the golden chersonese and the way thither-第19章

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is　rather　a　disgrace　than　a　cruel　mode　of　punishment。　Death　is　said　to
be　inflicted　for　aggravated　robbery；　robbery　with　murder；　highway
robbery；　arson；　and　piracy；　even　without　the　form　of　a　trial　when　the
culprits　are　caught　in　flagrante　delicto；　but　though　it　is　a　frequent
punishment；　it　is　by　no　means　absolutely　certain　for　what　crimes　it　is
the　legal　penalty。

We　left　the　judgment…seat　as　a　fresh　relay　of　criminals　entered；　two　of
them　with　faces　atrocious　enough　for　any　crime；　and　passed　out　of　the
courtyard　of　the　Yamun　through　the　〃Gate　of　Righteousness；〃　where　the
prisoners；　attached　to　heavy　stones；　were　dragging　and　clanking　their
chains；　or　lying　in　the　shade　full　of　sores；　and　though　the　red　sunset
light　was　transfiguring　all　things；　the　glory　had　faded　from　Canton　and
the　air　seemed　heavy　with　a　curse。



LETTER　IV　（Continued）

The　〃Covent　Garden〃　of　CantonPreliminaries　of　ExecutionA　Death
ProcessionThe　〃Field　of　Blood〃〃The　Death　of　the　Cross〃A　Fair
Comparison


Although　I　went　to　the　execution　ground　two　days　before　my　visit　to　the
prison；　the　account　of　it　belongs　to　this　place。　Passing　through　the
fruit…market；　the　〃Covent　Garden〃　of　Canton；　where　now　and　in　their
stated　seasons　are　exposed　for　sale；　singly　and　in　fragrant　heaps；
among　countless　other　varieties　of　fruits；　the　orange；　pommeloe；　apple；
citron；　banana；　rose…apple；　pine…apple；　custard…apple；　pear；　quince；
guava；　carambola；　persimmon；　loquat；　pomegranate；　grape；　water…melon；
musk…melon；　peach；　apricot；　plum；　mango；　mulberry；　date；　cocoa…nut；
olive；　walnut；　chestnut；　lichi；　and　papaya；　through　the　unsavory
precincts　of　the　〃salt…fish　market；〃　and　along　a　street　the　specialty
of　which　is　the　manufacture　from　palm　leaves　of　very　serviceable　rain
cloaks；　we　arrived　at　the　Ma　T'au；　a　cul　de　sac　resembling　in　shape；　as
its　name　imports；　a　horse's　head；　with　the　broad　end　opening　on　the
street。　　This　〃field　of　blood；〃　which　counts　its　slain　by　tens　of
thousands；　is　also　a　〃potter's　field；〃　and　is　occupied　throughout　its
whole　length　by　the　large　earthen　pots　which　the　Chinese　use　instead　of
tubs；　either　in　process　of　manufacture　or　drying　in　the　sun。　This　Ma
T'au；　the　place　of　execution；　on　which　more　than　one　hundred　heads　at
times　fall　in　a　morning；　is　simply　a　pottery　yard；　and　at　the　hours
when　space　is　required　for　the　executioner's　purposes　more　or　fewer
pots　are　cleared　out　of　the　way；　according　to　the　number　of　the
condemned。　The　spectacle　is　open　to　the　street　and　to　all　passers…by。
Against　the　south　wall　are　five　crosses；　which　are　used　for　the
crucifixion　of　malefactors。　At　the　base　of　the　east　wall　are　four　large
earthenware　vessels　full　of　quicklime；　into　which　heads　which　are
afterward　to　be　exposed　on　poles　are　cast；　until　the　flesh　has　been
destroyed。　From　this　bald　sketch　it　may　be　surmised　that　few
accessories　of　solemnity　or　even　propriety　consecrate　the　last　tragedy
of　justice。

In　some　cases　criminals　are　brought　directly　from　the　judgment…seat　to
the　execution　ground　on　receiving　sentence；　but　as　a　rule　the　condemned
persons　remain　in　prison　ignorant　of　the　date　of　their　doom；　till　an
official；　carrying　a　square　board　with　the　names　of　those　who　are　to
die　that　day　pasted　upon　it；　enters　and　reads　the　names　of　the　doomed。
Each　man　on　answering　is　made　to　sit　in　something　like　a　dust…basket；
in　which　he　is　borne　through　the　gate　of　the　inner　prison；　at　which　he
is　interrogated　and　his　identity　ascertained　by　an　official；　who
represents　the　Viceroy　or　Governor；　into　the　courtyard　of　the　Yamun；
where　he　is　pinioned。　At　this　stage　it　is　usual　for　the　friends　of　the
criminal；　or　the　turnkeys　in　their　absence；　to　give　him　〃auspicious〃
food；　chiefly　fat　pork　and　Saam…su；　an　intoxicating　wine。　Pieces　of
betel…nut；　the　stimulating　qualities　of　which　are　well　known；　are
invariably　given。　These　delays　being　over；　the　criminal　is　carried　into
the　presence　of　the　judge；　who　sits　not　in　the　judgment…hall　but　in　the
porch　of　the　inner　gateway　of　his　Yamun。　On　the　prisoner　giving　his
name；　a　superscription　bearing　it；　and　proclaiming　his　crime　and　the
manner　of　his　death；　is　tied　to　a　slip　of　bamboo　and　bound　to　his　head。
A　small　wooden　ticket；　also　bearing　his　name　and　that　of　the　prison
from　which　he　is　taken　to　execution；　is　tied　to　the　back　of　his　neck。

Then　the　procession　starts；　the　criminals；　of　whom　there　are　usually
several；　being　carried　in　open　baskets　in　the　following　order：Some
spearmen；　the　malefactors；　a　few　soldiers；　a　chair　of　state；　bearing
the　ruler　of　the　Naam…Hoi　county；　attended　by　equerries；　and　another
chair　of　state；　in　which　is　seated　the　official　who；　after　all　is　over；
pays　worship　to　the　five　protecting　genii　of　Canton；　a　small　temple　to
whom　stands　close　to　the　potter's　field；　and　who　have　power　to　restrain
those　feelings　of　revenge　and　violence　which　the　spirits　of　the
decapitated　persons　may　be　supposed　hereafter　to　cherish　against　all
who　were　instrumental　in　their　decapitation。　Last　of　all　follows　a
herald　on　horseback；　carrying　a　yellow　banner　inscribed　〃By　Imperial
Decree；〃　an　indispensable　adjunct　on　such　occasions；　as　without　it　the
county　ruler　would　not　be　justified　in　commanding　the　executioner　to
give　the　death　stroke。　This　ruler　or　his　deputy　sits　at　a　table　covered
with　a　red　cloth；　and　on　being　told　that　all　the　preliminaries　have
been　complied　with；　gives　the　word　for　execution。　The　criminals；　who
have　been　unceremoniously　pitched　out　of　the　dust　baskets　into　the　mud
or　gore　or　dust　of　the　execution　ground；　kneel　down　in　a　row　or　rows；
and　the　executioner　with　a　scimitar　strikes　off　head　after　head；　each
with　a　single　stroke；　an　assistant　attending　to　hand　him　a　fresh　sword
as　soon　as　the　first　becomes　blunt。　　It　is　said　that　Chinese　criminals
usually　meet　their　doom　with　extreme　apathy；　but　occasionally　they
yield　to　extreme　terror；　and　howl　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　〃Save
life！　　Save　life！〃　As　soon　as　the　heads　have　fallen；　some　coolies　of　a
pariah　class　take　up　the　trunks　and　put　them　into　wooden　shells；　in
which　they　are　eventually　buried　in　a　cemetery　outside　one　of　the　city
gates；　called　〃The　trench　for　the　bones　of　ten　thousand　men。〃　It　is　not
an　uncommon　thing；　under　ordinary　circumstances；　for　fifteen；　twenty；
or　thirty…five　wretches　to　suffer　the　penalty　of　death　in　this　spot；
and　this　number　swells　to　very　large　dimensions　at　a　jail　delivery；　or
during　a　rebellion；　or　when　the　crews　of　pirates　are　captured　in　the
act　of　piracy。　My　friend　Mr。　Bulkeley　Johnson；　of　Shanghai；　saw　one
hundred　heads　fall　in　one　morning。

Mr。　Henry　says　that　the　reason　that　most　of　the　criminals　meet　death
with　such　stoicism　or　indifference　is；　that　they　have　been　worn　down
previously　by　starvation　and　torture。　　Some　are　stupefied　with　Saam…su。
It　is　possible　in　some　cases　for　a　criminal　who　is　fortunate　enough　to
have　rich　relations　to　procure　a　substitute；　a　coolie　sells　himself　to
death　in　such　a　man's　stead　for　a　hundred　dollars；　and　for　a　week
before　his　surrender　indulges　in　every　kind　of　expensive　debauchery；
and　when　the　day　of　doom　arrives　is　so　completely　stupefied　by　wine　and
opium；　as　to　know　nothing　of　the　terror　of　death。

We　had　not　gone　far　into　this　aceldema　when　we　came　to　a　space　cleared
from　pots；　and　to　a　great　pool　of　blood　and　dust　mingled；　blackening　in
the　sun；　then　another　and　another；　till　there　were　five　of　them　almost
close　together；　with　splashes　of　blood　upon　the　adjacent　pots；　and
blood　trodden　into　the　thirsty　ground。　Against　the　wall　opposite；　a
rudely　constructed　cross　was　resting；　dark　here　and　there　with　patches
of　blood。　Among　the　rubbish　at　the　base　of　the　wall　there　were　some
human　fragments　partly　covered　with　matting；　a　little　farther　some
jaw…bones　with　the　teeth　in　them；　then　four　more　crosses；　and　some
human　heads　lying　at　the　foot　of　the　wall；　from　which　it　was　evident
that　dogs　had　partially　gnawed　off　the　matting　in　which　they　had　been
tied　up。　The　dead　stare　of　one　human　eye　amidst　the　heap　haunts　me
still。　A　blood…splashed　wooden　ticket；　with　a　human　name　on　one　side
and　that　of　the　Naam…Hoi　prison　on　the　other；　was　lying　near　one　of　the
pool