China, its marvel and mystery

Front matter

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Contents

CHAP. PAGE

I. HONG KONG i

II. NEW AND OLD KOWLOON 7

Chapter I Hong Kong

Arrival and General Impression.

HONG KONG, with its majestic Peak rising in glory above a shimmering sea, is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Look at the outline of the hills, broken and softened here and there by mist floating gossamer-like ; then look at the town of Victoria nestling at its foot, and the shipping of many nations, from frowning battleship and stately liner to the matting-sailed junk and tiny sampan — a wondrous place!

Watch the Peak towards evening, when the smoke of the fires from the Chinese quarter rises gently up the hillside. See this soft-coloured, vaporous smoke of chow-time, with its mysterious suggestions, as it moves slowly in the quiet atmosphere. Thoughts come to you then not only of the prosaic cooking-time of China, but of burning joss-sticks and quiet worship of which we of the West have but vague ideas.

Climb the hill on a brilliant sunny morning and look round over the many islands of red and grey rock, dotted about on the gleaming water, with sails sparkling, and perhaps on the far horizon a homeward-bound liner with its freight of humanity, goods, and letters with their messages to the loved ones at home. Or look down, at night, over the town with its thousands of lights glinting, and out over the harbour to busy Kowloon, at your feet myriads of flitting fireflies, and a brilliant moon and stars overhead. This is altogether one of the most mysterious, fascinating, and beautiful sights one can imagine.

Who, only seeing this side of it, would guess it could be the scene of such ravaging storms as the typhoon of 1908 or previous years, when houses were unroofed and wrecked, big ships driven ashore, junks swept away never to be seen again, and sampans lost by the score, all with their quota of human souls. Such is Nature — ever changing, beautiful, mysterious, with terrible and gloomy, glorious, sunny and joyous side.

Separated from the mainland by a channel varying in width from one mile at Kowloon Point to a quarter of a mile at the Lyeemoon Pass, the island of Hong Kong or Hiang Kiang, on which is built the town of the same name (more correctly, Victoria), was ceded to

HONG KONG

the British in 1841. The island is very irregular in shape, about ten miles long by two to five miles wide, and rising to a height of nearly 2000 feet. The geological formation is mainly granite, and the hills in the upper parts are bare ; but lower down, in and about the town and up what have been rough gulleys, our countrymen have planted trees and made beautiful gardens and lovely walks leading up to their pretty houses nestling in sheltered nooks on the hillside. High up one sees them, and to these the well-to-do colonists are carried to and fro in chairs, on poles borne by two or four coolies. There are very beautiful botanic gardens overlooking the town and bay ; and when I paid my first visit to them they were near their best, and I was greatly struck by a beautiful erythrea tree with its gorgeous red blossoms. Alas ! within twelve months, when I went again, the dreaded typhoon had broken this and many other fine specimens. And another example of the terrible destruction caused by these dreaded typhoons was brought still nearer home to me. The house in which I was a guest, on my first visit, had the roof torn oft' and was almost a ruin ; the rooms in which I had spent such pleasant times with my genial host were laid open to the skies ; and many months afterwards the house was only beginning again to wear its former appearance ; because, whatever damage is done, the colonist in his quiet way immediately gives orders for it to be repaired, and goes on with his business as if nothing unusual had happened.

The buildings of Victoria are very fine. I need only mention a few examples — the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, the Hong Kong Club, and the New Law Courts and Post Office now being built, all on the front, and largely on land gained from the sea by the foresight and energy of some of the leading colonists. Up behind, near the Botanic Gardens and looking over the town, is Government House, watching, as it were, over the destinies of the colony in charge of its occupant.

Scenes in the street are interesting and very cosmopolitan. Here you see the Britisher intent on business ; there the tourist in gay attire, men and women just landed from a liner, and making the most of a little stay in port to see all they can ; there, again, the shouting chair-coolies, anxious for a fare. All animation and business is this Gate of the East.

A most interesting walk is that along the front facing the harbour. Starting west from the Hong Kong Club, hub of the colony, one sees the Star Ferry Wharf, from whence plies the steam-ferry to and from Kowloon. Then there are various wharves and landing-places opposite great modern buildings, the offices of the shipping and other merchants. Between these wharves and jetties, packed closely, lie many native boats on which the owners live. They are ready to carry cargo of any kind, to ships in

HONG KONG

the harbour, or to other parts of the colony; there are smaller boats or sampans for passengers, and others for fishing. All these native craft must push off to a certain distance from the land at night, and all are numbered, and the passenger-boats licensed, so that passengers may embark in safety, the police knowing each boat. Farther on, one notices that the houses are mostly occupied by Chinese, and along and across this busy street coolies are carrying to and from the craft all sorts of goods, from bales of cotton to pigs squealing and kicking tied up in baskets ; farther on still, are the wharves of the various companies running steamers to Macao, Canton, and the West River.

The blue gown is the prevailing colour and costume of the better-class native, but amongst the coolies all colours are to be found in picturesque confusion. The wide straw hats seem to serve as umbrellas to keep off either sun or rain. Or again, from the Post Office, get on one of the smoothly running electric cars and go east past the barracks, and so on till again you are on the sea front (one sees many Japanese names on the shops here), on past East Point, where is one of the oldest Hongs of the colony, built here in the early days, and still going strong.

Here is the Harbour of Refuge, constructed to provide shelter for the many native craft. On farther, we see to one side the fine racecourse, where at certain times great crowds gather, not only from Hong Kong, Canton, but even Shanghai and other ports, sending their racing enthusiasts to swell the crowed. Continue on the car and we come to the great sugar-mills, and, near by, the New Dock, built by one of the great and enterprising firms of the Far East. And w^hat an enterprise this is ! — cut out of a granite hillside, and, at the time I saw it, nearing completion, with all the latest equipment necessary for docking large vessels — another instance of British colonial energy.

Farther on, the car runs along a pretty road by the water-side and finally stops at the entrance to the village of Sha-kai-wan, which, but a few years ago, was the home and headquarters of many of the pirates which infested these w^aters. It now has the appearance of a small fishing village ; but, personally, I would not like to vouch for the strict honesty of all its amphibious-looking inhabitants. At any rate, it does not call for great imagination to fancy them as dressed and armed in old-time style, and waiting ready to pounce on any peaceful craft passing by.

One cannot fail to notice another engineering feat — the Peak tramway, which I have heard described as ugly. But if one will travel by it, and watch from the car as it ascends or descends, he will be rewarded by most beautiful glimpses through semi-tropical foliage along the hillside or over the harbour. From a station halfway up I saw one of the most delightful views. 6

CHAPTER II NEW AND OLD KOWLOON First Experiences of Sketching

NEW Kowloon might well be described as the military and commercial — and soon will be the railway — annex of Hong Kong. This is one end of the Canton-Kowloon Railway, now in course of construction and intended to be part of a great trunk line through China. At Kowloon many of the large vessels discharge and take on cargo. From here one gets perhaps the most comprehensive view of the Peak of Hong Kong and the town of Victoria, with its great and busy harbour. Two or three miles off, to the east, is the old native city of Kowloon. It lies on the slope of the hill, and the walls wind up and along, and are well seen from the water. The town has now few inhabitants. I should think they have found it more profitable to migrate to the New Kowloon, or Hong Kong, and trade or work there. Old Kowloon is nearly opposite Sha-kai-wan, and its people, for piratical purposes, as far as situation goes, may have been, and I believe were, brethren in their nefarious trade.

I believe the former inhabitants of this place were

amongst the worst characters oi the district, and such a thorn in the side of peace and quietness that a few years ago it ended in our countrymen at Hong Kong rushing the pUice, turning the people out, and so disniantHng it that it could no longer be a menace to the quiet of our colon)-.

Xo^^•. as I walked round the walls. I found old iron cannon thrown on the ground and many signs of what had been ; but looking into the to\\-n I realised that its po^\■er to hurt \\-as gone. It is almost deserted, and only on the outside of the old walls and nearer the water is there a small population left. It is difficult to realise that such a pirates' lair could exist in this century within sight of one o{ the greatest British colonies oi th.e East, Think of this liotbed of crime only across the narrow waters from those palatial buildings and comfortable houses, to be seen from their ^\•indows. One wonders at the patience which allowed it to exist so long. Xo wonder it was considered unsafe to cross the harbour in a small boat after dark, and that there v/ere mysterious disappearances while these pirates had a stronghold near by.

An artist need not be long in finding subjects here,

or. in fact, throughout China ; but he must be prepared

to put up with all sorts oi troubles and interruptions, to

sit or stand in niost uncomfortable positions, and in-

vaj'iablv with a big crowd round. E\-en in Hono- Kone, 8

NEW AND OLD KOWLOON

a British colony, it is quite rare to see a painter working in the open air, and the natives are very curious and rather too appreciative. Once I found that certain of my spectators wished to approach much nearer than was pleasant, and even to stand in front of me. I remarked to a friend at dinner that evening that I was possessed with a great desire to pull their pigtails, to make them move out of my way. He gently remonstrated with me, and said I must be patient. I followed his advice and had my reward ; for next day a youth, to show his superior agility, attempted to jump across in front of my position near the edge of the wharf. But, alas ! he reckoned without his host ; for, as he jumped, one of my admirers near gripped his pigtail and down he came on his back, and was only saved from a ducking in the water by being held by his queue. I am afraid I could not help joining in the loud laughter that followed.

The Sikh policeman of Hong Kong is a very important and stately individual, and one of them, finding me ensconced in a " ricksha " in one of the main streets, considered it his duty to take me under his special care. He in vain attempted to move the crowd on ; and, though it was quite necessary to keep the footpath clear, there was no real need for him to start a game of catch-whoyou-can round my "ricksha." The younger members of the crowd in particular much enjoyed the fun of dodging their pursuer ; but, when I remonstrated, the only answer I got from the policeman was, " Dey too muchee bobherry my." The local press described me as "a man sitting in a 'ricksha' smoking cigars and attempting to paint the Flower Market." The poor painter has much to put up with !

I cannot finish my notes on Hong Kong without referring to the wonderful effects of what are commonly known as " mackerel " skies, which are here, I think, seen to more perfection than elsewhere, although they are the prevailing sky of Southern China, and to see a fine sunset from Hong Kong Harbour is something to remember all one's life.

The same may be said of the hospitality of the colonists. I shall never forget it. I had not been half-an-hour on land before I was taken by my host to the Club, and introduced to more than I can remember ; but they were all genial and kind, one after another asking me to tiffin or dine. I must mention that no doubt I owed a great deal of this to my host, one of the bestknown men in the colony, and also to the fact that members of my family have long lived in the Far East.

My time was too busily occupied for much social intercourse. But to those who have time, and like it, no place offers more than Hong Kong. I am afraid that, should this book fall into the hands of some who were my fellow-guests at a tiffin party, they will remark,

HONG KONG: THE FLOWER MARKET

NEW AND OLD KOWLOON

if they remember me at all, that I was not strictly truthful. I was a stranger to all but my host ; and in conversation one asked me if I were a Member of Parliament, and when I denied the soft impeachment and said I was only a Scotsman, another said, "Well, are you going to write a book?" And to that also I said "No," at that time having no such intention. I hope he will forgive me for doing so. Everywhere I found kindness. Did I wish to sketch from the harbour, a launch was at my disposal, and a good tiffin put on board. I had only to express a wish to go anywhere, and I was taken there. One and all seemed to vie with each other to give me a good time, and they succeeded. I went to theatres and weddings and to farewell dinners, and to tiffins to those about to wed.

On my return visit I found, as I have said, that the delightful home of my friend had been partly destroyed by the typhoon; but I was invited to stay at a splendid house of one of the most prominent colonists, a house famous for its architectural beauty, and its great collection of Eastern porcelain, which bids fair to rival the greatest. Here I spent Christmas in true British fashion.

Chapter III Macao

The Old Portuguese Settlement and sometime Home of Camoens.

" Gem of the Orient, Earth and open Sea — Macao: that in thy lap and on thy breast Hast gathered beauties all the loveliest O'er which the sun smiles in his majesty."

— BOWRING.

THE visitor to Hong Kong should not, if time allows, fail to visit Macao. The delightful trip on one of the well-equipped boats of the Canton and Macao Steamboat Company is well worth doing ; and Macao, with its history going back to 1557, when the Portuguese first founded their settlement (I think it is the earliest European settlement in China), is most interesting. The Portuguese were allowed at that time to build factories, and the Chinese built a wall to exclude the barbarians.

The settlement is on a peninsula on the western side of the Canton River, and the city, with its flat-roofed houses of southern European character, is very picturesquely situated. It lies on the level piece of land forming the Peninsula, between bold and rocky hills at

either end rising some 300 feet. 12

MACAO

The Chinese have always (notably in 1862) disputed the ownership of this piece of territory, but their authority has gradually diminished, and now the place has been for some time regarded as a colonial possession by the Portuguese. It was early occupied by the Jesuit missionaries, who established the grand old cathedral, beautiful even in its ruin, but still towering up into the sky, and sharing with the old castle the domination of the town.

Macao was the centre of a disgraceful and cruel trade in coolies, a slave trade of the worst character, from the middle of last century till it was abolished in 1874. More recently the colonial revenue has been largely gained from a tax on the notorious Fan-Tan gamblingdens, which in 1872-73 yielded as much as 380,000 dollars (Mexican), or close on ;£'35,ooo sterling. These and still worse places are largely patronised by the Chinese and Macoese (among whom half-breeds largely predominate), and one is lost in amazement at the action of a European nation in upholding such things and pandering to the worst side of the Chinese character. But, for all this, Macao is a fair place to look at and dream over; and it is a more pleasant task to let one's thoughts go back to days when, in 1568, Louis de Camoens, prince of poets of his time, was exiled here as Portuguese Governor of the Fort, for writing a satire on the Portuguese officials at Goa, exposing their corruption. His memory is kept green by the grotto which still bears his name, and here he is said to have composed at least part of his " Lusiad " (the national epic of Portugal), and probably in this peaceful retreat he passed the happiest time of his adventurous life.

" There never fails, intent on treacherous ends, Some lurking foe to those whom Heaven befriends." ^

Nearly all the outer end of the Peninsula and close to the river rises a small and rocky tree-covered hill, and on this is situated the very beautiful Fisherman's Temple, as dainty and picturesque a group of buildings, small though they are, as I saw anywhere in the East. My guide induced me to visit the Fan-Tan gambling-houses, the outsides of which are ornamental in a tawdry way ; the insides did not appeal to me, being rather dull and dirty. We were taken upstairs, where, round a railed opening in the floor, one looked down on the gaming-table; but the game did not appear to me to have any charm. We also looked in at a Chinese theatre, where one of their everlasting plays was in progress. I cannot say that there was any resemblance to Drury Lane. There was no scenery ; the actors (there are no actresses, though the men make up very well as women) wear cheap but very gaudy costumes, and change their dresses on the stage ; all the hangers on, such as we might term sceneshifters, and the like, stood about the stage and watched

» " The Lusiad."

A STREET IN MACAO

MACAO

the performance, which was so weird I cannot find words to describe it. It largely consisted of the performers yelling at each other in very high-pitched falsetto voices (caterwauling is the only noise I can liken it to), waving their arms and walking up and down — the so-called band adding to the din, cymbals, drums, and sort of coach -horn, &c., making every few minutes a great banging — then a sudden hush, after which off they would start again.

The men who take women's parts are raised on false wooden feet, made quite small to give the appearance of the small, bound feet of the women ; their baggy trousers are tied in at the ankle. The audience, although watching intently, seem moved very little, and only signify their approval slightly. There is no enthusiastic applause as with us, though there is occasionally slight laughter.

While here I visited a charming Chinese residence. The owner was from home, but I was most courteously shown over it by his servants. The gardens were very pretty — approached through quaintly shaped doorways in the walls, and intersected by pathways lined by ornamental stone-work and plants and flowers — sheets of water, with the usual bridges leading to pavilions on islands, making the whole very attractive. The residential part of the house was very well furnished with fine Cantonese black wood and many pieces of beautiful porcelain.

The No. I Boy brought out as a great treasure for my inspection a book of photographs of London, asking me if I knew these places ; and on my saying so, I was asked by my interpreter if I would explain them. This I did, to their great delight. They were greatly struck by St. Paul's, which I described to them as'^our Chief Joss-House, and with the idea of the railways which went under the houses and streets.

NJ':AR CANTON: FISHING-BOATS OX THE PEARL RIVER

Chapter IV Canton— The Pearl River

Arrival and Description of the City and the River — Pawnshops — Boat Life — Streets and Shopping.

I WAS lucky enough, in going to Canton, to have the escort of a Hong Kong friend who knew his way, and also fortunate in meeting, on board the boat, a naval commander and his wife who were fellow-passengers from England and going up to enjoy the hospitality of the same friends I was to stay with. This is the sort of good-fellowship which reigns in the East. It is open house to all travellers and a most hearty welcome. During my stay with these friends, another gentleman and shipmate visited them ; and in their company, and under the escort of the daughter of the Consul-General, I visited many of the shops and sights, and was initiated into the Eastern methods of making a bargain. This seemed to me to consist in offering about a third of the sum asked and gradually rising to about half, then attempting to leave the shop, and often being followed into the street by the tradesman, who did not wish to lose a customer.

I reached Canton in the early part of a beautiful morning, and at dawn I found we were passing along tlie quiet waters, between fertile shores with distant hills looming up in tender pearly colour. Well may this be called the Pearl River ! By-and-by, along the bank we could discern the rough huts of the fisher-folk, built up out of the water on poles. These people, doubtless, were pirates not very long ago, and would be so still if opportunity allowed.

Gradually we neared Canton, and began to see more and more boats, until the water was full of them and there seemed hardly room for us to get through. The city covers about 68 square miles, a great part of this being within the walls, which are 20 feet thick and rise to a height of 25 feet. On three sides this wall is still further protected by a ditch filled with water by the rising tide, but at low tide containing nothing but revolting filth.

There are twelve outer gates and two water gates, the latter allowing boats to pass from east to west across the new city. All gates are shut about sundown. The streets are long, winding, and ver)' narrow, the houses rarely more than two storeys in height.

The Buddhist priests and nuns, about 2000, outnumber any other sect. There is also a Mahommedan mosque with a tall tower.

The great guilds of China are strong in Canton, and

there are many halls belonging to, and used by, these 18 bodies, who seem to have great power to sway the opinion of the people ; as, for instance, at the time of my last visit to Canton, a Chinese having been found dead on a steamboat belonging to a British firm, and certified by a doctor to have died from natural causes, there was a great ado made about the matter, many meetings were held at the guild-halls, and feeling ran strong against the British.

Pawnshops in China are most extensive and remarkable institutions. They are of three classes. The first are owned by wealthy companies, and their places of business are well and strongly built, and, with the exception of the pagodas, are the loftiest buildings in Canton. Tall square blocks, they remind one of some of our old border keeps. They have windows with iron shutters. The entrance doors are also of iron, the basement forming the offices for business, while the upper floors are for storage.

Pawnshops of the second class are also run by jointstock companies, while those of the third are in some instances conducted by policemen and yamen-runners, and even by wealthy convicts. Interest is mostly excessive, with perhaps a reduction in winter-time to enable the poorer people to redeem their warm clothing in cold weather. Pawnbrokers' licences are very expensive, especially those of the second class. Much of the proceeds is appropriated by the officials, who are notorious throughout the empire for their grasping ways. These institutions are largely used to obtain the means to celebrate marriages and funerals. On both of these events the Chinese, like the Scotch, spend too much money.

The boat life of China, and of Canton in particular, is a thing by itself; nowhere else is it to be found to the same extent ; nowhere else can be seen thousands of craft massed together, seething as it were, and suddenly bursting into life and movement.

What a marvellous sight it was ! to see the swarms of people, men, women and children, the boats, big junks with their sterns high up, or tiny little sampans, forming the homes in which they are born, live and die — some not even leavins: them to be buried on land, but findingf their last resting-place in the depths below. One sees this mass of boats spreading far and near ; covered in with all sorts of material, from the well-fitted hood, part of which slides along and makes further shelter, to the makeshift bits of matting pulled over some bent cane ; they all seem quiet — then you suddenly see an oar moved, or a mast and sail raised, and a movement begins as that boat pushes its way out of the crowd, often accompanied by much loud talk, before it gets into the open channel and goes away on its journey. All native boats in the East have eyes painted on them, the Chinese argument being —

*' S'pose no got eye, no can see, S'pose no can see, no can walkee." 20

CANTON RIVER

The inhabitants of these boats are born, Hve, and die in them.

Living on the foreign settlement, the Shameen at Canton — which originally was little else than a mud-flat, and is now a beautifully laid out garden-like residential town, with its turfed roads and paved walks, tennis grounds overhung and shaded by fine banyan trees — you might, but for looking out on the river with its boat life, think you were in Europe. But cross the island and look over the creek at the other side, at the native city, and you realise that here is one of the many densely populated cities of China. You note the crowds of boats again, with produce of all kinds, propelled by men, women, and children ; some by means of stern paddle-wheels, which are acted on by a sort of treadmill which the coolies walk on ; some by the single oar; and some of the small ones even by the foot, the coolie sitting down and gripping the oar with his toes, as we would with our hands. These latter boats are the fastest, and have, I believe, been much used for letter-carrying.

Cross the English Bridge and you are in Canton, the most Chinese city of Southern China ; penetrate into those picturesque streets, overhung by wonderful and grotesque signs, almost covered in overhead by matting and lattice-work ; narrow and dimly lighted, with damp and slippery pavements and a jostling, hurrying, noisy crowd, all intent on their business, but nevertheless with time to cast a glance, sometimes suspicious, but mostly of amusement, at the oddly clothed foreigner.

But be careful how you go, for (if without a guide) a few minutes' walk is so confusing you will be completely lost. Here, without doubt, are the most picturesque streets in the world, and in time to come, when the people have grown less suspicious of foreigners, some able brush will show this to be so ; but I could not put an easel up in the streets, and was warned not to collect a crowd, as there was considerable feeling against the British at that time.

With difficulty we made our way about the various streets, seeing the temples and curious sights, and visiting the shops, where gorgeous embroidered vestments were for sale, and where they do the delicate decoration of silverwork by inlaying with the blue feather of the kingfisher.