Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 451

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Notices of Chusan

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the table-lands, and the ridges of the lower hills, that, with care and judicious management, most of the grains, vegetables, fruits, &c., commonly grown by Europeans, might be successfully cultivated in Chusan, and thus the unhealthiness arising from the extensive paddy fields be in a great measure avoided.

Wheel carriages are not used on the island, and the only instances in which the wheel was found were in some old gun-carriages, with spoked wheels, seen in one of the arsenals, and some fire-engines con- structed after European models. These engines were well made of lead, with double pumps and air-vessel, the pipes had also revolving joints of good construction, and the whole apparatus was placed in a large wooden tub, on low wheels: most of these engines had but a single pump; but besides these, one very good double pump was seen in the arsenal, which was almost new, and great pains had apparently been taken with it.

Detachments of soldiers, composed of frora 20 to 100 men, were frequently sent, under command of an officer, to various parts of the island for one or two days; captain Caine, as chief magistrate, also went repeatedly, with a small body of men, to the neighboring vallies and towns, for the purpose of issuing proclamations, attending to any complaints that might arise, and of convincing the people that the soldiers were orderly and well behaved. These expeditions were always well conducted, everything that was procured for the use of the soldiers was paid for, and at the places where refreshment was taken, generally one of the large temples or the principal house in the village was used for this purpose; the people helped the soldiers to get everything in readiness, and when they saw no harm was in- tended or happened to them, by the presence of the strangers, they readily brought provisions, &c., for sale.

At the time when provisions were scarce, some encounters took place between the villages at different places and the parties sent out, doubtless in part owing to the fault of the foreigners; but in several instances, the attack was began by the natives, because they either did not wish to sell their stock, or feared that they should not be paid for it; also some disturbances arose from the natives, who seeing the parties were small, sometimes called out all the neighbors and attack- ed them, for the purpose of beating them and stealing their money. Complaint's were also made, occasionally, by the country people, that their provisions were taken from them near the gates, and pay- ment not always rendered; but the men were in absolute want of frosh provisions, and it is said that hunger will break through

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