1841.
Illustrations of Men and Things in China.
173
flows into a village of such dwellings, it soon causes them to be dissolved, an event by no means unknown in some seasons.
A lampoon. The following satirical piece was written and circulat- ed soon after the riot in Canton, Dec. 12th, 1838, to which the ninth and tenth lines refer. The two persons named in the third and fourth lines were notorious opium dealers, and while holding office were sup- posed to be screened by gov. Tăng, who, from them and others.of the inferior magistracy, is charged with having received three tens and six,' or 36,000 taels per month for the use of the revenue cutters for
purposes of smuggling. It is a pretty close translation.
In truth, there's no luck at all in Canton,
For Tingching in governor's hall is found,—
Who, of Cheih Shakwang, is the well known patron,
And Ta Luhchuh by him rose from the ground. The boats of Two Kwang are privily let,
For a monthly sop of three tens and six. Poor Ho Laoukin! he strangled him to death, Because his cash and coin could not suffice;-- How was the cross all broken down and lost, And the curtained tent quite overset and tost! He put a tell-tale cangue on Punhoyqua, And squeezed the pelf from uncle Howqua. He scared poor Fung Sühchang almost to death, And Lew Shoolŭh had well nigh lost his breath. If we hope for halcyon days of peace to come, Unbutton and dismiss this infamous Tăng ; For if he stays three years in power,
Canton will be just like one hot cauldron.
A worshiper. I was walking one day in the environs of Honan, when I came across two respectable elderly matrons worshiping be- fore a small shrine, which, from all appearances, they had themselves placed there among the graves by the wayside. No image was visi- ble, but my attention was arrested by the inscription over the shrine, kew tseih tih e, freely rendered by, ‘Ask and ye shall receive.' One of the women was kneeling on the grass, and devoutly praying, while her companion was making ready the paper to burn before the deity. In the streets of Canton, altars are erected, and before some of them, six, ten, twelve, and more, women, are sometimes seen worshiping, lighting incense sticks, kneeling, and endeavoring by repeated throws of the keën pei, or divining blocks, to ascertain the answer to their prayers. This worship in the streets is not deemed indecorous, nor does it appear to be done by them to be seen of men.