. Wanderings east of Suez in Ceylon, India, China and Japan. s, you may fordays be about the streets of the vast city withoutseeing a person wearing the habiliments of Eu-rope. That section of Canton known as Shameen,in reality an island suburb, is set apart under con-cessions to the United States and certain Euro-pean powers, and the consuls, missionaries andforeign merchants there dwell surrounded bymany of the comforts of home. Few venture upon leaving Hong Kong for Can-ton until satisfying reports are received assuringthat no immediate outbreak is apprehended of theknown Cantonese hatred f
. Wanderings east of Suez in Ceylon, India, China and Japan. s, you may fordays be about the streets of the vast city withoutseeing a person wearing the habiliments of Eu-rope. That section of Canton known as Shameen,in reality an island suburb, is set apart under con-cessions to the United States and certain Euro-pean powers, and the consuls, missionaries andforeign merchants there dwell surrounded bymany of the comforts of home. Few venture upon leaving Hong Kong for Can-ton until satisfying reports are received assuringthat no immediate outbreak is apprehended of theknown Cantonese hatred for foreigners, nor untila vast amount of letter-writing and telegraphingfor guide and chair-bearers has been gone throughwith, and the steamboat company has placed thecraft of their line at your command, to be used ashotels, restaurants, and otherwise as bases of sup-plies. Confident that you would be met at thelanding by the guide of whom you had reassuringreports, and with whom you believed you had beenin correspondence, a gorgeously-clad, good-look- 246. Canton, Unique City of China ing fellow greets you at your state-room door onthe boat before your ablutions have been com-pleted, and tells you politely but firmly that he isto be your guide. His card says he is Ah CumJohn, which is not that of the guide you had ex-pected to meet you, and you meekly remonstrate,until the potentate tells you through the half-opened door that you will see Canton under hisauspices or not at all. Why? Because I amproprietor of all the sedan-chairs worth riding in,and employ every good coolie; and, besides, AhCum, my father, showed Canton to Rudyard Kip-ling twenty-five years ago. I m the third son ofAh Cum, and my family does all the guiding thatis done in Canton—nobody else speaks any Eng-lish. Whatever your degree of objection to monopo-lies, a single reason enumerated by the autocratseeking to enter your employ is sufficient to swingyou into a feeble acquiescence, for, to tell thetruth, you
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