7
May 28, 1906.
CANTON.
(FROM OUR corresponDENT).
A OSTLY COLLISION.
May 17th.
The ss. Tungkong, of the French Steam Navigation Co... running between Canton and Wushow, had the misfortune, on the 15th inst. to run down a large junk, This vesse', the Shun-on, was carrying specle back to the vellers of silk, and over Tis. 20,000 of treasure and goods were said to be lost. The Chinese want to detain the Tungkong for settlement,
-MODERN LIGHT AND ITS OBLIGATIONS.
The Chinese are sufficiently up-to-date to appreciate electric light, but they have not got used to the idea of paying the bill as promptly as the collector calls. ~ ́H.B.M's Consul-General has intervened on behalf of the company, and the Viceroy has ordered the defaulters (all Government departments) to pay on demand.
CHINESE RIFLE SHOOTING.
Viceroy Shum's modern sharpshooters have something to learn yet. At the north gate yesterday twenty officers did well, but five times that number failed to get a single bull, although at short range.
A TRADE SENSATION.
A few days ago, I hear, the Man Shing shop, { a fifty-year-old firm largely interested in m¬tals, bought several pionis of sine sheeting from a ↑ foreign firm on the Shamsen. The Yuen Mo-kwong-se, who held a Government monopo- ly for the stle of such goods, caused excise men to seize the Man Shing's consignment as soon as it was delivered. The foreign vendors reported this to their Consul whereupon the monopolists suggested to the Viceroy and Nam-Hoi that the Man Shing shop meant to make cartridges of the zinc. This is a capital charge, and the people are shocked by the murderous jealousy of the monopolists. A Kuifong meeting was convened on the 13th, at which it was stated the Man. Shing had for many years bought sine from the wouopolists, without any suggestion of illegality. The Kaifong agreed to support a protest through the Chamber of Commerce.
May 18th.
EXCITING TIMES FOR HONGKONG PIRATES.
CHINA OVERLand trade rEPORT.
fight ensued, in the course of which three of the | Guards were seriously wounded. Whistles were heard blowing in every direction, and after a hot chase four of the desperadoes were caught. The wounded men were inmediately conveyed to the American Hospital, one being shot in the abdomen and the other in the groin. They day. The third man is doing well and will recover. were operated upon, but both succumbed yester The robbery took place about mid-day and shows the audacity of these ruffians. They will be b headed in a few days.
PLAGUE DECREASING.
Plague has considerably diminished here since the advent of beiter weather and the disease is now confined to the more insanitary parts of the city, viz., the district in crowded and the neighbourhood of the North Gate. There are still a few cases of cholers but not in an epid. emic form. As long as Chinese will find delight vegetables such as melons and salted cucumbers in eating all manners of green fruits and raw
it is not to be woodered at that a few should early die of cholers. Moreover, both the above diseases are confined to the lower classes, obair and other coolies being amongst the
vic'ims.
|
AMOY.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDINT.)
LOTS OF TIGERS.
May 18th.
vicinity_he, from these signs, made mee that one of them had been es1ing Chinaman.
Authentic ossed are known where full growA tigers have come down from their monatain strongholde, entered the outskirts of the up- country cities, and made off with fresh pork. An incident of their daring happenst at the beginning of the year. An old farmer had Lam Tai Bo mountain, and while he was taken his cow and calf to grase on the side of having his afternoon smoke, a large- tiger suddenly made off with _the_onif. He pursued for a short distance, but finding that he could not keep up, he hastily tied his cow to a rock and made off poste-haste to the village villege at his heels, he found his cow dead, for help. Upon returning with half the with her throat torn open.
The tiger shot by Colonel Fitton got a share of the blame for this outrage.
62
this grand sport, it is a surprise to many Considering the small expouse incurred in
local residents that so few Hongkong sports come along to hare a 'go" at" the beasts, Some of our old bands state that it is impos ible to get at a tiger without employing the inhabitants of a whole village to not as beaters. This is a great mistake, as all one has to do le to get a good trustworthy guide, promise him a certain sum if he takes you to a genuine lair and if no tiger turns up he forfeits all claim to the promised reward,”
FORMOSA.
1
The Japan Mail writes: -Great strides have certainly been made in the pacification of For- moss, but with regard to a large part of island, it is evident that the picidiostion of the inhabitants is a term for which we should bi more correct in writing "extermination." The Hochi Shimbun has just published a series of them may be given here without any fear of seren articles on this subject, and the gist of wearying cur readers. Not more than two-fifths of the island have been brought completely nader civilis d sway. This portion consis ́s of the extreme north and south, and a belt comprised between the west coast and a high range of hills that form the backbone of the island
By the Japanese the pacified aborigines are called Juku- ban and those that still remain implacable are known as Seiban. The former are partly Chinese by birth. They sided with the Chinese against the Japanese at the outset, and naturally with the Chinese they afterwards bowed to the situation Accurately subdivided there are said to be twenty races of the Seiban, but broadly speaking there are only eight. They occupy the mountainous and thickly wooded strip of territo y comprised between the east coast and the median line of mountains. But they are not equally distributed throughout this strip. In the southern h.If many have become pacified, whereas in the northern all are as savage
Since the beginning of the year numerous reports have been brought into Amoy from_the surrounding country that tigers have been making depredations among the cattle in the mountain villages. Several hunts have been organised, but only in one instance has any success been mo' with. Lient.-Colonel Fitton, of the West Kent Regiment, visited the port with a party of friends about a month ago, and succeeded in bagging a magnificent tigress in the Lam Tai Boo mountains. This henst had mide quite a name for herself by walking off with pigs, gs, &c., and kept up her reputa-¦ tion to the end by severely mauling one of the beaters who happened to be in at the death. He is now in the Amoy hospital and doing well. Many “China Hands" consider the Amoy tiger an overgrown cat, but I can assure them that this is a fallacy. Many bare been killed not twenty miles from the cattle ment measuring over ten feet from tip to tip, which, if in India, would proclaim them Royal beasts. in the good old days, when Messrs. Bruce, of Tait & Co, and Burtou, of B. & S., made a practice of bagging four or five "royals" in the season, numerous parties were organized to visit Mr. Stripes in his native wilds, but now with the advent of mo lern times, and the everlasting grab after the almighty dollar, this occasional sport of kings has fallen into a memory only. It is many years since tigers Lave been s› numerous as they now are: in fact a day never goes past without hearing about some village pig stye being cleaned out. Only a few days ago, I saw a couple of splendid skins being offered for sale on the Amoy Band, at $20 each, so if poor old coun'rymen, armed with probistoric spears, can go out and mak: such a fins bag, a couple of good sports armed with rifles should have some luck. News came in yesterday ibat a large male and female, with two ombs at foot, were busy in the mountains bbiud Tong An, a city about thirty miles from Amoy. Dr. H. Horne, one of our local medicos, has organized a party to go after them, and should the hunt be worked All attempts to pacify them having failed, the systematically good big should be the Japanese have been obliged to res rt,to a system result. A peculiarity of the Amoy tiger is that which may be descritel as one of gradual it will hang around the same place from year invasion. The operation partakes in some to year. Therefore if one has a week to spare. respects of the nature of hunting wild boasts. and is sure be is in the vicinity of the lair, he The Seiban utilise the mountains, the ravines, can rely on getɛing a shot home. A care high up the river-beds and the rocks, just us hunted in the mountains is the favourite resort of Mr. beasts would use them, and ́in all essential Stripes, and can be easily found by the horrible respects they are hunted boasts, the huntsvi May 24th. stench and the immense number of bones in | being a long line of armed detachments which
the vicinity. It is rarely we hear of a * Man-
SODO. These detachments are called Aiya A land of robbers went into a fantan shop eater"; the first and last episode of that kind push gradually eastward into the unpacified in the vicinity of the Tartar General's yamen
was when one of our ločil missionaries was (village braves) their units-Astai, or village on the 22nd inst, and having terrorised the walking over the hills at Chan-pu, found a youths-being Chinamen. To sech diyu there inmates took all the cash in the house. They Chinaman's sun hat, a osrrying pole with two is au as istant-constable (native) (who sets as were leaving the premises when the alarm was bundles attached, an immense qusutity of corporal, there is a Japanese constable who given and half a dozen Manchu guards turned ; blood, and the signs of a severe struggle, discharges the function of sergeant, and there up. The robbers-produced revolvers and a free' Knowing that a number of tigers were in the ' is a police sergeant who fills the post of oficer.
An exciting soene occurred yesterday morning when the s.s. Paul Beau came up to her buoy at about: 68) am. The authorities had been informed here the previous night that a gang of pirates who had been closely watched during their stay in Hongkong had taken passage on the Paul Beau to come up to Canton, doubt- less to commit some further daring robberies. Boldiers were held in readiness by Colonel Yang, and when the steamer was nearing her buoy, the vessel was surrounded by guard boats to prevent any attempt at escaping. The pirates soon notiosd that they were trapped and two of them made a bold bid for liberty by jumping on to a passing sampan. 'T'heir combined weight aud the shock caused the simpan to capsiss and great confusion prevailed for half-an-hour. The pirates were cangut and fished out of the water into dragon boats, where they were immediately fettered. There was considerable howling amongst the sampan people, who eventually managed to tow the upturned boat near the
·Shamsen buad in shallow water, where it was soon.righted and the water biled out with that all nséful, instrument the kerosene can. The Commanders of the Callao and Vigilante sent a bo it each to the reson. Nobo ly was drowned. It is stated that nine pirates in all were arrested that morning. They are lodged in the Nam-Hoi gaol and will be summarily dealt with
to-day.
OFFICIAL BANKS,
The Board of Revenue having established Government Bank in Peking, intends likewise to open branches at Shanghai, Haukow, and Canton.
AUDACIOUS ROBBERS.
+
1
¦
far as
ever. It is in this northern half that the "bead-hunters" have their habitat, 80 can be ascertained, they were not originally savages. Their ferocious disposition was developed gradually under the pressure of Chinees raids. Driven by the Chinese from the plan country on the west and pursued again and again into their refuges among the hills, they locame veritable Ishmaelities, and there grew up in their bosoms a thirst for vengeance which they lose no oppɔr- tunity of siaking. There are 15,00 of these aborigines in the southern half of the island's eastern zone and 41,000 in the northern half.
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