Peeps Into China; Or, The Missionary's Children

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 Excerpt: ...There are even river barbers and policemen, which latter are very necessary, considering that there are so many pirates. It seemed strange to Sybil and Leonard to think that boat-children never went on shore, might never do so, and would even marry on board their boat homes; but it did not seem at all strange to the little children themselves, who played about on board quite as happily as did children on shore. They looked strong, and seemed to be fond of one another. One woman going along was very angry with one of her children, and for a punishment threw him into the water, but he had a float on his back, and was quickly brought back again. These women often carry their children on their backs, but this is a most usual way of carrying children in China, both amongst the land and water people. Sybil had already often had her wish fulfilled, of travelling in sedan-chairs, and as that is the regular mode of travelling in Hong-Kong, directly they arrived here coolies were to be seen, standing and sitting, on the pier beside their chairs, waiting for a fare. Very eager they seemed to be to secure either people or their baggage. And Sybil liked being borne along in these chairs even better than she had expected. The sedans were made of bamboo, covered with oilcloth, and carried on long poles. A great many sedanchair-bearers have no fixed homes, living day and night in the open air, and buying their food at stalls on the road. They take care to keep their chairs in very good condition, ready to hire out whenever they are needed. Leonard was charmed with his bearers. They spoke such funny pigeon English to him, and made him wonder why they would put \" ee\" to the end of so many of their words. When Leonard once wished to speak to his father, who was on i...