A “Celestial” Scene.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2085, 27 June 1887, Page 3

A “Celestial” Scene.

Mr J. B Gorman, an American journalist, who has written a book call ed “ \ round the World in 188 i," writes in pleasant strain upon Chinese habits and ways. Referring to their wonderful river life in the boat*,termed “sampans,” he savs:—“ We pass up the centre of miles and miles of boats sampans. They arelied uporanchored, or mo'.ingabouton errands, loaded with their living freight. In each boat you see a little awning overhead — bamboo matting—a small cabin atone end, and the kitchen, with its tiny stove or brazier at the other. Every beat is crowded with children The Chinaman raises his pigeons, hens and even ducks on his boat. You see the coops sitting on the ample decks. You hear the chanticleer crow amid stream. The hens lay and cackle like other hens, raising their little broods on the floating barn-yards The ducks can’t stay aboard all the time —they must go out to swim; but at night every duck comes home. Then there are boats set apart specially for raising ducks after the? have been hatched by the ovens. The master or mistress soon learns the proper quack by which the ducklings are controlled. They, too, are permitted to swim occasionally through the day until they are ready for the market. At night the hindmost duck always get a drubbing for his tardiness in getting on board. lOOObirds may be tended by one man and raised in this way on board. Women and older children generally row the boats in the Pearl river. The men go ashore, but the children are born on the boats, and often their mothers have never been on land. Land is dear and life is cheap. Those unable to rent a garden sometimes construct little floating islands or rafts made of bamboo, and cover them over with soil, upon which they grow their vegetables. If a boat gets upset, the first impulse is to save its contents, and then the occupants afterwards. What a study is this boatlifo of Canton ! No other city in this vast empire presents such a striking feature in contrast to its population on shore. We have gone miles through scenes such as here described.”