Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat. Edmund Roberts
contained in 1818, twelve thousand, one hundred and forty souls; at the present period, it has probably a population of fifteen thousand; the houses are mostly built of bamboo and palm, and stand on piles. In violent typhoons it is found necessary to secure them with ropes, passed over the roofs, and fastened to strong posts. Their elevation on piles is found a necessary security against the lake, which occasionally, after violent rains, spreads its wide stream over all the lowlands bordering upon it. The inhabitants raise cane and rice in large quantities, with some wheat, Indian corn, fruits, &c. Fishing, more or less, is the occupation of every one; they, apparently, live in great simplicity and comfort, wanting nothing. A considerable quantity of sugar is made here, there being several extensive buildings for that purpose. Having taken leave of our kind host, we proceeded down the river to Manila, and again were much delighted with the richness, beauty and variety of the scenery. The mango with its umbrageous arms, affording a delightful shade to the weary traveller—the plantain and the banana, disputing every foot of ground, on the banks of the river, the tall and graceful bamboo overtopping every thing around it—extensive fields of cane, waving gently their green leaves to the passing breeze, with fields of paddy, exhibiting the green spiral leaf of the plant above the flooded meadows; numberless cottages were seen, deeply seated in the midst of luxuriant fruit-trees, and a massive church or convent was always in view, in some delightful spot. Again we met Indians, of both sexes, fishing or bathing, going upon a water-excursion, or to a ball, to chew buyo, to have a little chit-chat or scandal with a neighbour, or visit a holy friar of a neighbouring convent. These rapid and varied scenes, with our agreeable company, afforded us much pleasure as we lay in our bankas, enjoying the rapid passing views, which lapse of years cannot efface, exhibiting a rural picture of great simplicity and beauty; the principal actors being a race of Indians noted for the mildness of their tempers and for their great hospitality.
CHAPTER V.
DEPARTURE FROM MANILA—CHOLERA—CAPE BOLINA—CHINESE VESSELS—PILOT—MACAO—LINTING—VILLAGE—WHAMPOA—JOS HOUSES—SACRIFICE—ARRIVAL AT CANTON—RIVER AND BOATS—DESCRIPTION OF CANTON—GREAT IDOL TEMPLE—LEGEND OF THE JOS HOUSE—RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES—MINOR TEMPLES.
We had spent a fortnight most pleasantly at Manila, when the painful intelligence was received, that the Asiatic or spasmodic cholera had suddenly made its appearance on board the Peacock. It has been already stated that the diarrhœa and dysentery were prevalent among the crew, on the passage from Angier to Manila. These diseases were ascribed, among other causes, to the want of bread and the substitution of yams, &c. The cholera could not have arisen from any want of cleanliness, for our ship, from her keelson to her royal truck, was kept thoroughly clean and in the finest order, both at sea and in port. The united causes which produced this malady were, probably, change of food, the great quantities of fruit used by the crew, and the arrival of the season of the year, (about the change of the monsoons in the bay,) which is generally unhealthy. The first case was in a sailor, named Peterson, sixty-three years old. He had made a hearty meal on bean soup, with pork, and about an hour afterward the first symptoms made their appearance; the evacuations became copious, coldness and insensibility supervened; the pulse became scarcely perceptible; the countenance livid, ghastly, and sunken; spasms attacked the lower extremities; and the surface was covered with a cold, clammy sweat. The surgeon administered six grains of opium, in three doses; bad symptoms increasing, fifteen drops of cajeput oil were given in brandy and water, and repeated in half an hour. After the last dose of opium there were no evacuations, but the spasms had increased, extended to the abdominal muscles, and caused such extreme distress, that it required three or four men to hold the sufferer in his hammock; his groanings and screamings were violent and frightful. In three or four hours the spasms ceased. Notwithstanding the internal and external use of the most powerful stimulants, the prostration increased, and, at four o’clock in the morning, he was happily relieved from all the pains and troubles of this life. Another case, was that of a seaman, named North; he was found at eight o’clock in the evening, lying on deck, totally unable to rise, from extreme prostration. Death had, apparently, struck an instantaneous and a heavy blow; the victim was already clutched in its most loathsome and terrific embraces; the evacuations were of the usual character; in a few minutes, the pulse was scarce perceptible; the surface, cold and covered with a viscid perspiration; the countenance, dreadfully sunken, livid, and cadaverous; respiration became laborious, and the sufferer was tortured with severe spasms, in all his limbs and the abdominal muscles, which caused indescribable distress. Notwithstanding every known remedy was applied, the spasms became more general and severe; the respiration more difficult; the distress more insupportable; the prostration increased until insensibility supervened, and death finally closed the terrific scene, eleven hours after the attack. I have selected but two, out of many cases, which will serve to show the terrific and appalling effects produced by one of the greatest scourges that ever visited the world.
Finding the disease fast spreading, and fearful that it might sweep off a large portion of the crew, orders were given to get the ship ready for sea, when sufficient provisions could be obtained, and to seek a more salubrious air and the chances of health, in the China sea. To be compelled to leave a comparatively healthy and pleasant abode on shore, for a floating hospital, tainted with a highly infectious atmosphere, was painful and dangerous, but such was our lot; for thirty sick-hammocks were slung on the starboard side of the gun-deck, when we weighed anchor, and a panic was visible in the countenances of nearly the whole crew. We finally, lost seven men, but many of those who were attacked and recovered, suffered from impaired constitutions, became the victims to other diseases, and eventually died.
We got under way towards sunset, on the second of November, and having passed close under the stern of his Britannic majesty’s ship Alligator, to take leave of Captain Lambert, her amiable and worthy commander, together with our friends, Messrs. Strachan, Sturges, and Edwards, of Manila, who were assembled on her quarter-deck for that purpose, the British flag being run up at our main; during this exchange of friendly salutations, we filled away with a fine breeze, and in about three hours, passed the island of Correjidor, and stood out to sea. For the two following days the wind was very light; on the third, we made cape Bolina.
CHINESE VESSELS.
Returning health was very visible among the crew in this short space of time: no new case of cholera occurred after we inhaled the invigorating and healthy ocean air. On the fifth day our barbarian eyes were blessed with a sight of the celestial empire, consisting of several islands. Seventy or eighty miles from land, we fell in with a great number of fishing junks, of clumsy construction, having the appearance of the antediluvian vessels exhibited in the old bibles, with mat or bamboo sails; they were always observed in pairs, having whole families of the “celestials” in them, dressed in the ordinary garb of common, dirty fishermen; generally without any covering to the head—but little to the back, and that in a most filthy condition. When within two leagues of the Lemma or Ladrone islands, a junk lowered her sails close to us, and in about five minutes, two of the “heavenly creatures” came on board, in a small skiff, offering themselves as pilots, being as guiltless of any knowledge of our language as we were of theirs; they were dressed in tan-coloured jackets and immense wide breeches, or rather petticoat trousers, reaching just below the knee, and wearing a greasy woollen cap—shirts have never been in fashion with them. They were very uncleanly in their persons, stout built, and healthy. Having stepped on board, the first words they uttered, were, “Capetany me peloto—you wanty peloto?” “Yes,” said the captain. “How muchy, how muchy, capetany, you gib?” taking at the same time, from the waistband of his trousers, twenty Chinese cash, and counting them in his hand, he said, “Dollar, dollar, so muchy, so muchy.” The captain counted out one half the number, which was the usual pilotage to Macao roads. The “celestial” then added three to the number, making thirteen, and the bargain was made, he not forgetting to ask, as is usual, for a bottle of samshew, (rum,) which he snugly stowed away in his bosom. Scarcely had he taken half a dozen strides up and down the deck, and pointed to steer more to port, before he asked for chow, chow, meaning something to eat, which, to his astonished eyes, was furnished forthwith, in a lordly dish, on a chest on the