Traveller.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2058, 22 April 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Traveller.

Duck Fisrisiers iu FRiua,

One afternoon wo went on an interesting txpoiiitinn up the riv. r, and then tunica aside into mic of (lie many crocks to the villain; of I’aa-tre. and theme onward in search of one of the great duek-liatcliing establishments, where multitudinous eggs arc artificially hatched. The first we came to was closed', but the boatmen told ns of another fin ther on ; so we lauded and walked alone; narrow ridges between large flooded fields, in which lotus and water chestnuts are grown for the sake of their edible mots. I’olh are nice when cooked, hut the collecting of these iu this deep mud must be truly detestable for the poor women engaged in it. Passing by amazing heaps of old egg shells we reached the hatching house, in which many thousand eggs are being gradually warmed iu great baskets filled up with heated chaff, and placed on shelves of very open basket work, arranged in tiers all around the walls, while on the floor are placed earthenware stoves with burning charcoal. Here the eggs arc' kept for a whole day and night, the position of the baskets with reference to the stoves being continually changed by attendants who reserve their apparel for use in a cooler atmosphere. After this preliminary heating ttie eggs arc removed to other baskets in another heated room, to which they are dexterously carried in cloths, each containing about fifty esres. Xo one but a neat-handed Chinaman could carry such a burden without a breakage. Here the eggs remain for about a fortnight, each egg'bcing frequently moved from place to place to equalize its share of heating. After this they are taken to a third room, "where they are spread over wide shelves and covered with sheets of thick, warm cotton: at the end of another fortnight hundreds of little ducklings simultaneously brcqjc their shells, and by evening perhaps a couple of thousand fluffy little beauties are launched into life, and are forthwith fed with rice water. Duck farmers are in attendance to buy so many hundreds of these pretty infants, whom they at once carry off to their respective farms, whom there are already an immense number of ducks and geese of various ages, all in separate lots. The geese by the way l , are not hatched artificially, owing to the thickness of their shells, consequently they are not so numerous as ducks. Still flocks numbering six hundred to eight hundred are reared, and arc provided with wattle shelves on which to Tonst, as damp ground is considered injurious to the young birds. \ very large goose market is held every morning in Canton which is supplied by geeso boats, each of which brings two or three hundred birds. As to the baby ducks, they arc fed on boiled rice, and after awhile are promoted to bran, maggots and other delicacies, till the day comes when the owners of the duck boats come to purchase the half-grown birds, and commence the process of letting them fatten themselves. This continues till they arc ready for the market, anil arc cither sold fur immediate consumption or bought wholesale by the provision dealers, who split, salt, and dry them in the sun. The heart, gizzard and entrails are also dried, and sold separately and the bills, longues and feet are pickled in brine.

Hunting Seals- —Seal hunting on the ice is another standing source of amusement. During the entire winter those animals keep holes open through the shore ice, but on account of the depth of the snow they arc not seen until the mild weather exposes their hiding places. The Eskimo, has a way of linding them out before Ibis. He harnesses a dog t hat lias been trained for the work and leads him out to the snow covered held, whore the two walk backward and forward, making a zig-zig course over the ice. Probably before long the dog catches the scent, and then lakes bis master straight to the seal’s bouse. Under the bard thick crust of the snow there is quite a large room, which at the time of the, discovery may or may not be occupied ; but if occupied, will very soon be vacant on the arrival of the hunters. In cither case, the Eskimo ascertains by means of ids spear, the exact posh turn of the hole, and then, placing a little pinnacle of snow over it, awaits the arrival of his victim. The native becomes aware of the seal's return by hearing a peculiar blowing noise, and as soon as this commences he thrusts his spear down vertically through the snow into the hole and seen res his prey. Sometimes when the snow is very deep the dogs arc not able to find the holes, and then it is that the poor Eskimo has his hard times. In the spring, snow disappearing from the icc, the seals are exposed to view. Then the hunter takes another way of getting at them. First of all he notices the direction of the wind, and then, keeping his enemy in it, walks to within four or live hundred yards of him. From there ho begins to crouch down and to advance only when the sea! is not looking. The wary aniraul is in the habit of throwing up his head quickly every few seconds and looking about, and so, when within about two hundred yards the native lies down flat upon the ice. It is only now that real sport commences. Seal takes E-kimo, who is able to speak seal perfectly, t" be one of his brothers, and indeed there is a groat deal of resemblance between the .‘Species, for the genus homo is dressed in a seal-skin, and living largely upon its llesb, is similarly odorous. The-two lie on the ice for perhaps half an hour, keeping up a sort of broken conversation, part of which is conducted in the ordinary way, and part by means of peculiar gestures, until the Eskimo Las crept to within about thirty yards of his outwitted companion. The animal’s eye is no sooner turned from the hunter than lie presents his rifle and tires. The seal, if shot through the hea l, is killed instantly ; but if hit in any other place defeats his enemy by disappearing through the icc. ,

Civil Service Examinations in China. From the first to tin; last it is nil a tremendous effort of memory ; each student, as he enters his cell, being searched to make sore that ho has not concealed any scrap of paper on which he might hare jotted helpful notes, or, po.-: il'iv wolS- than a'', ami nature edition of any pait of the classics. Facli man may briny' his own Indian ink and brushes, hut he may bring no paper. To prevent all possibility of fraud, he must, at the last moment, and at an exorbitant price, purchase paper whichlhas been stamped with the ollieial seal. I’joviiled with tills, lie enters the cell, and then only is the subject of examination announced. These subjects are all themes from tiie fossilized Confncian classics or essays on the history of China, ils laws, its rites and ceremonies. At one of the examinations each man is required to write a poem of twelve lines. Happily for the examiners, the Kilt:th of the essays is limited—T'.’t) chariK'teis being the maximum and iiiitl the minimum, necessary corrections being [provided for. in tiie allowance of JOO characters, which may lie marked on the margin. The greatest siress is laid upon excellent handwriting, and as a highly educated Chinaman is expected to bo familiar with six different styles of writing, he has n somewhat perplexing choice. He may adopt tiie ancient stiff characters, ov the onlinaiy free hand characters used in business, or those which are preferred for general correspondence, or the regular character used in printing. The literary man however, selects one known as Kiai-Shoo, which is considered Hie nest ei'eant.

> An American sporting centi tuau was ! recently extolling the intelligence of his dog ! in a \.-w \ nvkehib-room. saying his children had aeliulie laught it. to'read. “Ttiul is u- a !e ii" iii eoiiniai'is ,n v.di li my d> 'g. ' Spot.”’ was ia.■ ij'iiek r' oivol'.i brother sporlsmaii, ' " P,t inv d,,.; iuw tannin, my children to j lead.”