the chests; here, where the light falls in from the
roof, are tables placed for superintendents, who carefully
watch the workmen; farther off, are foreigners inspecting
a newly arrived chop; at the extreme end is the little
apartment where the tea merchant receives people upon
business; and through the high door beyond, we see
the crowded river, and chopboats waiting for cargoes.
At the river end of the building a second story is
added, often fitted up with immense suites of beautiful
rooms, elegantly furnished, and abounding with rare
and costly articles of
virtu. Here is
a door leading higher still, out upon the roof, which
is flat. Below us is the river with its myriads
of boats, visible as far as the eye can reach, no
less than eighty-four thousand belonging to Canton
alone. On our right is the public square, where
of late stood the foreign factories, now destroyed
by the mob, while the flags of France, England, and
America have disappeared. On our left is another
vista of river life, the pagoda near Whampoa, and
the forts of Dutch and French Folly. In our rear
is the immense city of Canton, and opposite to us,
across the river, lies the verdant island of Honan,
with its villages, its canals, and its great Buddhist
temple. On descending, we find that a servant
has placed for us on a superb table in one of the pretty
rooms cups of delicious tea,—it being the
custom in all the hongs to offer the beverage to strangers
at all times. A cup of the aromatic Oulong will
serve to steady our nerves for the completion of the
tea-lecture.
The visitor will soon form some idea of the magnitude
of the tea trade, by going from one hong to another,
and finding all of them filled with chests, while
armies of coolies are bringing in chops, sorting cargoes,
loading chop-boats, making leaden canisters, packing,
and labelling the packages. A heavy gate, with
brilliant, figures painted on it, and adorned with
enormous lanterns, swings yawning open, and admits
the stranger. Just inside of the gate, at a little
table, sits a man who keeps count of the coolies,
as they enter with chests of tea, and sees that they
do not carry any out except for good reasons.
Looking down the length of the hong, a busy scene
presents itself. It is crammed with big square
chests just from the tea regions, and piled up to the
roof. Presently a string of coolies, stretching
out like a flock of wild geese, come past, and set
down chests enough on the floor to cover half an acre.
These half-naked fellows are nimble workmen, and will
unload a boat full of tea in an incredibly short time.
Very valuable as an animal is the cooly: he is
a Jack-at-all-trades; works at the scull of a boat,
or in a tea pack-house; bears a mandarin’s sedan-chair,
or sweeps out a chamber. His ideas are as limited
as his means, and nearly as much so as his clothing;
but he works all day without grumbling at his lot,
is cheerful, and seems to enjoy life, although he
lives on a few cents a day. He sleeps soundly