the golden chersonese and the way thither-第20章

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and　that　of　the　Naam…Hoi　prison　on　the　other；　was　lying　near　one　of　the
pools　of　blood；　and　I　picked　it　up　as　a　memento；　as　the　stroke　which
had　severed　its　string　had　also　severed　at　the　same　time　the　culprit's
neck。　The　place　was　ghastly　and　smelt　of　blood。

The　strangest　and　most　thrilling　sight　of　all　was　the　cross　in　this
unholy　spot；　not　a　symbol　of　victory　and　hope；　but　of　the　lowest　infamy
and　degradation；　of　the　vilest　death　which　the　vilest　men　can　die。　Nor
was　it　the　solid；　lofty　structure；　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　high；　which
art　has　been　glorifying　for　a　thousand　years；　but　a　rude　gibbet　of
unplaned　wood；　roughly　nailed　together；　barely　eight　feet　high；　and　not
too　heavy　for　a　strong　man　to　carry　on　his　shoulders。　Most　likely　it
was　such　a　cross；　elevated　but　little　above　the　heads　of　the　howling
mob　of　Jerusalem；　which　Paul　had　in　view　when　he　wrote　of　Him　who　hung
upon　it；　〃But　made　Himself　obedient　unto　death；　_even　the　death　of　the
cross_。〃　To　these　gibbets　infamous　criminals；　whose　crimes　are　regarded
as　deserving　of　a　lingering　death；　are　tightly　bound　with　cords；　and
are　then　slowly　hacked　to　pieces　with　sharp　knives；　unless　the　friends
of　the　culprit　are　rich　enough　to　bribe　the　executioner　to　terminate
the　death　agony　early　by　stabbing　a　vital　part。

These　facts　do　not　require　to　be　dressed　out　with　words。　　They　are　most
effective　when　most　baldly　stated。　I　left　the　execution　ground　as　I
left　the　prisonwith　the　prayer；　which　has　gained　a　new　significance；
〃For　all　prisoners　and　captives　we　beseech　Thee　to　hear　us；　good　Lord；〃
but　though　our　hands　are　nationally　clean　now　as　regards　the
administration　of　justice　and　the　treatment　of　criminals；　we　need　not
hold　them　up　in　holy　horror　as　if　the　Chinese　were　guilty　above　all
other　men；　for　the　framers　of　the　Litany　were　familiar　with　dungeons
perhaps　worse　than　the　prison　of　the　Naam…Hoi　magistrate；　and　with
forms　of　torture　which　spared　not　even　women；　and　the　judges'　and
jailers'　palms　were　intimate　with　the　gold　of　accused　persons。　It　is
simply　that　heathenism　in　Canton　is　practising　at　this　day　what
Christianity　in　Europe　looked　upon　with　indifference　for　centuries。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　V

Portuguese　MissionariesA　Chinese　HospitalChinese
AnaestheticsSurgery　and　MedicineVentilation　and　CleanlinessA
Chinese　〃Afternoon　Tea〃A　New　Inspiration


HONG　KONG；　January　10。

The　year　seems　already　getting　old　and　frowzy。　Under　these　blue　skies；
and　with　all　the　doors　and　windows　open；　I　should　think　it　midsummer　if
I　did　not　look　at　the　calendar。　Oh；　how　I　like　blue；　sunny　skies；
instead　of　gray　and　grim　ones；　and　blazing　colors　instead　of　the　dismal
grays　and　browns　of　our　nondescript　winters！

I　left　Canton　by　the　Kin…Kiang　on　Monday；　with　two　thousand　Chinese
passengers　and　two　Portuguese　missionary　priests；　the　latter　wearing
Chinese　costume；　and　so　completely　got　up　as　Chinamen　that　had　they　not
spoken　Portuguese　their　features　would　not　have　been　sufficient　to
undeceive　me。　　They　were　noble…looking　men；　and　bore　upon　their　faces
the　stamp　of　consecration　to　a　noble　work。　On　the　other　steamer；　the
Tchang；　instead　of　a　man　with　revolvers　and　a　cutlass　keeping　guard
over　the　steerage　grating；　a　large　hose　pipe　is　laid　on　to　each
hatch…way；　through　which；　in　case　of　need；　boiling　water　can　be　sent
under　strong　pressure。　Just　as　we　landed　here；　about　five　hundred　large
fishes　were　passed　through　a　circular　net　from　a　well　in　the　steamer
into　a　well　in　a　fishing　boat；　to　which　all　the　fishmongers　in　Hong
Kong　immediately　resorted。

（I　pass　over　the　hospitalities　and　festivities　of　Hong　Kong；　and　an
afternoon　with　the　Governor　in　the　Victoria　Prison；　to　an　interesting
visit　paid　with　Mr。；　now　Sir　J。　　Pope　Hennessey　to　the　Chinese
Hospital。）

We　started　from　Government　House；　with　the　Governor；　in　a　chair　with
six　scarlet　bearers；　attended　by　some　Sikh　orderlies　in　scarlet
turbans；　for　a　〃State　Visit〃　to　the　Tung…Wah　Hospital；　a　purely　Chinese
institution；　built　some　years　ago　by　Chinese　merchants；　and　supported
by　them　at　an　annual　cost　of　16；000。　In　it　nothing　European；　either　in
the　way　of　drugs　or　treatment；　is　tried。　There　is　a　dispensary
connected　with　it；　where　advice　is　daily　given　to　about　a　hundred　and
twenty　people；　and；　though　lunacy　is　rare　in　China；　they　are　building　a
lunatic　asylum　at　the　back　of　the　hospital。

The　Tung…Wah　hospital　consists　of　several　two…storied　buildings　of
granite；　with　large　windows　on　each　side；　and　a　lofty　central　building
which　contains　the　directors'　hall；　the　accommodation　for　six　resident
physicians；　and　the　business　offices。　The　whole　is　surrounded　by　a
well…kept　garden；　bounded　by　a　very　high　wall。　We　entered　by　the　grand
entrance；　which　has　a　flagged　pavement；　each　flag　consisting　of　a　slab
of　granite　twelve　feet　long　by　three　broad；　and　were　received　at　the
foot　of　the　grand　staircase　by　the　directors　and　their　chairman；　the
six　resident　doctors；　and　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　a　rising；　Chinese　barrister；
educated　at　Lincoln's　Inn；　who　interpreted　for　us　in　admirable　English。
He　is　the　man　who　goes　between　the　Governor　and　the　Chinese　community；
and　is　believed　to　have　more　influence　with　the　Governor　on　all
questions　which　concern　Chinamen　than　anybody　else。　These　gentlemen　all
wore　rich　and　beautiful　dresses　of　thick　ribbed　silk　and　figured
brocade；　and；　unless　they　were　much　padded　and　wadded；　they　had　all
attained　to　a　remarkable　embonpoint。

The　hall　in　which　the　directors　meet　is　lofty　and　very　handsome；　the
roof　being　supported　on　massive　pillars。　One　side　is　open　to　the
garden。　It　has　a　superb　ebony　table　in　the　middle；　with　a　chair　massive
enough　for　a　throne　for　the　chairman；　and　six　grand；　carved　ebony
chairs　on　either　side。

Our　procession　consisted　of　the　chairman　and　the　twelve　directors；　the
six　stout　middle…aged　doctors；　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　the　Governor；　the　Bishop　of
Victoria；　and　myself；　but　the　patients　regarded　the　unwonted　spectacle
with　extreme　apathy。

The　wards　hold　twenty　each；　and　are　divided　into　wooden　stalls；　each
stall　containing　two　beds。　Partitions　seven　feet　high　run　down　the
centre。　The　beds　are　matted　wooden　platforms；　and　the　bedding　white
futons　or　wadded　quilts；　which　are　washed　once　a　week。　The　pillows　are
of　wood　or　bamboo。　Each　bed　has　a　shelf　above　it；　with　a　teapot　upon　it
in　a　thickly　wadded　basket；　which　keeps　the　contents　hot　all　day；　the
infusion　being；　of　course；　poured　off　the　leaves。　　A　ticket；　with　the
patient's　name　upon　it；　and　the　hours　at　which　he　is　to　take　his
medicine；　hangs　above　each　person。

No　amputations　are　performed；　but　there　are　a　good　many　other
operations；　such　as　the　removal　of　cancers；　tumors；　etc。　The　doctors
were　quite　willing　to　answer　questions；　within　certain　limits；　but　when
I　asked　them　about　the　composition　and　properties　of　their　drugs　they
became　reticent　at　once　and　said　that　they　were　secrets。　They　do　not
use　chloroform　in　operations；　but　they　all　asserted；　and　their
assertions　were　corroborated　by　Mr。　Ng　Choy；　that　they　possess　drugs
which　throw　their　patients　into　a　profound　sleep；　during　which　the　most
severe　operations　can　be　painlessly　performed。　They　asserted　further
that　such　patients　awake　an　hour　or　two　afterward　quite　cheerful；　and
with　neither　headache　nor　vomiting！　One　of　them　showed　me　a　bottle
containing　a　dark　brown　powder　which；　he　said；　produced　this　result；
but　he　would　not　divulge　the　name　of　one　of　its　constituents；　saying
that　it　is　a　secret　taught　him　by　his　tutor；　and　that　there　are　several
formulas。　It　has　a　pungent　and　slightly　aromatic　taste。

The　surgery　and　medicine　are　totally　uninfluenced　by　European　science；
and　are　of　the　most　antiquated　and　barbaric　description。　There　was　a
woman　who　had　had　a　cancer　removed；　and　the　awful　wound；　which　was
uncovered　for　my　inspection；　was　dressed　with　musk；　lard；　and
ambergris；　with　a　piece　of　oiled　paper　over　all。　There　was　also
exhibited　to　us　a　foot　which　had　been　pierced　by　a　bamboo　splinter。
Violent　inflammation　had　extended　up　to　the　knee；　and　the　wound；　and
the　swollen；　blackened　limb　were　being　treated　with　musk　and　tiger's
fat。　A　man　with　gangrened　feet；