the golden chersonese and the way thither-第21章

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the　swollen；　blackened　limb　were　being　treated　with　musk　and　tiger's
fat。　A　man　with　gangrened　feet；　nearly　dropping　off；　had　them　rolled　up
in　dark…colored　paste；　of　which　musk　and　oil　were　two　ingredients。　All
the　wounds　were　deplorably　dirty；　and　no　process　of　cleaning　them
exists　in　this　system　of　surgery。

The　Governor　and　Bishop　were　not　allowed　to　go　into　the　women's　ward。
It　looked　very　clean　and　comfortable；　but　a　woman　in　the　last
death…agony　was　unattended。　They　never　bleed；　or　leech；　or　blister；　or
apply　any　counter…irritants　in　cases　of　inflammation。　They　give
powdered　rhinoceros'　horns；　sun…dried　tiger's　blood；　powdered　tiger's
liver；　spiders'　eyes；　and　many　other　queer　things；　and　for　a　tonic　and
febrifuge；　where　we　should　use　quinine；　they　rely　mainly　on　the　ginseng
（Panax　quinquefolia？）　of　which　I　saw　so　much　in　Japan。　They　judge　much
by　the　pulse　and　tongue。　　The　mortality　in　this　hospital　is　very　large；
not　only　from　the　nature　of　the　treatment；　but　because　Chinamen　who
have　no　friends　in　Victoria　go　there　when　they　are　dying；　in　order　to
secure　that　their　bodies　shall　be　sent　to　their　relations　at　a
distance。　There　were　fifteen　sick　and　shipwrecked　junkmen　there；
covered　with　sores；　who　looked　very　far　down　in　the　scale　of　humanity。

After　going　through　the　wards　I　went　into　the　laboratory；　where　six　men
were　engaged　in　preparing　drugs；　then　to　the　〃chemical　kitchen；〃　where
a　hundred　and　fifty　earthen　pipkins　on　a　hundred　and　fifty　earthen
furnaces　were　being　used　in　cooking　medicines　under　the　superintendence
of　eight　cooks　in　spotless　white　clothing；　then　to　the　kitchen；　which
is　large　and　clean；　then　alone　into　the　dead…house；　which　no　Chinese
will　enter　except　an　unclean　class　of　pariahs；　who　perform　the　last
offices　for　the　departed　and　dress　the　corpses　for　burial。　This　gloomy
receptacle　is　also　clean。

Great　attention　is　paid　to　cleanliness　and　ventilation。　Dry　earth　is
used　as　a　deodorizer；　but　if　there　be　a　bad　odor　they　burn　sandalwood。
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　we