The cabins were full of chandeliers and lamps, and on the
forecastle large fires were burning out of which rockets darted at
intervals with a loud report, although they only attained the
elevation of a few feet. On the foremost vessel there was a large
mast erected, and hung with myriads of coloured paper lamps up to
its very top, forming a beautiful pyramid. Two boats, abundantly
furnished with torches and provided with boisterous music, preceded
these two fiery masses. Slowly did they float through the darkness
of the night, appearing like the work of fairy hands. Sometimes
they stopped, when high flames, fed with holy perfumed paper,
flickered upwards to the sky.
Perfumed paper, which must be bought from the priests, is burnt at
every opportunity, and very frequently beforehand, after every
prayer. From the trade in this paper the greater portion of the
priests' income is derived.
On several occasions, accompanied by Herr von Carlowitz, I took
short walks in the streets near the factory. I found the greater
pleasure in examining the beautiful articles of Chinese manufacture,
which I could here do at my leisure, as the shops were not so open
as those I saw during my excursion round the walls of Canton, but
had doors and windows like our own, so that I could walk in and be
protected from the pressure of the crowd. The streets, also, in
this quarter were somewhat broader, well paved, and protected with
mats or planks to keep off the burning heat of the sun.
In the neighbourhood of the factory, namely in Fousch-an, where most
of the manufactories are situated, a great many places may be
reached by water, as the streets, like those in Venice, are
intersected by canals. This quarter of Canton, however, is not the
handsomest, because all the warehouses are erected on the sides of
the canals, where the different workmen have also taken up their
residence in miserable huts that, built half upon the ground and
half upon worm-eaten piles, stretch far out over the water.
I had now been altogether, from July 13th to August 20th, five weeks
in Canton. The season was the hottest in the whole year, and the
heat was really insupportable. In the house, the glass rose as high
as 94.5 degrees, and out of doors, in the shade, as high as 99
degrees. To render this state of things bearable, the inhabitants
use, besides the punkas in the rooms, wicker-work made of bamboo.
This wicker-work is placed before the windows and doors, or over
those portions of the roofs under which the workshops are situated.
Even whole walls are formed of it, standing about eight or ten feet
from the real ones, and provided with entrances, window-openings,
and roofs. The houses are most effectually disguised by it.
On my return to Hong-Kong, I again set out on board a junk, but not
so fearlessly as the first time; the unhappy end of Monsieur Vauchee
was still fresh in my memory. I took the precaution of packing up
the few clothes and linen I had in the presence of the servants,
that they might be convinced that any trouble the pirates might give
themselves on my account would be thrown away.
On the evening of the 20th of August I bade Canton, and all my
friends there, farewell; and at 9 o'clock I was once again floating
down the Si-Kiang, or Pearl stream, famous for the deeds of horror
perpetrated on it.
CHAPTER IX. THE EAST INDIES - SINGAPORE.
ARRIVAL IN HONG-KONG - THE ENGLISH STEAMER - SINGAPORE PLANTATIONS - A
HUNTING PARTY IN THE JUNGLE - A CHINESE FUNERAL - THE FEAST OF
LANTERNS - TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATE.
The passage from Canton to Hong-Kong was accomplished without any
circumstance worthy of notice, save the time it took, in consequence
of the prevalence of contrary winds the whole way. We were, it is
true, woke up the first night by the report of guns; but I expect
they were not fired at us, as we were not molested. My travelling
companions, the Chinese, also behaved themselves on this occasion
with the greatest politeness and decorum; and, had I been enabled to
look into the future, I would willingly have given up the English
steamer and pursued my journey as far as Singapore on board a junk.
But as this was impossible, I availed myself of the English steamer,
"Pekin," of 450 horse-power, Captain Fronson commander, which leaves
for Calcutta every month.
As the fares are most exorbitant, {116} I was advised to take a
third-class ticket, and hire a cabin from one of the engineers or
petty officers; I was greatly pleased with the notion, and hastened
to carry it out. My astonishment, however, may be imagined when, on
paying my fare, I was told that the third-class passengers were not
respectable, that they were obliged to sleep upon deck, and that the
moon was exceedingly dangerous, etc. It was in vain that I replied
I was the best judge of my own actions; I was obliged, unless I
chose to remain behind, to pay for one of the second places. This
certainly gave me a very curious idea of English liberty.
On the 25th of August, at 1 o'clock, P.M., I went on board. On
reaching the vessel I found no servant in the second places, and was
obliged to ask a sailor to take my luggage into the cabin. This
latter was certainly anything but comfortable. The furniture was of
the most common description, the table was covered with stains and
dirt, and the whole place was one scene of confusion. I inquired
for the sleeping cabin, and found there was but one for both sexes.
I was told to apply to one of the officials, who would no doubt
allow me to sleep somewhere else.
