[A Woman’s Journey Round the World by Ida Pfeiffer]@TWC D-Link book
A Woman’s Journey Round the World

CHAPTER VIII
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CHINA.
MACAO--HONG-KONG--VICTORIA--VOYAGE ON BOARD A CHINESE JUNK--THE SI- KIANG, CALLED ALSO THE TIGRIS--WHAMPOA--CANTON, OR KUANGTSCHEU-FU-- MODE OF LIFE PURSUED BY EUROPEANS--THE CHINESE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS-- CRIMINALS AND PIRATES--MURDER OF VAUCHEE--PROMENADES AND EXCURSIONS.
A year before my arrival in China, it would have seemed hardly credible to me that I should ever succeed in taking my place among the small number of Europeans who are acquainted with that remarkable country, not from books alone, but from actual observation; I never believed that I should really behold the Chinese, with their shaven heads, long tails, and small, ugly, narrow eyes, the exact counterparts of the representations of them which we have in Europe.
We had hardly anchored, before a number of Chinese clambered up on deck, while others remained in their boats, offering for sale a variety of beautifully made articles, with fruit and cakes, laid out in great order, so as to form in a few seconds a regular market round the vessel.

Some of them began praising their wares in broken English; but on the whole, they did not drive a very flourishing business, as the crew merely bought a few cigars, and a little fruit.
Captain Jurianse hired a boat, and we immediately went on shore, where each person on landing had to pay half a Spanish dollar (2s.) to the mandarin: I subsequently heard that this imposition was shortly afterwards abolished.

We proceeded to the house of one of the Portuguese merchants established there, passing through a large portion of the town on our way thither.

Europeans, both men and women, can circulate freely, without being exposed to a shower of stones, as is frequently the case in other Chinese towns.


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