Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 489

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Illustrations of Men and Things in China.

Arg.

ART. VII. Illustrations of men and things in China: angling for frogs; trials of strength; economy of Chinese workmen; quad- rating cash. From a private Journal.

ANGLING for frogs. I observed a lad one evening, with a fish-pole and line, walking about in the grass, along the banks of the rice- fields, and on making up to him found that he was catching frogs, or 'field hens,' as he called them. He bobbed the pole up and down in the tall sedge a few times, and presently pulled up a lusty croaker, which was straight conveyed to the basket hanging by his side to join a dozen more already in it. There was no hook attached to the line; the bait, a live young frog, was only tied around its body, and at this time apparently writhing with pain from the bite of the frog just caught. This strange kind of bait-strange to me because it seemed to prove the whole race of frogs guilty of downright cannibalism- was employed by several other lads, companions of my new acquain- tance, who were angling for their dinners out of the paddy-fields. Frogs are constantly seen in market, sold as articles of food, and I am informed that they are usually caught in this manner; but per- haps the charge of devouring their species can be explained away by supposing that the bobbing and kicking of the bait at the end of the line attracts their attention, and they jump at it.

Trials of strength. The Chinese have a mode of testing the bodily strength of persons by causing them to lift stones of different weights. These stones are placed like wheels at each end of an axle about four feet long, and weigh from 15 to 50 catties each. Light ones are made of wood for young persons to practice. They are lifted with one or both hands, either over the head or at arm's length while standing erect or akimbo-indeed in all possible ways to ex- hibit their muscular prowess. This was the mode of testing the candidates for military renown at Canton, as is described on page 167 of the last volume. A note, explanatory of the 3d verse of Ze- chariah, chap. XII, in the Pictoral Bible says, when speaking of a burdensome stone, 'that according to Jerome, large and heavy round stones were kept in the towns and villages of Judea, and the youth, exercised themselves in trying who should lift it highest.' In the piratical Barbary states, it is said that European captives, when dis- posed of as slaves, were compelled by their captors or intended pur- chasers to afford evidence of strength by lifting large stones, provided for the purpose.