the golden chersonese and the way thither-第8章

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bruises！〃

In　this　same　gale；　but　on　a　dry　day；　we　came　close　up　with　the　mainland
of　Eastern　Asia。　Coasts　usually　disappoint。　　This　one　exceeded　all　my
expectations；　and　besides；　it　was　the　coast　of　Asia；　the　mysterious
continent　which　has　been　my　dream　from　childhoodbare；　lofty；　rocky；
basaltic；　islands　of　naked　rock　separated　by　narrow　channels；　majestic；
perpendicular　cliffs；　a　desolate　uninhabited　region；　lashed　by　a　heavy
sea；　with　visions　of　swirling　mists；　shrieking　sea…birds；　and　Chinese
high…sterned　fishing…boats　with　treble…reefed；　three…cornered　brown
sails；　appearing　on　the　tops　of　surges；　at　once　to　vanish。　　Soon　we
were　among　mountainous　islands；　and　then；　by　a　narrow　and　picturesque
channel；　entered　the　outer　harbor；　with　the　scorched　and　arid　peaks　of
Hong　Kong　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　the　yet　redder　and　rockier
mainland；　without　a　tree　or　trace　of　cultivation；　or　even　of
habitation；　except　here　and　there　a　few　stone　huts　clustering　round
inlets；　in　which　boats　were　lying。　We　were　within　the　tropic　of　Cancer；
but　still　the　cold；　coarse　bluster　continued；　so　that　it　was　barely
possible　to　see　China　except　in　snatches　from　behind　the　deck…house。

Turning　through　another　channel；　we　abruptly　entered　the　inner　harbor；
and　sailed　into　the　summer；　blue　sky；　blue　water；　a　summer　sun；　and　a
cool　breeze；　while　a　tender　veil　of　blue　haze　softened　the　outlines　of
the　flushed　mountains。　Victoria；　which　is　the　capital　of　the　British
colony　of　the　island　of　Hong　Kong；　and　which　colloquially　is　called
Hong　Kong；　looked　magnificent；　suggesting　Gibraltar；　but　far；　far
finer；　its　peak　eighteen　hundred　feet　in　heighta　giant　among　lesser
peaks；　rising　abruptly　from　the　sea　above　the　great　granite　city　which
clusters　upon　its　lower　declivities；　looking　out　from　dense　greenery
and　tropical　gardens；　and　the　deep　shade　of　palms　and　bananas；　the
lines　of　many　of　its　streets　traced　in　foliage；　all　contrasting　with
the　scorched　red　soil　and　barren　crags　which　were　its　universal　aspect
before　we　acquired　it　in　1843。　A　forest　of　masts　above　the　town　betoken
its　commercial　importance；　and　〃P。　and　O。〃　and　Messageries　Maritimes
steamers；　ships　of　war　of　all　nations；　low…hulled；　big…masted　clippers；
store　and　hospital　ships；　and　a　great　fishing　fleet　lay　at　anchor　in
the　harbor。　The　English　and　Romish　cathedrals；　the　Episcopal　Palace；
with　St。　Paul's　College；　great　high　blocks　of　commercial　buildings；
huge　sugar　factories；　great　barracks　in　terraces；　battery　above
battery；　Government　House；　and　massive　stone　wharves；　came　rapidly　into
view；　and　over　all；　its　rich　folds　spreading　out　fully　on　the　breeze；
floated　the　English　flag。

But　dense　volumes　of　smoke　rolling　and　eddying；　and　covering　with　their
black　folds　the　lower　slopes　and　the　town　itself　made　a　surprising
spectacle；　and　even　as　we　anchored　came　off　the　rapid　tolling　of　bells；
the　roll　of　drums；　and　the　murmur　of　a　〃city　at　unrest。〃　No　one　met　me。
A　few　Chinese　boats　came　off；　and　then　a　steam　launch　with　the　M。　M。
agent　in　an　obvious　flurry。　I　asked　him　how　to　get　ashore；　and　he
replied；　〃It's　no　use　going　ashore；　the　town's　half　burned；　and　burning
still；　there's　not　a　bed　at　any　hotel　for　love　or　money；　and　we　are
going　to　make　up　beds　here。〃　However；　through　the　politeness　of　the
mail　agent；　I　did　go　ashore　in　the　launch；　but　we　had　to　climb　through
and　over　at　least　eight　tiers　of　boats；　crammed　with　refugees；　mainly
women　and　children；　and　piled　up　with　all　sorts　of　household　goods；
whole　and　broken；　which　had　been　thrown　into　them　promiscuously　to　save
them。　〃The　palace　of　the　English　bishop；〃　they　said；　was　still
untouched；　so；　escaping　from　an　indescribable　hubbub；　I　got　into　a
bamboo　chair；　with　two　long　poles　which　rested　on　the　shoulders　of　two
lean　coolies；　who　carried　me　to　my　destination　at　a　swinging　pace
through　streets　as　steep　as　those　of　Varenna。　Streets　choked　up　with
household　goods　and　the　costly　contents　of　shops；　treasured　books　and
nick…nacks　lying　on　the　dusty　pavements；　with　beds；　pictures；
clothing；　mirrors；　goods　of　all　sorts；　Chinamen　dragging　their
possessions　to　the　hills；　Chinawomen；　some　of　them　with　hoofs　rather
than　feet；　carrying　their　children　on　their　backs　and　under　their　arms；
officers；　black　with　smoke；　working　at　the　hose　like　firemen；　parties
of　troops　marching　as　steadily　as　on　parade；　or　keeping　guard　in
perilous　places；　Mr。　Pope　Henessey；　the　Governor；　ubiquitous　in　a　chair
with　four　scarlet　bearers；　men　belonging　to　the　insurance　companies
running　about　with　drawn　swords；　the　miscellaneous　population　running
hither　and　thither；　loud　and　frequent　explosions；　heavy　crashes　as　of
tottering　walls；　and；　above　all；　the　loud　bell　of　the　Romish　cathedral
tolling　rapidly；　calling　to　work　or　prayer；　made　a　scene　of　intense
excitement；　while　utterly　unmoved；　in　grand　Oriental　calm　（or　apathy）；
with　the　waves　of　tumult　breaking　round　their　feet；　stood　Sikh
sentries；　majestic　men；　with　swarthy　faces　and　great；　crimson　turbans。
Through　the　encumbered　streets　and　up　grand　flights　of　stairs　my
bearers　brought　me　to　these　picturesque　grounds；　which　were　covered
over　with　furniture　and　goods　of　all　descriptions　brought　hither　for
safety；　and　Chinese　families　camping　out　among　them。　Indeed；　the　Bishop
and　Mrs。　Burdon　had　not　only　thrown　open　their　beautiful　grounds　to
these　poor　people；　but　had　accommodated　some　Chinese　families　in　rooms
in　the　palace　under　their　own。　The　apathy　or　calm　of　the　Chinese　women
as　they　sat　houseless　amidst　their　possessions　was　very　striking。　In
the　broad；　covered　corridor　which　runs　round　the　palace　everything　the
Burdons　most　value　was　lying　ready　for　instantaneous　removal；　and　I　was
warned　not　to　unpack　or　take　off　my　traveling　dress。　The　Bishop　and　I
at　once　went　down　to　the　fire；　which　was　got　under；　and　saw　the　wreck
of　the　city　and　the　houseless　people　camping　out　among　the　things　they
had　saved。　Fire　was　still　burning　or　smouldering　everywhere；　high　walls
were　falling；　hose　were　playing　on　mountains　of　smouldering　timber；
whole　streets　were　blocked　with　masses　of　fallen　brick　and　stone；
charred　telegraph　poles　and　fused　wires　were　lying　about；　with　half
burned　ledgers　and　half　burned　everything。　The　colored　population
exceeds　one　hundred　and　fifty…two　thousand　souls；　and　only　those　who
know　the　Babel　which　an　eastern　crowd　is　capable　of　making　under
ordinary　circumstances　can　imagine　what　the　deafening　din　of　human
tongues　was　under　these　very　extraordinary　ones。　In　the　prison；　which
was　threatened　by　the　flames；　were　over　eight　hundred　ruffians　of　all
nations；　and　it　was　held　by　one　hundred　soldiers　with　ten　rounds　of
ammunition　each；　prepared　to　convey　the　criminals　to　a　place　of　safety
and　to　shoot　any　who　attempted　to　escape。　The　dread　of　these
miscreants；　which　was　everywhere　expressed；　is　not　unreasonable；　for
the　position　of　Victoria；　and　the　freedom　and　protection　afforded　by
our　laws；　together　with　the　present　Governor's　known　sympathies　with
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　harmles