Travels of a Pioneer of Commerce in Pigtail and Petticoats: or, an Overland journey from China towards India. ... With map and illustrations

Front matter

TRAVELS OF A PIONEER OF COMMERCE. HOGG'S GORGE OX THE LAN-TSAN-KIANG, TRAVELS OF A PIONEER OF COMMERCE IN PIGTAIL AND PETTICOATS: OE, AN OVERLAND JOURNEY FROM CHINA TOWARDS INDIA. By T. T. COOPER, LATE AGENT FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT CALCUTTA. ffltt\2 Stag anb Illustration**!. LONDON : JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1871. The Right of Translation is reserved. LONDON : BRADUUHT, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFR1ARS. TO CHARLES A. WINCHESTER AND JAMES HOGG, AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN COMMUNITY OF SHANGHAI, BT -WHOSE AID I WAS ENABLED TO PROSECUTE MY TRAVELS, THIS RECORD IS gthttatei BY THEIR SINCERE AND OBLIGED FRIEND, T. T. C. PKEFACE, By way of preface the Author desires to anticipate possible objections, from readers who may consider that he has said either too much or too little.

The circumstances of the journey absolutely precluded scientific observation : the only instrument taken, viz., a thermometer, was broken at an early stage, and travelling by boat and chair is not favourable to minute investigation ; but the Author can claim to have conscientiously recorded the facts which he was able to observe and learn, and the experiences undergone by him, and he trusts that these at least may enable some successor to learn more and accomplish far greater results than it was in his power to attain. One other remark seems to be called for, with regard to the geographical nomenclature adopted. It has been his desire to represent as exactly as possible the Chinese names by English equivalents. The true names of Chinese provinces and cities, as well as in some cases the true limits, have been so disguised in

Preface

. X their transmission through Portuguese and French media, that they are scarcely recognisable ; — thus Pa-Chin is known as Pekin ; and when the Author, misled by our maps, inquired for Chung-King, he with difficulty found the city of Chung-Ching. The adoption also of local dialects as representing the general pronunciation Las tended to increase the confusion ; and he has thought it the best method to obtain in each place the name by which it was known to the inhabitants, and express this in English letters as sounded by English tongues. With regard to the Map, it is not intended to .show the correct geography of the countries, but merely to help the reader to follow the Author in his narrative ; who in this, as in all other particulars, desires to be esteemed not a pre tentious or scientific traveller, but a simple and truthful Pioneer of Commerce. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Introductory

PAGE A Plea for the Chinese — The Overland Journey Suggested — A Way out of Difficulties — Mr. Wade's Advice — My Runaway Friends— An Infuriated French Consul — My Interpreter and Guide . . . 1

Chapter II. The Plains Of

II00PEH. Dispute with the Lowder — Salt Trade — Timber Rafts — Chen-pin Lake — Wild Geese— Offending the Wind God— Oil Mill— A Funeral Cortege — Arrival at Sha-su — Philip sees a Camel — A Chinese Hotel — A Family Dinner — Feminine Curiosity — Chinese Bedfellows— Small Feet — Disbanded Soldiers — Making a Night of it — Wan-chien Boat — Attempted Mandarin Squeeze — A Thunder Storm — Ichang City .

Chapter III. Ichang To Chung Ching

Ichang Gorge, Rapids of the Upper Yang-ts" — Ascending a Rapid — A Portage — An ugly Tumble — A happy New Year — A Travelling Bookseller — Pelted by Gunboat-Men — the Boundary of Hoopeh— Philip's Indisposition — Taken for a Grandfather — Official Roguery — Wreck of a Junk — Dragon Procession— Chinese Christians— A Missionary Drowned — Sz-chuan Quarrymen — A Night in a Rapid — Spirit-rapping — Trade of the Yang-ts° — Steamers on the Upper Yang-ts" CONTENTS. XII 133

Chapter IV. Chung Ching

PAGE The First Check— Reception of the Bishop— My Friend Fan— Taouist Rock Temples— Dinner with the Taou Jen— Decay of Chinese Art— A Royal Courier— The Sz-chuan Missions— Chinese Persecutions- Missionary Life— Respect paid to the Fathers— Boys' and Girls' Schools— Discouragement of Merchants— Chinese Theatre . . . 103

Chapter V. Chung Ching To Chen-tu

Novel UmbreUa — The House-rag — Sz-chuan Fortifications — A Famous Kung-kwan — Do I look like a Devil? — A Great Soldier — Making way for a Mandarin— Marriage Customs — The Noseless Bride— Sale of AYives — An Awkward Predicament — Yamun Spies — The Paris of China — Rapacious Cooks — A promising Passport

Chapter VI. Chen-tu To Hi-yan-ky

A Cooly Fight— Soldiers at free Quarters— Western Sz-chuan— Ya-tzow Brick Tea— Paddy Birds— A surly Pitman— The Fei-yue-ling— The Mountain Wind— Bishop Chauveau— Making a Gridiron— A Night on Ma-kia-shan— No Sport— The Soldiers are Coming— The Pviiined Village 164

Chapter VII. Hi-yan-ky To Ta-tsian-loo

Ceremonial of Atonement — Loo-din-chow Suspension Bridge— Don Quixote in Tse-tsang— Tea Carriers— Thibetan Hotel— The Border Town— Visit from a Lama— Prayer Cylinders— Lama Monks- Yunnan Lepers— Petticoats or Trousers— Man-tsu Ladies— Equipments for Thibet ■, „., CONTENTS. XIII PAGE

Chapter VIII. Eastern Thibet

The Chinese Frontier — A party of Tea Traders— The Hokow Ferry — Mountains and Valleys — The Zandi Tribes — tlie Town of Lithang — A thieving Interpreter — The Tsanba Range — The Taso Valley — A welcome Rest-house — A perilous Swim . . . . . . 221

Chapter IX. Bathang

Making Friends with the Mandarins — A Morning's Trading — A Thibetan Turf-man— My Friend Tang — The Golden -roofed Lamasery — Small-pox in Thibet — More Frightened than Hurt — An Intrigue Discovered — Route to Assam — Tz Ta-Lowya — A Mandarin in Difficulties — Change for Yunnan 245

Chapter X. Bathang To Atenze

I am Married unawares — Matrimonial Devotions — Robber Hill — Robbed of our Stores — A Song, but no Supper — Stopped on the Boundary — Refused Food at Tsung-tza— Banditti Repulsed — The Musk-hunter of Jessundee— A Terrible Woman — Tsali Shan — Passing a Snow-drift — First View of the Lan-tsan-kiang .... . 271

CHAPTER XL THE TRIBES OF THE LAN-TSAN-KIANG.

Trade of Atenze — The Goneah Tribe — Hogg's Gorge — Sagacity of the Mules — Tz-coo Mission Station — The Lu-ts" Tribes — The Moso Tribe — The Ya-ts" Tribe — The Mooquor Chief — Deer-stalking at Compo — A Hunt Supper — Village of Kha-kha— Weisee-foo — The Tartar General — Soldier Robbers — A Yunnan Mahomedan . . . CONTENTS. XIV PAGE 333

Chapter XII. Amongst The Tze-fans

Sz-se-to Village — The Lei-sus— Arrival at Tung-Ian— My Politics Tested —Night Attack— The Tze-fan Village— The Mahomedan War— A Traitor Viceroy — Mahomedan Progress— The Scorpion Fly

CHAPTER XIIL IMPRISONMENT AT WEISEE.

Tien Ta-lowya— In the Yamun— Rifle Practice— The Black-Nose— Tien Drunk — Lending a Mount — A Forced Loan Resisted — The Mandarins and the Revolver — Little Sen — Tien Dangerous — Playing with Edged Tools — Our Escape — Recaptured — Rescued by the Chiefs — Last Night in Weisee ......... 355

Chapter XIV. Return To Ta-tsian-loo

Departure from Weisee — A Ministering Angel — Return to Atenze — Thibetan Dairies — Bursting of a Rain-eloud — Renewed Hopes — Disappointment — Baffled Banditti— Tea-ferry on the Kin-cha-Kiang — Cold Reception at Bathang — An Act of Justice — Thibetan Necessity for Tea — Burmah and Yunnan Trade — Difficulty about the Despatches— A Wild Night 386