Life and sport in China / Second Edition

IL

Semper idem," for of a truth they change not and

the East India Islands, and it may be interesting for yachtsmen to know that the problems of water-tight compartments, centre-boards, balanced and perforated rudders, which during the past few decades h

ous sea, thousands of fishing-boats, far out of sight of land, ply their busines

it occurs that a good view of some of the craft may be obtained from deck at the distance of only a few yards, when it can be seen that their crews co

nty, for it frequently happens that steamers sight their luckle

tern. Ill-shaped sails of matting, ropes made of twisted bamboo splits, hemp, or cocoa-nut fibre, huge wooden anchors, and a total absence of paint lend to them a most ramshackle and unseaworthy appearance, while clothes drying on the line, cocks crowing, pigs rambling about at will, plants growing in pots and old tins, together with t

ally excellent sea-boats and easily handled, their sailing powers are p

ge eyes, which are painted one on either side of the bows and as a reason for which any Chinama

are infinitely superior to our reefing points, inasmuch as the largest sail can be reefed from deck, or rather reefs itself, just as quickly as th

mbered by the hundred, all varying in tonnage, dimensions and

Junk, sh

page 9

at numbers. These gaily-painted vessels of from twenty to eighty tons, with their high freeboard

s to their Manchu rulers in the north, every Manchu, owing to the bare fact that he is of the ruling race, being entitled from his birth to a monthly allowance of ric

ed in orderly rows waiting to load salt as it arrives overland from the sea-coast, where

ent inland waters. They are heavily built, with good beam and watertight compartments. Their lines, while forbidding any thought of speed, are not ungraceful, and eminently suitable for weight carrying. With square, massive bows they thicken away aft, un

nd, so that on gazing up at its dizzy height one continually wonders why in heavy weather it does not go by the board or pound its way through the bottom of the vessel. The foremast, which is considerably smaller and stepped well forrard, is in like manner devoid of any kind of stay. Each m

ch they belong are printed in large characters, it is a beautiful sight to watch a fleet of these stately ships glide by,

is the lifeboat guild. Apart from official aid and direction, it is mostly supported by voluntary

shelters while the crews pass their time at leisure, but as soon as a storm arises they immediately put out and

smothered by the waves, in an incredibly short time they were on the scene of the accident, where, rounding to, the work of salvage was carried out in a most plucky and seamanlike manner. These boats have no stem, the bows, which are square and about four feet in width, sloping

and sail of the light and convenient Chinese pattern render them extremely handy. Ha

well to study the model for use in places where a sandy beach and shoal water

e sweeps, and standing up facing the direction in which they are going, and keeping good time, propel the boat at a fair pace. When at anchor an awning in blue and white stripes affords a commodious shelter. Being official vessels they are spic and span in light yellow varnish, and frequently fly a number of really beautiful flags of marvellous design and bril

from the sea, and the treaty-port of Chungking, which is fo

amers have passed through the Gorges and reached Chungking, there have been many failures, and one German vess

have ever seen, and made a greater impressio

en the river was low and the current slack, al

until we reached a point where the Gorges actually commence. Here a tow-line was got out, and by the frantic efforts of half-a-dozen trackers, in addition to the sail, we slowly forged

rced a passage through a lofty range of moun

els of the river, as during untold ages it has eaten its way through solid rock and stone to its present bed. This manifestation of the irresistible forces of nature produces a singularly sobering effect on the mind by making one keenly feel how utterly insign

rring in the Gorges, and are chiefly remarkable for their abnormally high sterns, which, in the event of g

e sweep in the bows as an aid in turning, and a strong rudd

sized junk, but for the return journey against stream, and which takes from four to eight weeks according to

may cause a rise of thirty or forty feet, the foreshore is at an uncert

inmast to the river bank, and to the shore end of which, for a length of about forty to a hundred feet, the trackers fasten the yokes

, the mainmast bends beneath the heavy strain, the hawser is cleared from jutting boulders by intrepid swimmers, who in pursuit of their vocation must often plunge into the racing torrent, and the vessel roars through the water with foam

heavy toll in lives is taken from the brave and hard

I saw a Chinaman fishing

of a sampan, which was rowed by a woman, while the fisherman, standing on the fore part, gathered i

with a sweep of the arm, so that like a spider's

n the centre appeared above the surface, when the otter, plunging through it, dived inside the net, quickly to reappear with a fish in its mouth, whe

eel, when she proved to be a handy and seaworthy little craft. An iron framework could be erected over the stern-sheets and covered with a canvas hood, thus forming qu

ake where, they said, but few Europeans had ever been, a

all that they effectually shut off the wind. At dark we tied up near a village, from which dozens of dogs presently arrived, and which when not fighting amongst themselves barked at us throughout the night with the most exasperating persistence. Mosquitoes also were particularly numerous, so that with th

ds with white cliffs and a range of lofty mountains in the background. After a swim and a hearty tiffin we sailed on

l walk I returned on board with a brace of pheasants and a woodcock. That night we passed in comfort anch

ge and reflected on its glistening surface, but a nearer approach revealed the inevitable shabbiness and ruin

after which we sailed on again up a narrow arm of the lake with beautiful cliffs and wooded hills on either side. Arriving

f craft of many descriptions, each bearing a load of gaily-dressed holiday-makers, while several long canoes, each paddled by twenty or thirty men, raced backwards and forwards to a great beating of gongs and a firing

put and answered by either side, a race of the dragon-boats was given for my particular edification,

d the epithet of "foreign devil" applied freely by boys from a safe distance, have I been insulted. While th

f beaters, and to an old inhabitant, who courteously bowed his w

nding the roughness, remained silent, whereon the European e

Chinaman, to avoid being struck, hurried into his house and closed the door, while the sportsmen and their troop passed through the sleepy hamlet lik

a courteous bearing does not meet

ittle bay beneath the cliffs, where we had spent the previous night. Before dark the rain was coming d

it swept over the cliffs high above our heads. Despite the tarpaulins the wet found its way in and soa

covered the hood were so tightened by moisture that it was imp

was not until the shelter of the cliffs had been left and ret

we left the land the higher the swell became, until it suddenly dawned on me that our c

ny tight places, but

n Chinamen do before and since, crouched down with faces blanched to putty and almost t

, and the boat rolled wildly in the waves, which although no

gth we kept a fairly straight course, eventually dashing through clouds of driven foam into the creek, though in a half-swamped condition. We had got off scot-free, but it had been touch and go. If the hood and tarp

s simple enough, and in a few h

al up-to-date classes, ranging from half-raters to fifteen-tonners, and regattas under various conditions are of frequent occurrence

on the muddy waters of the Whangpoo, which, except for the fact that it is the harbour of this thriving settlement, where scores of vessels of all

celebrated as the home of the poet Camo?ns, come fleets of fishing-boats, which, in

e best sea-boats and the fastest

ting, immense perforated, balanced rudders, and being of light draught, they handle so well that they can turn a complete circle in their own length. While unable to sail as close to the

le to thoroughly test the merits of these junks, and while rather more than holding my own on all points in a light breeze, I cou

although generally taking my Winchester as a precautionary measure when going any distance from port, I have spent many delightful days in standing out to sea, sailing through the numerous creeks with which the hint

eezes setting in from the Pacific, and perhaps laying to for a swim, we would return to the lovely bay, and dropping anchor off the Praia Grande dine by moonlight to the

n to Wuchow, I observed many junks fitted with what ma

s evidently from shallow waters, where neither keels, centre-boards nor lee-boards could be employed, recourse was ha

tem, and the bow-board, perhaps three feet in width, was

ere in position, but when running free th

ng comfort, convenience and fair sailing powers, is a favourite means of getting about on shooting trips an

ght yacht, with either a drop-keel or lee-board

ns with a sheet-line leading from the extremity of each to the main-sheet render extremely handy and safe. A jib can al

and capable of seating a dozen, stove, gun-racks, glass and bottle brackets and numerous lockers. There is also a bathroom and lavatory, a kitchen with good cooking range, quarters fo

rtsman and a sure refuge for the overworked, the house

shall be fill

es that inf

heir tents l

lently st