SAMSHUI
295
clean market town nestling among the hills opposite Hokow) together constitute the port. The formal opening took place on 4th June, 1897, since which date the net value of the trade of the port coming under the cognizance of the Foreign Customs has grown to the by no means disreputable figure of HK, Tls. 2,967,278 in the single year of 1899. Samshui itself is surrounded by an imposing wall, built in the 6th year of Chia Ching of the Ming's (about A.D. 1560), the year after the place attained to the dignity of a magistrate's cure. Within the wall, the houses are poor and the place is wanting in life—a condition in which it has remained throughout the present dynasty and in contrast (say the records) to its affluent state under the Mings. Without the North Gate stands an imposing temple, temp Chia Ching (circa 1800). Between the town and the river is a fine nine-storied pagoda-probably of the Ming dynasty.
The business focus of the district is Sainam, a large well-built town of no great antiquity. This is three miles distant, situated on a creek leading to Fatshan. Here an interesting occupation is the tinning of rice-birds, soles and game-horrid in taste to the foreign palate. The rice birds are caught in reed patches at night in a bag net, into which the birds are swept by a rope drawn over the reeds. The season is short, lasting only for six weeks in the Autumn.
Two sets of steamer lines converge here, from Canton and Hongkong respectively, and tourists in China can do many worse things than visit the West River, and should not fail to explore this port and its environs. In the Summer a malignant fever prevails, and dysentery and plague are common; but in the Winter, the air is keen bracing and clear, the waterways and surrounding country picturesque and the adjacent heights (from 200 to 400 ft.) worthy of ascent. Game, especially snipe, duck and geese, is to be found in fair quantities. The temperature varies from 38° F. to 100° F.-dry in winter, damp in summer.
CONSULATE
官事領國英大
GREAT BRITAIN
also
AUSTRO-HUNGARY
Acting Consul-H. A. Little
ITALY
官事頜利大義大
Tai-i-tai-li Jung-8z-lin
DIRECTORY
Consul-Chev. Z. Volpicelli (residing
in Hongkong)
關水三
CUSTOMS-IMPERIAL MARITIME
Assistant-in-charge E. Alabaster
Assistant-F. Douglas-Irvine
Assistant Examiner A. Morrison
Tidewaiter-J. A. Rule
甸渣
JARDINE, MATHESON & Co., Merchants
Lük Hew Chuen, agent
Agencies
Hongkong, Canton and Macao S.B. Co.
Indo-China Steam Navigation Co.
China Navigation Company
Canton Insurance Office
Hongkong Fire Insurance Company
局政郵 清大
POST OFFICE IMPERIAL CHINESE
Clerk-Cheung Man-ling
局報電國中
TELEGRAPHS-IMPERIAL CHINESE, Sainam
Clerk-Chow Hok-shü
得同
TUNG TAK, Merchant
司公和怡
E. Wo & Co., Merchants and Commission
Agents
The one complete writing machine is the REMINGTON YPEWRITER.