1929-06-01 — Page 13

SEA SHANTIES.

cantiques,

they

that

SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1929.

THE

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

WOOSUNG PIRATES.

From the latter half of the. 17th century the East India Company's ships traded with Canton, and they Jay long periods in its neighbourhood.

HOUSES SOLD.

SALE AT CHINA AUCTION ROOMS YESTERDAY.

the virile that I have in strong capstana Upper Yangtze ment Company.

,

LARGE CAPTURES OF MEN' AND GUNS.

suffered heavy casualties, although the authorities were reticent on this point.

The engagement took place under the following circumstances. One of the water-polico patrol bonta was making its daily round when it was informed by a number of fishermen that the pirates were in the vicin ity. The patrol boat

went to the place Indicated, but not too

near,

The lament for: Tom, "Oh, Tom I changed, of course, the toes IntoJavier offered $539,000 but when is impossible to make a living unday Led

Wireless

13

P.&O. BRITISH-INDIA. APCAR AND EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN LINES.

5. S. : Tops

JEYPORE

RAJPUTANA

MIRZAPORE ALIPORE Cargo only.

From Hong

8,097 | 8th June. |

Destination

kong (about).

| 5,252 | 1 June, 4 pm. Miles, London, A'warp,

Rotterdam & Hamburg Marseilles, L'don & Hull

t 5,318 | 15th June.

16,56822nd June. 7,648 29th Juno.

Marsoillos, London, A'werp,

Rotterdam & Hamburg · Bombay, M'los & L'don Marseilles, London, A'werp,

Rotterdam & Hamburg-

+

9,005

6th July.

|

Marseiller, London & Hull

6,715

9th July.

Straits, Colombo & B'bay

5,273 | 19th July. | Straits, Colombo & B'bay

SOME BELIEVED TO BE OF may be that in those days there

CHINESE ORIGIN.

were shanty-singing Janka that traded

(COMPANIES incorporated in ENGLAND) on the great West River, in whose

Taking Cargo on through Blits of Lading for Straits, Java and Writing to The Tinics on May 3, estuary Lanton Hes. We do not

A large number of local Chinese The killing and wounding of a

Burma, Dayton, India, Persian Gulf, Mauritius, E. & 8 Africa, if that was 80, for the Taiping r Mr. W. F. Tyler says, on the subject | La

Australasia, including, New Zealand & Queensland Ports, of Sea Shantics:

trade. But business men attended the auction large number of pirates who have wiped out that river's The interest in the old nen songs whether it was no or not ir immaterial sale at the China Auction Rooms been operating around Woosung for

Bed Son, Egpyt, Constantinople, Greece," Lovaniine Forts. rest in the old new to my supposition, as Upper Yangtze yesterday afternoon when Noa the past few months, the capture and by means of binoculars, noticed PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL FORTNIGHTLY DIRECT ROYAL MAIL STEAMERS..

Zurope. Itc. heard those songs on salling shina junks came overland to Canton City- 1:62^, -64, 66 and 68 Queen's Road of more than 250 of the miscreants a number of suspicious-looking craft

Literally they

came overland, fer, Central and Non. they are,hs sung to-day, and though the ancient Chinese ongineers Stanley Street, erected upon In Boveral machine-gune and a large

19 and 21, and the seizure of nearly 2,000 rifles, several miles

(UNDER CONTRACT WITH HM. GOVERNMENT.) Away, mies wrapped for their preservation had not invented locks, they, in their land Lot No. 7, with an area of amount of ammunition took place sung and, while the land

messages in cerements of harmony, which celesire for canalizing, had found the

were cent to Woo.. foreca they had when

wore ordered to prepare to prevent clay and 10,910 square feet were all sold on Friday of last week, according to equivalent in slimy slopes of were

werking Lofty bem-

bam-in one lot to the Oriental Invest-claims made by the Chinese

au- the miscreants from taking shelter Here in a

thorities,

ashore. Three cruisers nud half-a-LAHORE. mind: A shambling, perhaps

boo ropes) and so discontented, crowd of men junks were hauled across the low.co

Brisk bidding was the feature of These men, who have been mak-dozen water police beats wero rush- of a mountain range that

DELTA ther round the bitta to bolst, the

two main rivers the sale, there being no less than ing a pest of themselves for weeks ed to the Reene.

past, seizing, fishing boats, robbing

Twenty Pirate Boats Sunk. heavy topsoil yard-lumbering, clow Roparates the maving figures clad in tilskins. The tributaries. I have seen funks-in forty bida before the property was the people and even capturing towns

they looted. The pirates, seeing the men-of- mate strikes up a shanty, and then Canion waters that had made that knocked down to the purchaser, and villages, which

trip..

The upset price was $500,000 and were divided into two groups, both wor, attempted to scatter single rhythmic crtits rasping out there is the idea. The sailors the minimum bid was $1,000. At being under the command of forence and refused to heed the for shelter #PERIM the chorus; and of an arduous piece un the English, ships,, lying for first, there were six or seven bid-military officers who knew the dis. the gunbonts to remain and submit

months in the neighbourhood of ders but when the price began to In made nn entertainment

riet well and who have thus far to of ark:

sonrch. Firo was immediately KASHGAR

on them by the gunboats The words of those songs were not in Canton, would hear the Yangtazo mount one after another dropped evaded capture. The majority of opened all cases those, and hears to-day, for shanties on those junks and would off, leaving the purchaser and an-ed who have resorted to this menna side. Realizing that they were cut them are ex-soldiers or unemploy and from the troops on the land mikian, but at least as often they uses made of it. Thus they adopted other Chinese to fight it out. The of living as they consider that it off from escaping, the pirates offer sometimes they were vory Rabel- see the virtue of their rhythm and showed a fine and simple sentiment, and fitted words to them.

a ataut resistance in the course the representative of the Oriental the Nationalists, who showed no of which they brought both rifles and gone, what shall I do?" in a gem of to those their cars were used to In Investment Co. added another little uneasiness whilst they re-machine-guns into play. These, how.

3000 CABOS they preserved their thousand dollars, he thought the mained at large.

ever, were no match for the govern- ment forees with their heavy guns special model character

Enormous Depredations, one cadence as an caseniial feature of the price not worth the property,

und, after a couple of hours bitter melody. It was a feature in which which was at length sold for $540..

During the past few months, it

Aghting the miscreants surrendered. is alleged, they have secured bootyTwo score of their boats had been lay their greatest charm by reason of 000. te strangeness. There is something

and cash for the ransom of their sunk and their occupants drowned. A SANTHIA prisoners to the extent of several

thousand or so were counted as dead of Nature in those endings, something. unspoilt by a uniform convention in new life on shore. To the lands million dollars. Men, Women and ur wounded. Two hundred and Afty and thus curiously congruent with a

were captured, acveral machine-guni, sailor's life.-I am, Sir, your obedient men and landswomen who nowadays children had been carried off and

hear a famous

ranson, for concert-party singing held for

sums large 000 rifles, some 76 buuta (most of servant;

English and American shanties, or and small..

them inving been stolen or taken Wecsung, the Tsung- listen to the gramophone records of ming Islands, Chihtung, Haimen from the fishermen of the district), them, or join in community singing, and Nantangchow were their fav and a large quantity of ammonition they

in irresistible ourite victims, and, it is said, Chit- were seized. vigour.mia make it hard tung, as a result of their depreda- i

the most refined and languid tions, alone suffered to the extent to keep still. Their jollity comes of hundreds of thousands of dollars. remuing through reserve and vention to bring smiles and Iaughter Gunboats manned to the limit, out of the sternest; and their simple water police boats, military detach wadiness of farewell to sweetheart and ments and potios parties were dea-sca and dropped overboard.

cope with the mje- a quality of truth and beauty patched which will melt

ereanta but, with the exception of the inosi suphisticated. To those who

several small akirmishes, the pirates cont new to them, they seem to open un continued to flourish. A whole new region of fun and feel.

The Pirates Burrounded. ing; and they bring no little of that Ufe-giving and fortifying

However, on Friday, May 24, a power good rhythm, for reasons as major engagement took place in exert upon the human spirit. They were killed, wounded or captured and have an essential truth and sincerity considerable munitions were seized. FISH, WISH, WITH, WITS, via Panama Canal. which preserve them from decay, The joint forces, navertheless, 0]80|WETS, NETS,

Mentiment and melody.

There are many points of interest about these shanties, but the that forms the subject of this letter Is their origin. The majority of shontics obviously did not originate at sen; practically all the capatan and windlussungs did not do so, and the reason for this is plain enough to Run. No special time-inensure was neered for stamping round

captain or heaving on a windlass; almost any time would serve. But for rope work

REA.

W. F. TYLER. Beaulieu-sur-Mer, May 3. Sailor Shanties.

The Times comments:

their

was very different; for that, ac- cording to its apecint nature, special Linea were needed. There was walk away." when the labour was noi

A letter printed chewhere in this henvy; there was "atomp and ge

ikste makes an interesting suggestion when, although the men could walk, about the origin of snllora shanties: the work was slower and needed

WILD

Our correspundent thinks that those thente emphasis of which are truly sea-born,, the songs greater

up," when made for the pulling on ropes, are not men did not walk but made Western but Chinese in origin. It spramodic pull. Ench of and would doubtless surprise many of our

Tant peses needed special time, and

community singers to learn that one of shore songs would not serve.

of their favourites, "What shall we There is evidence that the real do with a drunken sailor?" had shanties of sailor origin are not so any

the anything Chinese in

its ancestry. very old-not alder, say, than the East India

Company's ships. Did learing or singing any of the botter

the

keom

con-

to

יו

Frequent connections from Port Said for Passengers & Cargo to Constantinople. Pyrene, Smyrus and other Lavant Porta by Steamers of the Khediviël Mall 6.6. Co.

BRITISH INDIA-APCAR SAILINGS

TALMA

TILAWA

10,000

.7.754

10.006

10th Juno. 4th July, 13th July.

S'pore, Penang & Caloutta B'poro, Potiang & Caloutts. B'poro, Pouang & Calcutta

B. I. Apoar Line steamers have excellent accommodation for 1st and 2nd class passengers. All steamere are fitted with wireless and carry a qualified surgeon.

EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN SAILINGS (South)

The living and the wounded were ST. ALBANS removed under heavy guard to the ARAFURA Forts and later transferred to Lung-TANDA hua where they are now awaiting trial while the dead were taken out to

0

LETTER GOLF SOLUTION.

Here is the solution to the

other Western ships use shanties known shantics, the unlearned lover yet only imperfectly understood, can which a large number of the pirates puzzle on another pago,

'of of music is apt to feel peculiarly their own? My knowledge is against English on this side of the Atlantic: on the other side he times have used a yodling sound to

St.

though doubtless sailors at all orly Canadian or Amori- help in team work, for it is a world feels either САКС

practice; but there melodies, so can-in

wide

Western, and, indeed, Northliats,

features

in shantic which he finis

unlike most Occidental music could

specially adapted to their purpose. He will be wise to leave to the experts are another mailer. How did their the consideration whether our cor. use arise in English-speaking ships? Especially how account for the fact ndent in right; whether certain that same of them end! on the dominant or subseminant instead of on the tonic note? Is it conerivable that British and American sailormen, evolving songs within the last con- ture or two, would unni a endence differing so materially from that which was customary to their care? It could not be

t be paralleled in the folk song of England and of North America; whe ther he need look only to Chinu for Thythms which muy perhaps have heen beaten out by the arms and legs and backs and feet or ropa-palling snitors of any and of every nation; whether, in fuel, he line not hit upon Of the 18. shanties knusen to me a profounder truth in the admirable That may be real sallar songs, five passage which tells of "something

of have abnormal

of which endence,

Natur perimps the

best examples are A Stormaiong" "Wint

shall we do drunken anilor"; and my ex planation is that they are Chinese in origin, On the Upper Yangtze, from the great junks with their crews of 40 men or more, can be heard to day shanties, echoing between the cliff of the gorges, very similar to

with #t

uniform comething unspoilt by

and

thun

curiously congruent with a sailor's life." Whatever the fate of his suggestion, his readers will thank him. for bringing hons the universality of this form of song which, as authorities tell us, has been used in every age and every land where sen- to men hoist spil or

Dr pull at cura.

the

thase we know, except that the refrain Sail, as our correspondent Inuenis, in in the shrill falsetto of boy, the contrast of which with the guttural chorus forms uckled charm. Thesta Anyw are millenarias. Their

is going out of use; and the shanty would natu ally go with it. Henec- centuries hi-perhaps in it may be only a survival, not

an act

active growth. You suppose that intervals there were no longer (as there still only approximate to our mode; the are) beautiful fourmasted salling- third and Afth are similar because these are elementary In Nature, but the differ slightly. songs have not, of course, our cadence hnt mere conventionality. Their cadence is almilar to that of the five shanties I have referred to-they end anyhow, according to the spirit of the

Bong.

or

ships on the high gens, and num that the shanty been useless on board except in the form of the inter- minalia surrative or doggerel fest which might prevall in ships that had not even a donkey-engine:

still it could not be said that the shanty was a more historical curiosity. Just when it must die at noa it springs up

NY.KLINE

THROUGH BOOKING TO EUROPE AT REDUCED RATES, £120, 6112, £110 £102 £83 via SAN FRANCISCO £95, £90-10 via JAPAN. & SEATTLE SAN FRANCISCO via Shanghai, Japan Ports & Honolulu'

Tonyo Maru

SEATTLE, VICTORIA via Shanghai & Japan Ports

Shinyo Maru

Shidzooks Maru

Yokohama Maru

Wednesday, 12th June. Wednesday, 10th July.

Monday, 17th June.

Monday, 1st July,

Saturday, 1st Juno,

LONDON, MARSEILLES, ANTWERP & ROTTERDAM vie

Singapore, Penang, Colombo & Supz.

Katori Maru (Calls Lisbon)

Atsuta Maru...

***

Saturday, 15th June,

SYDNEY & MELBOURNE via Manila & Ports.

Tango Maru.

Aki Maru ...

Wednesday, 26th Juno.

Wednesday, 24th July.

BOMBAY via Singapore, Panang & Colombo.

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l'ottori Maru ...**

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Los Angeles, Mexico & Panama,

Anyo Maru

SOUTH AMERICA (EAST COAST) vla Singapore,

Capetown & Porte.

NEW YORK vio PANAMA.

Wakasa Maru

Takotoyo Maru

į.

Tuesday, 11th June. Thursday, 27th June.

Tuesday, 9th July.

Friday, 7th June.

Wednesday, 19th June,

Baturday, 15th June.

Saturday, 8th June.

Saturday, 15th Juno,

Wednesday, 5th June.

LIVERPOOL vis Fort Said, Genes & Marsoillos.

Dakar Maru

CALCUTTA via Bingapore, Penang & Rangoon,

Muroran Maru ..

J

1 Morioka Maru

SHANGHAI, KOBE & YOKOHAMA.

Rangoon Maru (Moji Direct) ...

Suwa Maru

Bingo Maru (Kobo Direct)

1Cargo only,

Monday, 10th June, Friday, 14th June.

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MECHANICAL AND

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Bui

Depth on Centre of SH(H.W.Q.S.T.) 24 ft. 6 ins.

THE TAIKOO BOCKYARD & ENGINEERING COMPANY

er HONGKONG, LIMITED.

SALVAGE TUG “TAIKOS”-

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V.P.G.M. sor Motors,

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Tel. Address:-" TAIKOODOCK" Hongkong. Telephone No. 212 Central,

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Capable of Handling Ships up to

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Electric Crane at Son Wall, Capable of Lifting 100 Tons at 70 Feet Radius.

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SAILINGS TO SHANGHAI & JAPAN

Br. ALBANS 4,300 1 Juno, 5 p.m. Moji. Kobe, Osaka & Yoko SANTHIA 17.754 9th June. Amoy, Moji, Kobe & Osaka". KASHGAR

9.005 7th June. I S'bal, Moji, Kobe & Yoko TILSINGTON COURT 1 MIRZAPORE

1 ALIPORE

TILAWA

1Cargo only

1 - 10th June. S'hai, Moji, Kobe & Yoko 6,715 10th June. Shanghai, Moji & Kobe 5,273 | 19th June. Shanghai, Moji & Kobe 10,006 | 23rd June | Amoy, Moji, Kobo & Oanka

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Kumsang

TO STRAITS & CALCUTTA

1 Hosang

Kutsang {Buisang

Namsang

TO SANDAKAN

JHinsang

Mausang

TO TIENTSIN

TO CANTON

r

Sailings.

Jun. 2nd June at 10 am, Wed. 5th June at 10 a.m. Sun 9th June at 10a.m. Wed. 12th June at 10 am. Tuos 18th June at 9 am. Satur. 29th June at 7 a.m. Wed. 10th July at 7am. Mon 3rd June at 3.p.m. Satur. 8th June at 3 pm, Wed 5th Juno at 3 p.m. Sun. 16th June at 10 a.m:

Cheongshing Satur. 15th June at 4 p.m. {Kwongsang Mon 3rd June at 5 p.m.

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Tolophone 215. Central

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GLEN LINE.

Fare Hongkong, to London £82.

TO LONDON, ROTTERDAM & HAMBURG via STRAITS & COLOMBO.

Steamship

"GLENIFFER"

Btoamship. "GLENSHAKE" Motor Vossol "GLENOGLE"... Motor Vossel "GLENAMOY''...

26th June.

24th July:

7th Aug,

Ath Sopt.

2nd June.

... 14th Juno,

22nd Juno.

TO SHANGHAI, KOBE, YOKOHAMA & VLADIVOSTOCK. Steamship. "QUARRINGTON COURT"" 1.

Steamship

"GLENSHANE",

Motor Vessel "GLENOGLE" ...

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FOR SYDNEY, MELBOURNE AND

via Manila, Sandakan, Balikpapan, Rabaul and Tulogi

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22nd June 16th July

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·No., punjung Tol; 1090,