1844.
Reminiscences of Chusan.
501
and the most delicious fish, with a variety of vegetables and fruits, were crowded into the market; the prices too were moderate and the buyers were in high spirits. The magic words tolah and loopee, made every Chinese heart rejoice; it was the general watchword, that sounded in every street and shop. Many pedlars made use of these favorable circumstances, and brought over a very great quantity of curiosities, knicknacks, silks, porcelain and sundries, which al- ways found ready purchasers.
A remarkable circumstance must here be recorded. Since the population had become very numerous, and our soldiers were living much amongst the people, being quartered in their houses, crimes materially decreased. Cases of violence had been committed, be- cause there were no provisions; but now as the necessaries of life might be obtained, few cases of aggression occurred. The military cannot be praised enough for the good discipline they maintained from the moment they were quartered in town, At first, the good citizens permitted themselves to steal largely from the soldiers; but as this was usually punished with the loss of their cues and hard blows, and one robber in the attempt of breaking into a house, was nearly shot, the gentry ceased their illegal efforts; and during Janua- ry, 1841, there were scarcely thirty cases brought before the magis trate; and most of these culprits were punished for selling ardent spirits a prohibited article.
Such immense stores of this liquor had been amassed in the city, that it took several hundred coolies many weeks to carry it out of the gates, when the owners were ordered to do so, on penalty of seeing the pots smashed in case of refusal. Many hundred porters did no̟- thing else, but carry out furniture, and this did not cease throughout the winter. When, however, the stock was a little diminished, they began to pull down the uninhabited houses, and carried away the rafters, doors, and window-frames. In this an example had been set by our people. In November, the weather beginning to become cold, and fuel being rather dear and scarce, many houses disappeared very quickly. Yea, even the previous existence of some streets might have been doubted, if they had not been seen before, so leveling was the system to which cold winter gave rise.
Many representations, were made to put a stop to this proceeding, and orders were actually issued forbidding the use of houses and furniture for fire-wood; but Jack-frost had become commander-in- chief, and his stern commands alone became the rule of action. How the sipahis and camp followers would enjoy themselves at a