having in its neighborhood some vast stone quarries. From "Soo-ke-wan" a native foot-path, sufficiently good to ride on, leads to "Tai-tam," which is at present a place of little note, though situated at the head of an extensive and deep bay of that name.
On the west side of the southernmost point of "Tai-tam" bay there is a little cové called "Chek-chu," the resort of large fleets of fishing boats, and the site of a considerable town with a population of about 2000 souls, having a very good bazaar, an expensive rope walk, and shops well stocked to supply the wants of Chinese seafaring people.
It is at this place the government have determined on erecting a barrack for two or three hundred men, and where one capable of holding a hundred is now in an advanced state towards completion. A branch of the "Tai-tam" road will lead to this town.
Tracing one's steps westward as if continuing round the island, one at length comes to "Heongkong" proper, a small agricultural village situated in a remarkably pretty, and the most extensive valley on the island. "Shek-pae-wan," often called by the Chinese "Heongkong, Shek-pae-wan," would seem to be the sea port of Hong-kong proper, and to have once been a more flourishing place than it now is. There is here, on an isolated spot the largest Chinese temple to be found on any part of the island.
The port of "Shek-pae-wan," though small, is nearly land-locked; and having both a northern and a southwestern entrance, it is pretty easy of ingress and egress. An island of about two miles in circumference, called "Tap-lee-chow" protects it from southwest to north, and the island of Hongkong completes the circle. There is abundance of water for a line-of-battle ship, and its only fault is in being too small as an anchorage for many European vessels, yet there may be nearly as much anchoring ground in it as in the Inner Harbour of Macao. There is at present a small detachment of the Madras native infantry with two officers and one doctor stationed at this place; and the road has been projected and partially finished, from "Kwun-tai-loo" to it across the hills, a distance of 3 to 4 miles.
There are other villages on the island, but as no public works are carrying on, at or near them, at the present date, it has not been thought necessary in this short sketch to make mention of them.
Various materials have been used in building. At the commencement no one thought of anything better than houses constructed of fan palm leaf, called by the Chinese kwai; the next stage was having them boarded and made with doors and windows that could open and shut; then occasionally was found one room of brick, and the rest of the house of the aforementioned description. The first who set the example of a stone and brick house was Mr. Matheson; government soon after commenced the magistracy and prison, others followed in their train, and now few Europeans think of a palm leaf house, except with certain forebodings of fever and ague.
Some wooden houses have been imported from Singapore, and are at present being erected upon a lower story of stone; but for large buildings such as barracks, where space and solidity (should no objection on the score of wholesomeness exist) are the principal considerations, a material made of the common soil or disintegrated rock of the place, sifted and mixed with lime, and then pounded between strong boards into solid walls, seems to be as good as anything else, and costs about half what brick or stone would do. From the great thickness of the walls, also, this material is better adapted for keeping out the heat in summer and the cold in winter; but it must be covered inside and out with a thick coating of plaster. This being well done, and care taken in having the material well mixed and pounded together, there is every reason to expect that a building so constructed will last a very long time, and indeed attain additional solidity the older it becomes.
The material is called ni-cheun by the Chinese at Hongkong, taipa by the Portuguese at Macao, and the manner of making it answers to the description of the pisé of Europe. Stone is, however, best adapted for building near the sea, and it will be found to cost as little as brick.
Some wood has been brought from Singapore and Manila, but as it is dearer than Chinese wood now, and requires much more labour to work it, the latter seems to be preferred. Nothing but cheapness would induce one to use the Manila and Singapore wood for other purposes than floorings, as it is excessively heavy; and for roofs the Chinese timber will last as long as the tiles.
The productions of the Island are at present not very numerous. Round most of the villages both on the north and the south side of the island are found very fine Mango trees. The "Lichee," the Longan," the Orange, and the Pear-trees seem also to thrive very well, the soil being deep between the rocks, and (according to the opinion of some of the gardeners from the gardens near Canton) of an excellent quality for trees of every sort, some of which have been already planted.
There is not much rice-cultivation on the Island, and what there is, being only on the level parts, is likely soon to be discontinued for the cultivation of vegetables more sought after by Europeans, or to be purchased and turned into spots for building upon. Sweet potatoes, and a few of the other Chinese vegetables are likewise grown; and doubtless, when the agricultural part of the inhabitants begin to find a demand for other than Chinese vegetables, others will be produced.
Some small additional patches of ground on different parts of the Island, previously unproductive, have since its occupation by the English been brought into cultivation. Fish is abundant, and much of it is cured at "Chek-chu," as well as at other fishing villages.
Owing to the Roads and paths that have already been cut, parts of the Island are now easily got at where formerly it was difficult to go; and the dry coarse grass and fern which abounds in the hills is brought down in large quantities, and with such facility as to render it cheaper, combined with other circumstances, for Chinese boats to careen at Hongkong, than at any neighbouring places. The grass and fern are used by the Chinese for killing the insects that have eaten into the bottoms of their boats.
Many little arts are now practised among the working portions of the population, which three months ago were not known at Hongkong. Every house that is building of stone gives employment to an itinerant blacksmith, who is required to point the stone cutter's tools. Mattress-makers may also be seen cleansing their cotton with their oddly constructed bow, and hawkers of every description abound, as well as the various sort of fortune-tellers, jugglers, quacks, and actors, that are seen in all well populated Chinese towns.
Lime-kilns have necessarily increased, and there are many places where the soil is adapted for bricks, so that we may some day see the art of brick making introduced. Tanning is likewise carried on pretty extensively, and the cattle that are consumed by the European classes afford the hides.
The Population has often been estimated at about 15,000 souls, and it is probable this number is by no means an over-estimate. Until the population, however, gets regularly fixed, it will not be easy to obtain a census. They are hard-working, industrious, and cheerful, as the Chinese usually are; and they appear to be too much engaged with their own affairs to have time for idleness and graver crimes—which of late have been anything but of frequent occurrence among them.
There are not more than a dozen horses on the island, and one carriage; a few small flocks of sheep and some goats. Cattle for the consumption of the Europeans are easily obtained, and some of the cows have been found to afford rather a good supply of rich milk, when taken care of and fed with grain.
The ancient houses at Macao as well as the walls of the city are made of this material; and the Chinese may occasionally be seen, when it is required to pull some part of one of them down, cutting out bits of it with wedges and pickaxes, as if it were stone.
Many of the complaints about excessive heat, and excessive cold and dreadful unhealthiness, are being forgotten, except among those who have little else to occupy their attention—amidst the general bustle and activity of Hongkong.
Page 77
having in its neighborhood some vast stone quarries.- From "Soo-ke-wan" a native foot-path, sufficiently good to ride on, leads to "Tai-tam," which is at present a place of little note-though situated at the head of an ex- tensive and deep bay of that uame.
:
On the west side of the southernmost point of "Tai- tam" bay there is a little cové called "Chek-chu," the resort of large fleets of fishing boats, and the site of a con- siderable town with a population of about 2000 souls,~ having a very good bazaar, an expensive rope walk, and shops well stocked to supply the wants of Chinese sea- faring people.
It is at this place the government have determined on erecting a barrack for two or three hundred men, and where one capable of holding a hundred is now in an advanced state towards completion. A branch of the
Tai-tam" road will lead to this town.
Tracing one's steps westward as if continuing round the island, one at length comes to "Heongkong" proper, a small agricultural village situated in a remarkably pret ty, and the most extensive valley on the island. "Shek- pae-wan," often called by the Chinese "Heongkong, Shek-pae-wan," would seem to be the sea port of Hong- kong proper, and to have once been a more flourishing place than it now is. There is here, on an isolated spot the largest Chinese temple to be found on any part of the island. The port of "Shek-pae-wan," though small, is nearly land-locked; and having both a northern and a southwestern entrance, it is pretty easy of ingress and egress. An island of about two miles in circumference, called "Tap-lee-chow" protects it from southwest to north, and the island of Hongkong completes the circle. There is abundance of water for a line-of-battle ship, and is only fault is in being too small as an anchorage for many European vessels, yet there may be nearly as much anchoring ground in it as in the Inner Harbour of Macao. There is at present a small detachment of the Madras native iufantry with two officers and one doctor stationed at this place; and the road has been projected and parti- ally finished, from "Kwun-tai-loo" to it across the hills,
■ distance of 3 to 4 miles.
There are other villages on the island, but as no pub- lic works are carrying on, at or near them, at the present date, it has not been thought necessary in this short sketch to make mention of them.
Various materials have been used in building. At the commencement no one thought of anything better than houses constructed of fan palm leaf, called by the Chinese kwai, the next stage, was having them boarded and made with doors and windows that could open and shat; then occasionally was found one room of brick, and the rest of the house of the aforementioned description. The first who set the example of a stone and brick house, was Mr. Matheson; government soon after commenced the magis- tracy and prison, others followed in their train, and now few Europeans think of a palm leaf house, except with cer- tain forebodings of fever and ague.
Some wooden houses have been imported from Singapore, and are at present being erected upon a lower story of stone; but for large buildings such as barracks, where space and solidity (should no objection on the score of wholesomeness exist) are the principal considerations, a material made of the common soil or disintegrated rock of the place, sifted and mixed with lime, and then pounded between >trong boards into solid walls, seems to be as good as any- thing else, and costs about half what brick or stone would do. From the great thickness of the walls, also, this ma- terial is better adapted for keeping out the heat in suru- mer and the cold in winter; but it must be covered in- side and out with a thick coating of plaster. This being well done, and care taken in having the material well mixed and pounded together, there is every reason to expect that a building so constructed will last a very long time, and indeed attain additional solidity the older it becomes.
|
rope.
material is called ni-cheun by the Chinese at Hongkong, taipa by the Portuguese at Macao, and the manner of making it answers to the description of the pisé of Eu- Stone is, however, best adapted for building near the sea, and it will be found to cost as little as brick.
Some wood has been brought from Singapore and Manila, but as it is dearer than Chinese wood now, and requires much more labour to work it, the latter seems to be preferred. Nothing but cheapness would induce one to use the Manila and Singapore wood for other purposes than floorings, as it is excessively heary; and for roofs the Chinese timber will last as long as the tiles.
The productions of the Island are at present not very numerous. Round most of the villages both on the northr and the south side of the island are found very fine Mango trees. The "Lichee," the Longan," the Orange, and the Pear-trees seem also to thrive very well, the soil being deep between the rocks, and, (according to the opinion of some of the gardeners from the gardens near Canton) of an excellent quality for trees of every sort, some of which have been already planted. There is not much rice-cultivation on the Island, and what there is, being only on the level parts, is likely soon to be discontinued for the cultivation of vegetables more sought after by Europeans, or to be purchased and turned into spots for building upon.
Sweet potatoes, and a few of the other Chinese vegetables are likewise grown; and, doubtless, when the agricultural part of the inhabitants begin to find a demand for other than Chinese vegetables, others will be produced. Some small additional patches of ground on different parts of the Island, previously unproductive, have since its occupation by the English been brought into cultivation. Fish is abundant, and much of it is cured at "Chek-chu," as well as at other fishing villages.
Owing to the Roads and paths that have already been eut, parts of the Island are now easily got at where for- merly it was difficult to go; and the dry coarse grass and fern which abounds in the bills is brought down in large quantities, and with such facility as to render it cheaper, combined with other circumstances, for Chinese boats to careen at Hongkong, than at any neighbouring places. The grass and fern are need by the Chinese for killing the insects that have eaten into the bottoms of their boats.
Many little arts are now practised among the working portions of the population, which three months ago were not known at Hongkong. Every house that is building of stone gives employment to an itinerant blacksmith, who is required to point the stone cutter's tools. Mattrass- makers may also be seen cleansing their cotton with their oddly constructed bow-and hawkers of every description ahound, as well as the various sort of fortune-tellers, jugglers, quacks, and actors, that are seen in all well populated Chinese towns.
Lime-kilns have necessarily increased, and there are many places where the soil is adapted for bricks, so that we may some day see the art of brick making introduced. Tanning is likewise carried on pretty extensively, and the cattle that are consumed by the European classes. afford the hides.
The Population has often been estimated at about 15.000 souls, and it is probable this number is by no means an over-estimate. Until the population, however, gets regularly fixed, it will not be easy to obtain a censur. They are bard-working, industrious, and cheerful, as the Chinese usually are; and they appear to be too much en- gaged with their own affairs to have time for idleness and graver crimes--which of late have been anything but of frequent occurrence among them..
There are not more than a dozen horses un the island,
and one carriage; a few small flocks of sheep and some goats, Cattle for the consumption of the Europeans are easily obtained, and some of the cows have been found to afford rather a good supply of rich milk, when taken care of and fed with grain.
The ancient houses at Macao as well as the Many of the complaints about excessive heat, and ex- walls of the city are made of this material; and the Chi-cessive cold and dreadful uuhealthiness, are being for-
nese may occasionally be seen, when it is required to gatten, except among those who have little else to occupy pull some part of one of them down, cutting out bits of it their attention-amidst the general bustle and activity of with wedges and pickaxes, as if it were stone. This Hongkong.
77
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