CANTON : A City Afloat

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 7, Issue 56, 19 November 1937, Page 4

CANTON : A City Afloat

Standing upon the promenade that leads along the farther side of Shameen, in Canton, from the shade of the tall trees and lovely gardens of one of the prettiest foreign concessions in the East, you look down across the broad reaches of the AVest River. And though behind you at this late hour all is silence andHlghts linger in but two or three windows of the homes of the European residents of Shameen, the gay scene on the river is one of the most extraordinary in the world. For this is the floating city of Canton, waterborne community of 100,000 people, line after line of boats of every sort, small and large, “streets” of them, indeed, all gaily alight; sounds of every human activity blending with evidences of merriment wafted across the still dark water through the quiet night. There seems no end to the boats. AVhat is going on in this city float beside inscrutable old Canton ashore ? Close beside the promenade are small sampans, each sculled by a single ancient Chinese. You drop into one and, without a word or need of direction, the boatman pushes away, rowing in a standing position. Turning from one of the watery alleys into the “Main Street,” you find huge and gaily lighted junks all about. Some are floating cafes, open at the stern, and you see tables and at the other end a bit of stage with musicians and performers. Other junks are taverns, still others floating shops, small theatres like old-time Mississippi River showboats, living quarters of two-score Orientals, many brightly painted and much beflagged, all brilliantly alight. Until late into the night the city afloat is active and glowing. Long after near-by Shameen is quiet and at rest, the subdued murmur of the busy life of Canton afloat comes to it across the still dark water of the AVest River. And as you wander there along the promenade, eyed curiously by the Chinese sentry, you seem at last to have epentrated into the real heart of the East.