases　of　Canton　life。　Of　all　the　places　I　have　seen；　Canton
is　the　most　overwhelmingly　interesting；　fascinating；　and　startling。
〃See　Canton　and　die；〃　I　would　almost　say；　and　yet　I　can　give　no　idea　of
all　that　has　taken　such　a　strong　hold　of　me。　I　should　now　be　quite
content　to　see　only　the　manifold　street　life；　with　its　crowds；
processions；　and　din；　and　the　strange　and　ever…shifting　water　life；
altogether　distinct　from　the　land　life。　The　rice…paper　pictures　give　a
very　good　idea　of　the　forms　and　colors　of　the　boats；　but　the　thousands
of　them；　and　the　rate　at　which　they　are　propelled；　are　altogether
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