Part 12

It was still going on when I left Macao in 1844. The legal papers had so accumulated that they seemed sufficient to 'dunnage' the ship. Asking the clerk of the court one day if he thought it would _ever_ be settled, he made the same reply that he had repeated for years: 'Se senhor, mā, hum poco tiempŏ!' ('Certainly, sir, but it requires a little time').

The 'Lintin,' however, was sent to Whampoa. The first English treaty with the Chinese having been broken, further preparations were made for defence, and the authorities, not discouraged, sought for another foreign ship--this time for service nearer the city. They took a fancy to the 'Lintin;' she was sold to them, and towed up the river by a great fleet of small boats. An eye[82] was painted on each bow; she was completely unrigged to her lower masts, and, amidst a confused noise of gongs and fireworks, she was anchored just below the Dutch Folly, opposite the city.

On the day appointed for 'making her over' various high Mandarins with many followers came on board. Captain Endicott, who was in charge, had caused certain refreshments to be laid out on the cabin table with which to regale these officers. They consisted of several junk bottles of gin and brandy, a jug or two of water, hard biscuits and cheroots! Before accompanying them over the ship, he invited them to the cabin.

As he said when relating the circumstance to us, 'after drinks all round and a weed' we returned on deck to look about the vessel; next we visited the between-decks, and the Mandarins pronounced everything highly satisfactory. Seeing a Scuttle-Butt[83] pump, it attracted the attention of one of them, who took it to be an 'engine of war,' and asked to be informed as to the manner of its use! They soon after took leave and returned to the city. 'Thank heaven,' said Captain Endicott to a gentleman whom he had asked on board to see the Chinese officials, 'that's over; now that they are off, let us go down and take a drink and a smoke.' On getting to the cabin they found that _everything_--the gin and brandy, cigars, biscuits, even the water-jug, pitcher, and tumblers--had all been walked off with by the followers of the high dignitaries! A Chinese crew and naval Mandarin took possession, as Captain Endicott pulled away from his 'old home' for so many years. She was then duly turned into a Chinese man-of-war. There were the usual insignia of invincibility, triangular flags, on which were figures of dragons swallowing the moon, the 'Yin and Yang,' circles and zigzag lines, emblematical of thunder and lightning.

The commanding officer of all this destructive paraphernalia, with the peacock's feather in his cap, a large silk umbrella held over his head, seated himself comfortably in a bamboo chair, smoking his pipe.

Other formidable preparations for war were duly made in a provision of worm-eaten guns, matchlocks, spears, and shields. She would soon have been ready for an encounter with any of the English sloops, whether the 'Modeste' or the 'Algerine,' perhaps even the 'Herald;' but one night a great freshet took place. The violence of the tide was such that she swerved at her anchor from right to left, struck on the rocks close to the 'Folly,' slid off, and went down in deep water! The Chinese then set to work and unshipped her masts, leaving a stump of the foremast about seven feet above the deck, and placed upon it a diminutive lantern. This served thenceforth as a 'lighthouse' to guide boats up and down the river! It was the _first_ lighthouse in Canton waters 'on record.' When I last saw the stump of the mast, twenty-eight years after, a great bank of mud had formed around the hull, and a faint glimmer from a penny dip in a small paper lantern marked the last resting-place of the 'Lintin.'

* * * * *

The seizure of the opium in its consequences was _the_ feature in the breaking up of the exclusive conditions of foreign trade at Canton, as it had existed since 1720. The peculiar conditions also of social life were doomed, as was that perfect and wonderful organisation, the Co-Hong.

On August 10, 1841, Sir Henry Pottinger arrived at Macao as Her Majesty's sole plenipotentiary and Minister Extraordinary. Negotiations with the Mandarins were carried on simultaneously with the capture of cities on the coast. The material losses and destruction of life to the Chinese were incalculable, particularly through suicide by those helpless people. An English officer who was present at the taking of Chā-Po in May 1842 wrote to a friend at Macao that on landing, about 3,500 strong, under cover of the men-of-war, the most terrible enormities were committed. He then goes on to say: 'After the city had been captured, I entered more than a hundred houses, and in each there were not less than two, and in many eight, persons found dead. They were the bodies of mothers and daughters who had committed suicide from a dread of becoming prisoners; 1,600 dead were buried after the battle, of which more than one-half were Tartar soldiers, who in despair of repelling the enemy, and preferring death to defeat, had _nearly all_ destroyed themselves. Is not this a splendid exhibition of patriotism?'

The losses of the English on this occasion by the official accounts were one colonel, one sergeant, and seven men killed, seven officers and forty-seven men wounded; and so on to the end, the pigmy against the giant!

At length the treaty of Nanking, in which the Chinese consented to pay an indemnity of _$_21,000,000, was signed off that city, on board of H.M.S. 'Cornwallis,' on August 29, 1842, by his Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger, the Imperial Commissioners Ke-Ying and E-Leepoo, and New-Keen, the Viceroy of Keang-Nan and Keang-Se. And thus concluded the first European war with China, one of the most unjust ever waged by one nation against another.

The next treaty was that of the United States, which was signed at the village of Mong-Hā (Macao) on July 3, 1844, by Mr. Caleb Cushing and Ke-Ying. Together they were the 'knell, the shroud, the mattock, and the grave' of Old Canton.

* * * * *

The Chinese had not looked with satisfaction upon the concessions they had been obliged to make to an overwhelming military and naval force, which had caused them the loss of myriads of lives, often under circumstances of great atrocity, of unheard-of suffering, as well as of many millions of dollars independently of the war indemnity. The ordeal was a terrible one; but they gained by it the, to them, unenvied _privilege_ of falling in with Western ideas. Encouraged by the confidence inspired by so _great_ a _privilege_, they now contract for loans of money, they build vessels of war on European models, and drill their soldiers in foreign tactics; they provide themselves with Western arms of precision--in short, they are putting on their armour. They are in full career of a diplomacy in which Ambassadors or Ministers--that is to say, 'spies upon one another'--watch over the interests of their respective countries. With the sword at their throat they have become members of what is facetiously called the 'Brotherhood' of Nations!

MESSRS. RUSSELL & CO., CANTON. 1823 TO 1844.

The house of Russell & Co. was constituted on January 1, 1824, in succession to that of Samuel Russell & Co., which had existed from December 26, 1818, to December 26, 1823. It is known amongst the Chinese as 'Kee-Chang-Hong.' It confined itself strictly to agency business. From January 1, 1824, until the middle of 1830 the sole partners were Mr. Russell and Philip Ammidon. In September 1829 Mr. Wm. H. Low arrived from Salem in the ship 'Sumatra' (Captain Roundy); and in November 1830 Mr. Augustine Heard, Senior, arrived from Boston in the bark 'Lintin' (Captain R. B. Forbes). These two gentlemen (Mr. Low and Mr. Heard) became partners in the house, the first until the end of the year 1833, when, having been obliged to leave Canton from ill health, he was landed and died at the Cape of Good Hope.

During the term of 1834-5-6, consequent upon the death of Mr. Low, were admitted Mr. John C. Green (special agent at Canton of Messrs. N. L. and G. Griswold, of New York), Mr. John M. Forbes, who had arrived in the 'Lintin' to join the office in 1830, and Mr. Joseph Coolidge, who arrived in 1832; and Mr. Heard retired.

The term of 1837-8-9 saw the withdrawal of Messrs. Forbes and Coolidge, the first on December 31, 1838, and the latter on December 31, 1839. Were admitted on January 1, 1837, Mr. A. A. Low (nephew of Mr. W. H. Low), who had come out to join the office in 1833), and Mr. W. C. Hunter. Mr. Edward King (who came out in the 'Silas Richards,' Captain Rosseter, 1834), was taken in the office on arrival, and became a partner on July 1, 1837; Mr. Robert B. Forbes (who arrived in the 'Bashaw' in October 1838) was admitted January 1, 1839, and became the chief of the house.

The term of 1840-41-42, Mr. A. A. Low having retired, began with the admission of Mr. Warren Delano (formerly of the house of Russell, Sturgis, & Co., of Canton and Manila). He succeeded Mr. Forbes as chief of the house when the latter left for New York in the 'Niantic' on July 7, 1840. Mr. Russell Sturgis, also a former partner of Russell, Sturgis, & Co., became a partner on January 1, 1842. Mr. King and Mr. Hunter retired on December 31, 1842, left Macao in February 1844 for New York, _viâ_ the Cape (in the ship 'Akbar,' Captain Hallet), and the retirement of Mr. Sturgis took place on December 31, 1843.

This is but a rapid _résumé_ of an interval of twenty years. A history of the house from its foundation to the present time--a period of sixty years--has been compiled by a former partner. The work, which would prove of interest to its many friends, its old associates, and their successors, may be published.

EPILOGUE.

Just a Cycle ago, a gentleman came on board the ship 'Citizen,' as she anchored at Lintin, China, from New York, to hear the _latest_ news she may have brought--125 days old!--the interval was a short one at that time.

Such as Canton _then_ was in its commercial, social, and domestic life it has been for two generations a sealed book; nor will the world ever see its like again! May those who _now_ seek China Opened be as well received, as little molested, as much protected, as were those over whom the ægis of treaties never existed, and as bountifully rewarded as those whose enterprise led them to what was _then_ a 'mysterious land.'

It is _now_, through the untiring encouragement and assistance of the gentleman above referred to (and who will, I trust, excuse my naming him)--Robert B. Forbes, Esq., of Boston, U.S.A.--that I have reproduced in the foregoing pages the days of Old Canton, with which we became familiar; regretting that to restore those scenes--all of which we saw, and part of which we were--it fell not to a more able pen.

W. C. H.

LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Viz., 'The Huntress,' 'Beaver,' 'Europa,' 'America,' 'Maria,' and 'Mary Lord.'

[2] A fast pulling and sailing boat.

[3] A poetical term for small-footed women.

[4] One of the most famous Chinese dynasties, 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D., from which the name 'children of Han.'

[5] _Bogue_ is a corruption of the Portuguese word _bocca_ (mouth). When the Portuguese first approached it, about 1525, the strong resemblance of the red sandstone eminence to the left of the narrow mouth of the Pearl River to a tiger's mouth, caused the exclamation, still perpetuated in its name, 'Bocca Tigre!' The Chinese name for it is 'the Lion's Gate.'

[6] _Sampan_, a small skiff or boat.

[7] 'Chow-Chow,' mixed.

[8] Siamese teak.

[9] Any Mandarin or official station was locally known as 'Chop-house.'

[10] The Chinese name for Sweden is Suy-Kwŏ.

[11] An assistant-magistrate. Up to 1848 Macao was under the joint government of the Portuguese and Chinese.

[12] At this time the ships' Compradores were engaged at Macao, and not at Whampoa.

[13] Buddhist Temple.

[14] The Dutch East India Company.

[15] 'Man-ta-le'--Pigeon-English for 'Mandarin'

[16] A lac is 100,000.

[17] Pigeon-English for 'cold.'

[18] The best quality of birds' nests was brought from Java. This 'whimsical luxury' was worth 4,000 Spanish dollars per picul of 133-1/3 pounds.

[19] Pigeon-English for 'old friend.'

[20] Pigeon-English for 'quicksilver.'

[21] 'Unfortunate.'

[22] A complimentary term.

[23] Captain Elliot.

[24] Baring Brothers & Co.

[25] Pigeon-English for 'gentlemen.'

[26] A complimentary term.

[27] One of our partners whom we had sent to London. Lord Byron once wrote of him to Murray as full of 'Entusymusy;' so we called him 'Tusymusy.'

[28] Their Chinese names were Tan and Tung, but these words not being readily distinctive to the foreign ear, they both became Tom, while 'Old' and 'Young' were added to suit their respective ages.

[29] 'My compliments to you.'

[30] The chief of a foreign house was known as 'Tai-pan.' The word signifies 'head manager.' The assistants or clerks were called 'pursers.' This word was undoubtedly taken from the office of 'purser,' whom the Chinese had only known as transacting business for the commanders of the East India Company's ships. The latter enjoyed the privilege of forty tons of space (English measurement) in each vessel homeward, which involved the presence at Canton of the 'pursers' to act for them in selling their outward and buying their homeward investments. The 'pursers' frequently hired a portion of a Factory (when to be had), and resided in it more or less while their ships were at Whampoa.

[31] Since the Conquest the reverse bears the name of the Emperor in Manchoo Tartar letters.

[32] Known as 'Sycee,' which means literally 'fine silk.'

[33] 10 cash = 1 candareen, 10 candareen = 1 mace, 10 mace = 1 tael.

[34] Bar gold, Sycee silver, chopped dollars.

[35] The Chinese called these boats 'scrambling dragons' and 'fast crabs.'

[36] A chest contained 1 picul = 133-1/3 pounds.

[37] Often so called in official language.

[38] The 'Omega' belonged to Dent & Co.

[39] The 'Governor Findlay' to Jardine, Matheson, & Co.

[40] All opium vessels carried Shroffs.

[41] The Chinese character which represents 'day' is literally 'sun.'

[42] When a Chinese takes leave, he says, 'Kaou-tsze' ('I inform you of taking leave').

[43] The 'Colonel Young' belonged to Jardine, Matheson, & Co., as well as the 'Fairy.'

[44] The 'Harriet' belonged to Jardine, Matheson, & Co.

[45] Literally 'great wind,' not those destructive storms which occur but once in three or four years, unroof houses and tear ships to pieces; they are called Teĕt-kuy, 'iron whirlwinds.'

[46] Country ships and coasters carried Manila men--Portuguese of Bombay or Macao--as helmsmen; they hove the lead, &c., and were called 'Sea-cunnies.'

[47] Strangling is by means of a wooden cross driven into the ground to which the prisoner's neck and outstretched arms are secured. A more ghastly and ignominious death than beheading.

[48] Called the Praya Grande, temporarily destroyed by the taiphoon of 1875.

[49] The Fragrant Hill.

[50] 'Cumsha' means 'a present.'

[51] A catty is 1-1/3 pounds English.

[52] The Imperial Commissioner.

[53] A subordinate officer of the chief magistrate's department.

[54] The currency being taels, mace, candareens, and cash.

[55] 'Flowery flag,' the United States.

[56] Presents to the captains and officers.

[57] Buddha.

[58] A very common exclamation on any occasion.

[59] The late Sir James Matheson was the reputed founder of the foreign press in China (_The Canton Register_); but it was an open question whether it was he or Mr. Wood. I contributed to that paper (translations from Chinese) when started; but in the consequent daily intercourse with Wood, he never hinted that he was not its sole founder. If my memory serves me Sir James was at the time on a trip up the coast. Nevertheless there is but one 'old Canton' who can decide the point, the present Sir Alexander Matheson.

[60] Confucius.

[61] Kung-Ming, a celebrated warrior of the third century A.D.

[62] Celebrated gardens, near Canton, visited by foreigners.

[63] 'Fan-Kwae,' foreign devils.

[64] The offspring of European Spaniards and natives.

[65] The privilege was 140 piculs weight.

[66] Public office.

[67] Equivalent to Excellency.

[68] At Macao, 1841.

[69] Whole dollars were so called put up in red paper--a neat way of paying small sums.

[70] 'Eaten them.'

[71] The resident physician of the foreign community, apart from the Honourable East India Co. He was from Philadelphia.

[72] An old Chinese fort so called, east of the Factories.

[73] The capital of Canton province is Show-King-Foo, and was the residence of the Governor-General of Canton and Kwang-Se. Consequent upon the former becoming the seat of foreign trade, the Governor-General removed there, and second to him is the Lieutenant-Governor. He is now styled Viceroy.

[74] Figurative for 'a great many.'

[75] These and similar expressions in Chinese official documents, over which Western people make such an absurd fuss, are no more to be taken literally than the vulgarised form of 'your obedient servant.' In the present case 'reverential obedience' is to be taken as 'serious co-operation,' so the Blue Button pointed out to me.

[76] That no one might escape.

[77] The Canton agents talked over the question of half-commissions on consignments thus withdrawn. It was argued that their Indian principals would recover from the British Government, a charge sanctioned by commercial usage. The half-commissions were assumed to be about 300,000 dollars. No unanimous decision was arrived at, but on the quantity delivered up by Russell & Co.--nearly 15,000 dollars--the charge was foregone.

[78] Buying and selling town.

[79] At the mouth of the Bogue.

[80] Yang-Yin, one of the chief features of which, in some mysterious way, gives notice of impending change of fortune deduced from the Pā-Kwa, a complicated system, of very remote antiquity, of divination.

[81] Natives of Africa, sweepers, &c.

[82] The 'eyes' on the bows of Chinese junks gave rise to the expression, 'No got eye, no can see,' under the erroneous foreign belief that the Chinese attributed to them the power of seeing and avoiding danger. This is very far from the fact. The bows of sea-going junks represent the head of a _dragon_, with expanded jaws and full round eyes, and being the symbol of the Chinese Empire, it is used as a carved eagle may be on an American vessel, without occult power attaching thereto.

[83] A 'Scuttle-Butt' is a cask with a square hole in its bilge, kept on deck to hold water for daily use, which is drawn by means of a hand-pump.

Transcriber's Notes

The author's name is William C. Hunter.

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Hyphen added: hard-working (p. 87).

Hyphen removed: mastheads (p. 1).

P. 3: added "a" (my fellow-passenger took a fast boat).

P. 3: "Sandal Wood Island" changed to "Sandalwood Island".

P. 32: "Mr. Holingworth" changed to "Mr. Hollingworth".

P. 94: "the first ships tome co in" changed to " the first ships to come in".

P. 130: "We styled oursveles" changed to "We styled ourselves".