8
li-kin collection at about 90,000 taels, that of the native Customs at 60,0001. He mentioned that coal paid no li-kin, but was lightly taxed at the pit mouth. A considerable quantity of native opium, he said, passed through Shiu-kuan, coming from Szechuan, Hunan, and Ch'u-chou in Chekiang. It paid at present only 2 taels per picul duty, but this was shortly to be raised.
Shiu-kuan is surrounded by a crenellated wall in an unusually good state of preserva- tion. The principal business quarter is the Cantonese suburb, outside the wall facing the North River. The Yaniêns are in the so-called native or Hakka quarter, within four minutes' walk of the West Gate. There are besides a Hunanese and a Kiangsi quarter. Opposite the West Gate is the suburb destroyed by the Taipings, now a heap of grass- covered ruins. Here the Wesleyan Mission are erecting their new house in foreign style, A fair number of junks were and propose, when fonds permit, to build a hospital. anchored on both branches of the river, but the shipping and movement of the place did not, I must confess, come up to my expectation.
The population is estimated by the missionaries at over 100,000.
On the afternoon of our arrival I called with Captain Vaughan on the Taotai, Ch'ang, Tuan-pen, who is Intendant of the Nam Shao Lien (Namheung, Shao-chou Lienchou) circuit.
Having previously sent a deputy on board to make inquiries regarding the rank of a British Consul-I was apparently the first official of the kind whom the Taotai had come in contact with during his seven years tenure of office-chairs were sent to convey us to the Yamên, and we were received with the customary salutes and ceremonies. The current political topics. Taotai was most cordial, and discoursed intelligently on
He expressed surprise that the "Robin" had been able to reach Shiu-kuan, and his opinion that steamers could not with safety ply on this part of the river was doubtless confirmed by the subsequent unfortunate stranding of that vessel 3 miles below the city.
I told him that, in my opinion, light draft stern-wheelers should be able to reach Shiu-kuan without difficulty during the five summer months, and he entirely agreed with me as to the benefits to be derived from steam communication with Canton. Asked as to the state of the country under his jurisdiction, the Taotai said that brigandage of the kind prevalent in the neighbouring province of Knangsi was, happily, of rare occurrence, but that the members of the Triad Society (Sau Tien-hui), reinforced by refugees from Kuangsi, had for some time passed caused considerable trouble in the districts around Shiu-kuan. He ascribed their activity-somewhat unjustly, I thought--to the machina- tions of Kang Yu Wei and his followers.
From Mr. Dewstoe, the resident Wesleyan missionary, I subsequently learned that the Taotai had the reputation of being well meaning, but weak; that he was anxious to retire, being quite unable to cope with the growing lawlessness in his jurisdiction; that the Triads had adherents among all classes of the people-even in the Yamêns--and that with the smali military force at their disposal-about 200 men in all-the officials were powerless to check the constantly recurring outrages committed in the name of the Society.
As an instance of this, I was told that a few weeks before our arrival a young scholar, whose father, in his capacity of village elder, had incurred the enmity of the Triads, was cut in pieces in broad daylight on the highway within 6 miles of the city. Two Buddhist priests, who were subsequently arrested, confessed to their share in the murder, and in the books seized in the monastery which they belonged to were the names of several prominent residents of Shiu-kuan and two or three of the head runners in the Magistrate's Yamên.
The following morning the Tuotai returned our call, and was saluted by the "Robin" with six guns, three on arrival and three on departure. This salute, which I am aware is in excess of that allowed by the King's Regulations, was given by Captain Vaughan at my written request: firstly, because we had been similarly saluted at the Taotai's Yamên; secondly, because the Magistrate at Yingtak having received three guns, I considered that the Taotai, his superior, and the principal territorial official in this part of the province, was entitled to some additional mark of respect, the visit of a British gun-boat and Consul being in itself a more or less memorable occurrence.
The Taotai mentioned that two Japanese merchants had recently visited him and announced their intention of starting business in the city. He had informed them that this was impossible, as Shiu-kuan was not yet a Treaty port. They were, I understand, interested in coal. There are coal mines in the neighbourhood of Shiu-kuan, situated within 5 miles of the city up both rivers, which have been worked for some years past by native methods; the present output is inconsiderable, and the coal, taken from th
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The Taotai,
surface, of poor quality. It sells in Shiu-kuan for about 6 dollars per ton. when I remarked on the anomaly that practically all the coal consumed by steamers in Canton and on the rivers was imported from Japan, while large deposits of this valuable fuel were known to exist in various parts of the Canton Province, said be fully appreciated the advantages to be derived from the exploitation of mines, but that in his particular jurisdiction the people were extremely adverse to the hills being disturbed, and that scientific mining had hitherto been barely possible. I subsequently heard that two parties of French prospectors had visited the mines during the past year.
From the Rev, Edgar Dowstoe of the Wesleyan Mission, who has been stationed at Shin-kuan for the last seven years, I learnt that there are three missionary societies working in this part of the country: the Roman Catholics, with head-quarters at Nam- heung, who devote themselves chiefly to work among the country people; the Berlin Mission with stations as Nam-heung, Chihsien, Yen-fa, and Shiu-kuan; the Wesleyans with branches at Lok-ch'eng, Lung-kuai, Mong-fu-kong, and Yingtak. Mr. Dewstoe said that, after some years of uphill work, he considered his Mission was now established on a solid basis; he was on the best of terms with the local authorities, due, he thought, to his adhering to the rule of never interfering in his converts' lawsuits; counted several influential men among his friends, and was able to preach every Sunday in the city chapel- a fine new building in semi-Chinese style-to an interested and respectful congregation. Some of the largest shops in Shiu-kuan are kept by Wesleyau converts, who have apparently no desire to conceal their faith. Most of the shops are plentifully adorned with text and religious pictures; in a large droggist's I saw posted on the door a notice in Chinese giving chapter and verse of the Bible reading to be held that evening in the chapel. The people are, on the whole, well disposed towards foreigners; only in the Cantonese quarter is one liable to meet with any rudeness, In one of the balls of the Canton Guild House I was shown a Chinese teacher seated at a pulpit expounding the Sacred Edict to whom- soever cared to listen; at the moment of our visit, a handful of coolies, who, from their attitudes, apparently considered this a convenient place to take their noon-dav siesta. I was told that the cost of these daily lectures is defrayed by the Canton Guild, with the object of counteracting the growing influence of the Christian chapels. During our two days' stay at Shiu-kuan the "Robin "
was a source of unfailing interest to crowds of people, both men and women, who, dressed in their best clothes, came off in boat loads to gaze at the "fire-ship." They conducted themselves in a very orderly manner, and made no attempt to force their way on board. I was sorry that the small size of the ship prevented our throwing her open to visitors. However, in the evening we gave a display of rockets and coloured lights which, to judge from the loud murmurs of admiration that rose from an invisible throng outside and on the city wall, was much appreciated.
The shops in the main street leading from the south to the north gate through the Kiangsi and Hunanese quarters seemed well supplied with foreign goods. I purchased, among other things, soap, soda water, beer, biscuits, bovril, and cigarettes of British make. There are so ue fine pottery shops, where I was shown cases full of Kiangsi ware packed ready for export to Canton. In the Cauton quarter the streets are narrow and dirtier, the shops are exactly the same as those met with in the delta; the import business is, as usual, in the bands of the Cantonese.
Au interesting local industry is the preparation of ground-nut oil, carried on in three large factories in the suburb adjoining the Wesleyan Mission. The nuts are first sun-dried on concrete floors, then pressed in troughs between round stones by means of wedges. The oil is now chiefly used for cooking purposes, kerosene hoving completely superseded it as an illaminant.
The climate of Shiu-kuan is hot in summer, and, owing to the sudden change of temperature caused by alternating north and south winds, is unhealthy for Europeans. The winter is cold, frost and snow being of frequent occurrence. Plague is unknown, but cholera and small-pox common. The surrounding country, besides being extremely picturesque, abounds in wild animals of all kinds, among which I may mention deer, wild boar, porcupines, monkeys, leopards, and tigers. The last named are reported to be quite numerous: they frequently descend on the outlying villages and carry off dogs, buffalo, and sometimes children. An amusing incident occurred on the day of our arrival: as the "Robin" steamed past the Wesleyan Mission on the river bank, the blast of the siren was mistaken by an infants' school close by for the roar of a tiger; the terrified teacher and children bolted and harred their doors and windows, and waited panic-stricken for the approach of their enemy. It is unfortunate that this country, 50
rich in game, is practically inaccessible to Hong Kong Sportsmen: the shooting season is, of course, in winter, when the river is only open
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