47.
•
instance how the captain of a steamer was felled with a stone, which struck his head, and was robbed in broad daylight, about the same time. His indignation appears to have known no bounds, but we can sympathise with a man who suffered an abominable experience and, moreover, had no redress. There is only space to quote the following references from Dr. Collingwood's book:
"Before I arrived at Hongkong I had been told stories of persons having been attacked in broad daylight, knocked down and robbed by Chinese roughs and thieves; but while on the one hand such stories were rife, on the other I met with persons who had long resided in China, and who assured me that there was no danger of such an attack. So that I was the more ready to give credence to the latter than to the former, and the tales of highway-robbery and violence which I had heard made no impression upon my mind.
I was destined, however, to be undeceived in my own person; and less than a week after I had set my foot in China I was myself the victim of one of those atrocious outrages which are but too common in Hongkong, and are a disgrace to the Government of the Colony. Feeling no sense of insecurity while surrounded by busy crowds of people, I naturally, as a newly-arrived stranger in so interesting a country, went into the streets for the purpose of making myself acquainted with the Chinese people at home, pursuing their avocations within doors and without buying and selling, eating and drinking - all of which, and much more, may be seen as one passes through the thoroughfares, and would naturally attract the attention of an observant newcomer. I had walked down Queen's Road, the main street of the town, and intending to make a slight detour turned into a street leading up the hill. In China there is not that difference in streets that one sees in England, and it is not easy to perceive at first, either by the dress of the people or other signs, that one street is greatly inferior to another.
...
or
"It was just mid-day, and the streets through which I was walking were thronged with people, either passing to and fro, or standing at the doors of their houses, looking from their windows; but they were all, without exception, Chinese. Having got a short distance up the street in question, I crossed into a parallel street, intending to descend into the Queen's Road again, and was so descending when I found myself suddenly in the midst of a knot of some eight or ten Chinese. There was nothing in their dress or appearance which directed my attention to the probability that their object was robbery or outrage; and I was just passing on, when they made a simultaneous rush upon me and pushed me down, one of them striking me in the face but so suddenly and unexpectedly that I had not a moment's opportunity for defence. While several pinioned me on the ground one unbuttoned my coat and detached my gold watch and chain, upon which they all made off, leaving me to gather myself up as I best could.
"Seizing my hat, which had, of course, been knocked off in the scuffle, I started instantly in pursuit, being but a few yards behind the scoundrels; but they knew their ground, and I soon saw the folly of pursuing alone and totally unarmed, a band of Chinese thieves into their fastnesses; and seeing them all turn into a narrow slum, I retraced my steps with the intention of at once informing the police. Not fifty yards from where the robbery took place I met a Malay constable, whom I took with me to the Station and saw the superintendent of police, to whom I stated my case, and gave a description of the stolen property.
47.
•
instance how the captain of a steamer was felled with a stone, which struck his head, and was robbed in broad daylight, about the same time. His indignation appears to have known no bounds, but we can sympathise with a man who suffered an abominable experience and, moreover, had no redress. There is only space to quote the follow- ing references from Dr. Collingwood's book:
"Before I arrived at Hongkong I had been told stories of persons having been attacked in broad daylight, knocked down and robbed by Chinese roughs and thieces; but while on the one hand such stories were rife, on the other I met with persons who had long resided in China, and who assured me that there was no danger of such an attack. So that I was the more ready to give credence to the latter than to the former, and the tales of highway-robbery and violence which I had heard made no impression upon my mind.
I was destined, however, to be undeceived in my own person; and less than a week after I had set my foot in China I was myself the victim of one of those atrocious outrages which are but too common in Hongkong, and are a disgrace to the Government of the Colony. Feeling no sense of insecurity while surrounded by busy crowds of people,I naturally, as a newly-arrived stranger in so interesting a country, went into the streets for the purpose of making myself acquainted with the Chinese people at home, pursuing their avocations within doors and without buying and selling, eating and drinking - all of which, and much more, may be seen as one passes through the thorough- fares, and would naturally attract the attention of an observant newcomer. I had walked down Queen's Road, the main street of the town, and intending to make a slight detour turned into a street leading up the hill. In China there is not that difference in streets that one sees in England, and it is not easy to perceive at first, either by the dress of the people or other signs, that one street is greatly inferior to another.
..
or
"It was just mid-day, and the streets through which I was walking were thronged with people, either passing to and fro, or standing at the doors of their houses, looking from their windows; but they were all, without exception, Chinese. Having got a short distance up the street in question, I crossed into a parallel street, intending to descend into the Queen's Road again, and was so descending when I found myself suddenly in the midst of a knot of some eight or ten Chinese. There was nothing in their dress or appearance which directed my attention to the probability that their object was robbery or outrage; and I was just passing on, when they made a simultaneous rush upon me and pushed ne down, one of then striking ne in the face but so suddenly and unexpectedly that I had not a moment's opportunity for defence. While several pinioned me on the ground one unbuttoned my coat and detached my sold watch and chain, upon which they all made off, leaving ne to gather myself up as I best could.
"Seizing my hat, which had, of course, been knocked" off in the scuffle, I started instantly in pursuit, being but a few yards behind the scoundrels; but they knew their ground, and I soon saw the folly of pursuing alone and totally unarmed, a band of Chinese thieves into their fastnesses; and seeing then all turn into a narrow slum, I retraced ny steps with the intention of at once inforting the police. Not fifty yards from where the robbery took place I net a Malay constable, whom I took with me to the Station and saw the superintendent of police, to whom I stated my case, and gave a description of the stolen property.
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