Travels of a Pioneer of Commerce in Pigtail and Petticoats; Or, an Overland Journey from China Towards India
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m A5/A ITHACA,N.V. 14853 ^ w WasonCoUectioi. , on East Asia 3 1924 074 488 440 All books are subject to recall after two weeks Olln/Kroch Library DATE DUE r, li Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924074488440 In compliance with current copyright law, Cornell University Library produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1984 to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. 1994 HOGG'S GOKGE OX THE LAN-TSAN-KIANG. -^o u tK s <* : TEAVELS OF A PIONEER OF COMMERCE IN PIGTAIL AND PETTICOATS: OB, AN OVERLAND JOURNEY FROM CHINA TOWARDS INDIA. By T. T. cooper, LATE AGENT FOK THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT CALCtTTA. m^ ITap aitb Ulustrafions. LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1871. The Rigid of Translation is reserved. I :! ^ ; I i , UN- J I LONDON : BRADBUnV, UVAKSj AND CO., PRINTERS, WUITEFBIARS. N/^^G^b' CHARLES A. WINCHESTER AND JAMES HOGG, AXB THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN COMMUNITY OF SHANGHAI, BY WHOSE AID I WAS ESTABLED TO PROSECUTE MY TRAVELS, THIS RECORD IS BY THEIR StXCERE AND OBLIGED FRIEND, T. T. C. PKEFACE. By way of preface the Author desires to anticipate possible objections, from readers who may consider that he has said either too much or too little. The circumstances of the joiirney absolutely precluded scientific observation: the only instrument taken, viz., a thermometer, was broken at an early stage, and travelling by boat and chau' is not favourable to minute investigation; but the Author can claim to have conscientiously recorded the facts which he was able to observe and learn, and the experiences undergone by him, and he trusts that these at least may enable some successor to learn more and accomplish far greater results than it was ia his power to attain. One other remark seems to be called for, with regard to the geographical nomenclature adopted. It has been his desire to represent as exactly as possible the Chinese names by English equivalents. The true names of Chinese provinces and cities, as well as in some cases the true limits, have been so disguised in X PEEFACE. tlieir transmission through Portuguese and French media, that they are scarcely recognisable ; — thus Pa-Chin is known as Pekin ; and when the Author, misled by our maps, inquired for Chung-King, he with difficulty found the city of Chung-Ching. The adoption also of local dialects as representing the general pronunciation has tended to increase the confusion ; and he has thought it the best method to obtain in each place the name by which it was known to the inhabitants, and express this in English letters as sounded by English tongues. With regard to the Map, it is not intended to show the correct geography of the countries, but merely to help the reader to foUow the Author in his narrative ; who in this, as in all other particulars, desires to be esteemed not a pre- tentious or scientific traveller, but a simple and truthful Pioneer of Commerce. —A CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. mTKODUCTOEY. PAGE A Plea for the Chinese—The Overland Joiimev Suggesttd—A Way out of Difficulties —Mr. "Wade's Advice—My Eunaway Friends— An Infuriated French Consul—My Interpreter and Guide . 1 OHAPTEll II. THE PLAINS OF HOOPEH. Dispute with the Lowder—Salt Trade—Timber Kafts—Chen-pin Lake— ATild Geese—Offending the Wind God— Oil Mill—A Funeral Cor- tege—Arrival at Sha-s"—Philip sees a Camel—A Chinese Hotel A Family Dinner—Feminine Curiosity—Chinese Bedfelloivs— Small Feet—Disbanded Soldiers—Making a Night of it—^^Van-chien Boat —Attempted Mandarin Squeeze—A Thunder Storm—Ichang Cit3- . 17 CHAPTER III. ICHANG TO CHUNG CHING. Ichang Gorge, Eapids of the Upper Yang-ts"—Ascen^iing a Eapid— Portage—An ugly Tumble—A happy New Year—A Travelling Bookseller—Pelted by—Gunboat-Men—the Boundary of Hoopeh— Philip's Indisposition ^Taken for a Gi-andfather— Official Koguerj- —Wreck of a Junk—Dragon Procession— Chinese Christians— Missionary Drowned—Sz-chuan Quarrymen—A Night in a Eapid— Spirit-rapping—^Trade of the Yang-ts"—Steamers on the Upper Yang-ts" . ... 61 — xii CONTENTS. CHAPTEE IV. CHUNG CHING. PAGE The First Check—Reception of the Bishop—My Friend Fan—Taouist Rock Temples—DLuner with the Taou Jen—Decay of Chinese Art A Royal Courier—The Sz-chuan Missions—Chinese Persecutions Iilissionary Life — Respect paid to the Fathers—Boys' and Girls' Schools—Discouragement of Merchants—Chinese Theatre . 103 CHAPTEK V. CHUNG CHING TO CHEN-TU. Novel Umbrella—^The House-rag—Sz-chuan Fortifications—A Famous Kung-kwan—Do I look like a Devil ?—A Great Soldier—Making way for a Mandarin— Mai-riage Customs—The Noseless Biide —Sale of "Wives—An Awkward Predicament—Yamun Spies—The Paris ot China—Rapacious Cooks—A promising Passport . 133 CHAPTER VI. CHEN-TU TO HI-YAN-KY. A Cooly Fight—Soldiers at free Quarters—Western Sz-chuan—Ya-tzow Brick Tea—Paddy Birds—A surly Pitman—The Fei-yue-ling—The Mountain Wind—Bishop Chauveau—Making a Gridiron—^A Night on Ma-kia-shan—No Sport—The Soldiers are Coming—The Ruined Village .... 164 CHAPTER VIJ. HI-YAN-KY TO TA-TSIAN-LOO. Ceremonial of Atonement — Loo-diu-chow Suspension Bridge —Don Quixote in Tse-tsang—Tea Carriers—Thibetan Hotel—The Border Town—Visit from a Lama—Prayer Cylinders—Lama Monks Yunnan Lepers—Petticoats or Trousers—Man-ts" Ladies—Equip- ments for Thibet . 193 — CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. EASTEEJT THIBET. PAGE The Chinese Frontier—A party of Tea Traders—The Hokow Feny— Mountains and Valleys—The Zandi Tribes—the Town of Lithang A thieving Interpreter—The Tsanha Eange—The Taso Valley— A welcome Rest-house—A perilons Swim 221 CHAPTER IX. BATHANG. Making Friends with the Mandarins—A Morning's Trading—A Thibe- tan Tnrf-man— My Friend Tang—The Golden-roofed Lamasery Small-pox in Thibet—^More Frightened than Hurt—An Intrigue Discovered—Route to Assam^Tz Ta-Lowya—A Mandarin in Diffi- culties—Change for Yunnan ... 245 CHAPTER X. BATHANG TO ATENZE. I am Married unawares—Matrimonial Devotions—Robber Hill—Robbed of our Stores—A Song, but no Supper—Stopped on the Boundary Refused Food at Tsung-tza—Banditti Repulsed—The Musk-hunter of Jessundee— A Terrible Woman—Tsali Shan — Passing a Snow- drift—First View of the Lan-tsan-kiang » . .27 CHAPTER XI. THE TRIBES OF THE LAN-TSAN-KIANG. Trade of Atenze—The Goneali Tribe—Hogg's Gorge—Sagacity of the Mules—Tz-coo Mission Station—The Lu-ts" Tribes—The Moso Tribe —The Ya-ts" Tribe—The Mooquor Chief—Deer-stalking at Compo —A Hunt Supper—Village of Kha-kha— Weisee-foo—The Tartar General—Soldier Robbers—A Yunnan Mahomedan . 299 —A xiv CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. AMONGST THE TZE-FANS. PAGE Sz-se-to Village—The Lci-sns—Anival at Tung-Ian—lly Politics Tested —Night Attack—Tlie Tze-fen Village—The Mahomedan "War— Traitor Viceroy—Mahomedan Progi'ess— The Scorpion Fly . 333 CHAPTER Xni. IMPRISONMENT AT WEISEE. Tien Ta-Iowya—lu the Yamim— Rifle Practice—^The Black-Nose—Tien Drunk^Leuding a Jlount—A Forced Loan Resisted—The Manda- rins and the Revolver—Little Sen—Tien Dangerous—Playing with Edged Tools—Our Escape—Recaptured—Rescued liy the Cliiefs Last Night in "Weisee . 355 CHAPTER XIV. RETURN TO TA-TSIAN-LOO. Departure from Weisee—A Ministering Angel—Return to Atenze Thibetan Dairies—Bursting of a Eain-cloud—Renewed Hopes—Dis- appointment—Baffled Banditti— Tea-feny on the Ein-cha-Kiang Cold Reception at Bathang—An Act of Justice—Thibetan Neces- sity for Tea—Burmali and Yunnan Trade—Difficulty about the Despatches—A Wild Night 38G CHAPTER XV. HOMEWARDS. A Cooly Riot—Respect for Parents—The White Wax Country—Dog- ham—Gypsum Pits— Kia-ting-foo—Thibetan Trade Tricks—Salt Wells—Appointed an Arbitrator—The French Expedition—General Tin—Chinese Chess—The Hairy Tortoise—The Modern Army of Martyrs .... 424 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE hogg's Gor.o.E OX THE LAx-TSAx-KiANG .... FrmiHspkcf WAN-CHIEN BOAT . ... 53 SZ-CHFAN QUAEKYMEX . S2 THE DKAGON BRIDGE .... 144 COOLIES . CARRYINO BEICK TEA ... ^01 PART OF JIAN-TZ^' HOTEL IX T.A.-TSIAX-LPO . 204 2(iS THIBETAN PRAYER : OM MAX! PADME HUM . .... TUNG-OLO VILLAGE ... f>24 THIBETAN SOLDIERS . .... 2S2 ROPE BRIDGE OX THE LAN-TSAS-KIAXG .... 309 THE SCORPION FLY ."o3 DOUBLE HANDLED WHEELBARROW ... 44S HAIRY TORTOISE ... ... 449 TEAVELS OF A PIONEER OF COMMERCE. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. A Plea for the Chinese—The Overland Journey Suggested— A Way out of Difficulties—Mr. "Wade's Advice—My Runaway Friends —An Infuriated French Consul—My Interpreter and Guide. The great empires of Asia, almost up to our own time, presented an unknown field, which very few were able to enter upon and explore : religious prejudice and Oriental conservatism combined to exclude the intrusive Western strangers ; and but recently have we begun to acquire any- thing like accurate knowledge, either geographically or his- torically, of the vast empires and peoples of the true East. An angry and jealous fear of the aggressive force of Western civilisation has succeeded to contemptuous prejudice, and, at the present time, renders the Oriental peoples yet more reluctant to admit the presence of the foreigner, whom still they feel themselves unable to exclude. Of this Oriental exclusiveness, the giant empire of China, slumbering in the conscious pride of its social and political system, which dates from the most distant ages, is the truest type. None of the adjacent kingdoms have equalled it in the perfection of its ^1 2 TEAVELS OF A PIONEER OF COMMEECE.