AN ADVENTURE IN CENTRAL CHINA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 211, 11 September 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

AN ADVENTURE IN CENTRAL CHINA.

Foreigners residing at the treaty ports on the coast of China, Korea, or Japan, are as a rule as secure from danger as though living in any large city of America or Europe ; but at the little river ports of the great Yang-tse-Kiang River, and even in Peking, Tien - Tsin, and Canton, the foreign settler always feels that there may be at any moment, an uprising of the roAvdy element and a repetition of the horrible massacres that have disgraced these cities in the past.

Missionaries dwelling in the far interior, and travellers, are of course always expectant of some unpleasant adventure, and they have their full share of such. Eveil in Shanghai — that is, in the native city—it is hardly possible for a European to escape insult and even assault, especially if foolish enough to venture into its narrow filthy streets without a guide.

Some of the great Chinese cities are notorious for their hostility to foreigners. Canton, Uangchow, and Su-chow arc pre-eminently distinguished in this respect ; in others it is possible to wander round sightseeing without meeting with any great insult. One may expect to be greeted as "fan-kwai," or "foreign devil," pretty often ; and it occasionally happens that: a member of the otlicial class, or literati, will spit on the ground at sight of a foreigner by way of showing contempt. But such little demonstrations of dislike tire commonly passed unnoticed, and the adventurous sightseer is usually glad to get back to cover, happy in having escaped a shower of mud and stones.

I Avas once, unwise enough to enter the big, Availed city of Ilanlcow, six hundred miles up the Yang-tse, alone, late one afternoon. As I had neglected to inform anyone of my intended excursion, 1 came near "losing the number of my mess." and furnishing an item for the British neAvspapers of Shanghai, under the head of "mysterious disappearaance."

Hankow is one of three large cities lying on the banks of the Yang-tse, here nearly a mile broad, and navigable to this point by great ocean tea-steamers. Hankow is a treaty port, and has a foreign population of about lavo hundred souls. It is the largest tea-shipping port of China, with the possible, exception of Foochow, and like all treaty ports, has a " foreign concession," or plot of land set apart for the residence of the "outer barbarian."

The native city adjoins the foreign concession, and has a population of several hundred thousands, chiefly dependent on the tea trade. It is also someAvhat noted for its jewellery work, its silversmiths being exceedingly expert in the production of a kind of filigree, or raised arabesque work.

A few days previously I had ordered of one of these silversmiths a knob for a Malacca cane which had been given me, and not caring to await the escort of the compradore of the great English tea hong- of Avhich I Avas the guest, I entered the Avails alone and, foolishly, unarmed.

The silversmith's shop, situated on the main street, — a thoroughfare about ten feet wide, — was easily found, but the silver knob Avas not ready. As there Avas still an hour or so of daylight, though the toAvering houses already made tAvilight in the narrow and crowded street, I concluded to push on toward the farther city gate, and return home by folloAving the circling Avail to the river.

The gate was duly reached, and I set about my Avalk outside the city Avail, but it did not take me long to perceive that I had laid out for myself a much longer walk than I could accomplish before nightfall. I therefore essayed a short-cut. entering the city once more by another gate, and attempting to strike the main street again.

After a feAV failures, which gave me the fear that I was doomed to pass the night "lost in a Chinese city," I succeeded in gaining the "Broadway" of Hankow. I was congratulating myself that I should emerge into the little foreign concession in time for dinner when I discovered that, in my haste to get home, in the semi-dark-ness I had turned in the wrong- direction on the main street, and had been for some time travelling- away from my goal.

Stopping for a moment to collect my thoughts, I avus immediately surrounded by a crowd of natives, who seemed to. divine my predicament. A shout of derision went up from hundreds of throats. Pretty soon mud and filth began to fly in my direction, and I judged from past experience that stones would follow.

The crowd now began to close in upon rae, and I saw a particularly evil-looking fellow of powerful build, who amused himself and excited the laughter of the croAvcl by squatting down in front of me and hopping round on all fours like an ape, gibbering the while in the manner of that animal. This Avas immense fun for the mob.

Every iioav and then some brave fellow behind me would hit rae on

[the head with his fist, and then melt into the croAvd, ataid the derisive laughter of the rest. Matters were looking decidedly uncanny. I knew, it was useless to expect help from any foreigner, as no one would dream of entering the native city after dark, and I kneAv the nature of the Chinese well enough to be sure that I need look for aid from that quarter No, it depended entirely upon myself whether I should get out of the city alive, or at least Avith a Avhole skin; and Avhatever I could do must be done promptly. The motto of Isopel Berners, the brave gipsy heroine of George Borrows "Lavensro "• came into my mind like a flash:! "Fear God, and take your oAvn part** As already mentioned, I foolishly left the hong Avithout my pistol, and thanks to the silversmith 1 had not even my Malacca cane. My only Aveapon of defence Avas my belt, a broad one Avith a big, heavy silver buckle ; a sufficiently poAverful Aveapon when Avielded by a man hemmed m by a crowd, as I had seen in the case of English soldiers and marines assailed by natives in Japan. My blood Avas up. A cowardly crack on the head from the heavy oaken staff of a water-coolie had made a deep cut in my scalp, and brought the blood, Avhich ran doAvn my face in a Avarm stream.

Whipping off my belt, I swung it around in a vigorous fashion, and soon had a good-sized ring formed, within which I stood, confronting my currish adversaries. All kept at a respectful distance, save my friend, the ape. A thwack from the belt had caught him a rap over the eye and brought blood.

If he had a wicked look before, he was perfectly fiendish in appearance noAV, and urged on by the crowd he was evidently watching'for a chance to rush in and do me serious harm. But I was on the alert, and kept my, belt circling round. Suddenly lowering his head like a bull, and with a bellow which reminded me of that animal, he made a mighty rush for;

As he reached me, I stepped aside and thrust out my foot. Down he came hard on the hard cobbles. He lay for a moment or two, in the ring Avhich I still managed to keep with my belt, and then jumped to his feet. The jeers of the crowd were redoubled, but the lately despised foreigner was no longer the object of derision ; the bully had changed places Avith him.

The crisis of the battle quickly] arrived. The uoav infuriated bully, rushing back to the edge of the croAvd, dreAv from his jacket a mur-derous-looking knife, with a blade that looked a yard long, and made a frantic rush for me. It was now or, never.

I was apparently at his mercy. Escape seemed hopeless, but I did not lose my Avits. On he came, and as he reached, me, repeating my former tactics. I jumped nimbly aside, and as he came abreast of me I struck him a heavy Woav on, or rather under, the chin. He fell like a log. Seizing his knife as a trophy, and if necessary a defence, I faced the throng and headed for home.

As I turned to go, several stalwart' fellows came up and' patted me on the shoulder, uttering flattering remarks on my prowess. As for the fallen champion, he lay surrounded by a gang of his late admirers, Avho Avere engaged in vigorously cuffing and booting him. The Chinese are very brave Avhen in a majority, but their sympathies are never AAith "the under dog."

I did not succeed in reaching home without a further adventure. On emerging from the city gate, I attempted another short-cut across the vegetable-garden of some foreigner, and just missed a charge of shot Avhich he let fly in my direction, taking me in the gloom for a Chinese marauder. I was cured of short-cuts, then and there.

HENEY LIDDELL, M.D. j