the golden chersonese and the way thither-第7部分

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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　harmless　direction；　the　fire　was　got
well　in　hand　the　second　time；　the　official　quarter　was　saved；　and
before　10　P。M。　we　were　able　for　the　first　time　since　my　arrival　at
mid…day　to　sit　down　to　food。

Most　people　seem　much　upset　as　well　from　personal　peril　as　from
sympathy；　and　all　parties　and　picnics　for　two　days　were　given　up。　Even
the　newspapers　did　not　come　out　this　morning；　the　types　of　one　of　them
being　in　this　garden。　The　city　is　now　patrolled　night　and　day　by　strong
parties　of　marines　and　Sikhs；　for　both　the　disposition　to　loot　and　the
facilities　for　looting　are　very　great。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　II

A　Delightful　ClimateImprisoned　Fever　Germs〃Pidjun〃　EnglishHong
Kong　HarborProsperity　of　Hong　KongRampageous　Criminal
ClassesCircumspice！


THE　PALACE；　VICTORIA；　December　29。


I　like　and　admire　Victoria。　It　is　so　pleasant　to　come　in　from　the　dark；
misty；　coarse；　loud…tongued　Pacific；　and　the　December　colorlessness　of
Japan　to　bright　blue　waters　crisped　by　a　perpetual　north　windto　the
flaming　hills　of　the　Asian　mainland；　which　are　red　in　the　early
morning；　redder　in　the　glow　of　noon；　and　pass　away　in　the　glorious
sunsets　through　ruby　and　vermilion　into　an　amethyst　haze；　deepening
into　the　purple　of　a　tropic　night；　when　the　vast　expanse　of　sky　which
is　seen　from　this　high　elevation　is　literally　one　blaze　of　stars。
Though　they　are　by　no　means　to　be　seen　in　perfection；　there　are　here
many　things　that　I　love；bananas；　poinsettias；　papayas；　tree…ferns；
dendrobiums；　dracenas；　the　scarlet　passion…flower；　the　spurious　banyan；
date；　sago；　and　traveler's　palms；　and　numberless　other　trees　and
shrubs；　children　of　the　burning　sun　of　the　tropics；　carefully　watered
and　tended；　but　exotics　after　all。

It　is　a　most　delightful　winter　climate。　There　has　not　been　any　rain　for
three　months；　nor　will　there　be　any　for　two　more；　the　sky　is　cloudless；
the　air　dry　and　very　bracing。　　It　is　cold　enough　at　night　for　fires；
and　autumn　clothing　can　be　worn　all　the　day　long；　for　though　the　sun　is
bright　and　warm；　the　shade　temperature　does　not　rise　above　65　degrees；
and　exercise　is　easy　and　pleasant。　At　night；　even　at　a　considerable
height；　the　lowest　temperature　is　40　degrees。　It　is　impossible　to
praise　the　climate　too　highly；　with　its　bright　sky；　cool　dry　air；　and
five　months　of　rainlessness；　but　I　should　write　very　differently　if　I
came　here　four　months　later；　when　the　mercury　ranges　from　80　degrees　to
90　degrees　both　by　day　and　night；　and　the　cloudy　sky　rests　ever　on　the
summits　of　the　island　peaks；　and　everything　is　moist；　and　the　rain
comes　down　continually　in　torrents；　rising　in　hot　vapors　when　the　sun
shines；　and　people　become　limp　and　miserable；　and　their　possessions
limp　and　moldy；　and　insect　life　revels；　and　human　existence　spent　in　a
vapor　bath　becomes　burdensome。　But　the　city　is　healthy　to　those　who
live　temperately。　It　has；　however；　a　remarkable　peculiarity。　Standing
in　and　on　rock；　one　fancies　that　fever　would　not　be　one　of　its
maladies；　but　the　rock　itself　seems　to　have　imprisoned　fever　germs　in
some　past　age；　for　whenever　it　is　quarried　or　cut　into　for　foundations；
or　is　disturbed　in　any　way；　fever　immediately　breaks　out。

Victoria　is　a　beautiful　city。　It　reminds　me　of　Genoa；　but　that　most　of
its　streets　are　so　steep　as　to　be　impassable　for　wheeled　vehicles；　and
some　of　them　are　merely　grand　flights　of　stairs；　arched　over　by　dense
foliaged　trees；　so　as　to　look　like　some　tropical；　colored；　deep
colonnades。　It　has　covered　green　balconies　with　festoons　of　creepers；
lofty　houses；　streets　narrow　enough　to　exclude　much　of　the　sun；　people
and　costumes　of　all　nations；　processions　of　Portuguese　priests　and
nuns；　and　all　its　many…colored　life　is　seen　to　full　advantage　under
this　blue　sky　and　brilliant　sun。

This　house　is　magnificently　situated；　and　very　large　and　airy。　Part　is
the　Episcopal　Palace；　and　the　rest　St。　Paul's　College；　of　which　Bishop
Burdon　is　warden。　The　mountainous　grounds　are　beautiful；　and　the
entrance　blazes　with　poinsettias。　There　are　no　female　servants；　but
Chinese　men　perform　all　the　domestic　service　satisfactorily。　I　learn
that　for　a　Chinese　servant　to　appear　without　his　skull…cap　is　rude；　but
to　appear　with　his　pig…tail　wound　round　his　head　instead　of　pendent；　is
a　gross　insult！　The　〃Pidjun　English〃　is　revolting；　and　the　most
dignified　persons　demean　themselves　by　speaking　it。　The　word　〃pidjun〃
appears　to　refer　generally　to　business。　〃My　pidjun〃　is　undoubtedly　〃my
work。〃　How　the　whole　English…speaking　community；　without　distinction　of
rank；　has　come　to　communicate　with　the　Chinese　in　this　baby　talk　is
extraordinary。

If　you　order　a　fire　you　say　something　like　this：　〃Fire　makee；　chop；
chop；　here；　makee　fire　number　one；〃　chop　being　quick；　and　number　one
good；　or　〃first…class。〃　If　a　servant　tells　you　that　some　one　has　called
he　says；　〃One　piecey　manee　here　speak　missey；〃　and　if　one　asks　who　he
is；　he　very　likely　answers；　〃No　sabe；〃　or　else；　〃Number　one；　tink；〃　by
which　he　implies　that　the　visitor　is；　in　his　opinion；　a　gentleman。
After　the　courteous；　kindly　Japanese；　the　Chinese　seem　indifferent；
rough　and　disagreeable；　except　the　well…to…do　merchants　in　the　shops；
who　are　bland；　complacent；　and　courteous。　Their　rude　stare　and　the　way
they　hustle　you　in　the　streets　and　shout　their　〃pidjun〃　English　at　you
is　not　attractive。　Then　they　have　an　ugly　habit　of　speaking　of　us　as
barbarian　or　foreign　devils。　　Since　I　knew　the　word　I　have　heard　it
several　times　in　the　streets；　and　Bishop　Burdon　says　that　before　his
servants　found　out　that　he　knew　Chinese；　they　were　always　speaking　of
him　and　Mrs。　Burdon　by　this　very　ugly　name。

＇Victoria　is；　or　should　be；　well　known；　so　I　will　not　describe　its
cliques；　its　boundless　hospitalities；　its　extravagances　in　living；　its
quarrels；　its　gayeties；　its　picnics；　balls；　regattas；　races；　dinner
parties；　lawn　tennis　parties；　amateur　theatricals；　afternoon　teas；　and
all　its　other　modes　of　creating　a　whirl　which　passes　for　pleasure　or
occupation。　Rather；　I　woul