(Apologies for the break in
service but I have spent the past year in the midst of a property move. My archive material is now slowly being
unpacked so I am able to resume the story of George Thomas Howell.)
It may be remembered that the
year is 1892 and George has arrived in Gank’ing (Anqing) 400 miles from Shanghai. His letters home describe some of the scenes
that greet him daily:
“We are greeted with opium fumes from one of the many dens we must pass
as we walk westwards and a glance inside reveals some of the victims lying on
couches of wood and inhaling the drug which ministers to their lusts and ruins
them. A little further we notice a group
of men bending over a dirty pack of cards or throwing the dice and so intently
absorbed in their gambling operations that even the “foreigners” pass
unnoticed. Gambling is a vice only
second to opium smoking in China and one sees the tiniest of children, all
but naked, seated round a dice bowl and learning to gamble almost before they
can walk properly.
Turning into one of the main streets, dirty and narrow, we have to pick
our way in and out amongst throngs of shouting coolies some of them bearing
tremendously heavy burdens: water carriers with their two wooden pails, one
slung at each end of the bamboo pole; hawkers of every conceivable kind of
ware; and the inevitable barber also carrying his “shop” on a bamboo pole,
having the water bowl and a kind of chest containing his kettle of hot water,
combs, razors etc. at one end whilst at the other is the stool for his
customers to sit upon. It is quite a
common thing to see a man having a shave and getting his queue plaited in open
street – no-one taking the least notice or exhibiting the slightest interest in
the operation.
In this street to we shall probably notice a man sitting at a table
with a piece of paper having Chinese characters written all over them, pasted
on the surface of the table a few sticks in a sort of bamboo bottle without a
neck, and perhaps two or three books complete his stock in trade. With these he will, for a consideration, tell
– or profess to tell – the fortune and misfortunes of his numerous
patrons. As the “Foreign Teachers” or “Foreign
Devils” pass (according to the favour or disfavour with which he regards us) he
will probably have something to say which directs the attention of the group
surrounding hin to us, but we walk on, our limited knowledge of the language
preventing us hearing as to whether he finds our passing at the auspicious moment
an omen of good or evil.”
Over the next few months sickness
prevailed and George lost at least one of his fellow missionaries. He also made the long trip to Shanghai
and during the visit met up with members of the Shanghai Municipal Police
Force.
On returning to Gank’ing George
sat – and passed – his “first section” examination.
If you have any stories of your own that you would like to share please feel free to e-mail me at:
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