ILN illustration - Chinese nursemaids on parade ground, Hong Kong; Oct 17, 1857

Description: 1857-10-17_p385_pict2 ILN illustration - Chinese nursemaids on parade ground, Hong Kong; Oct 17, 1857 Original illustration from Illustrated London News, titled: Chinese nursemaids on the parade-ground, Hong-Kong, from wood engraving with fine detail and clear impression, approx. size is 25 x 17 cm. From issue of Illustrated London News, English 19th century illustrated magazine, dated Oct 17, 1857. Here is full text of associated article: SKETCHES FROM MANILLA AND HONG-KONG {By our Special Artist and Correspondent.) August 2, 1857. You good people in the " far west" must have almost forgotten the existence of us Celestials in the all-absorbing interest of the Indian insurrection. We are flourishing, nevertheless; and have by no means melted under the tropical sun ; au contraire, we are as lively as ever. However, in the absence of exciting news, let me ask you— did you ever complain of damp in England ? If so, you labour under a great delusion; and if you would just step over here during our rain you would acknowledge yourself mistaken. You would probably find a nice little crop of mushrooms and other fungi growing upon the surface of your varnished boots and your dress-coat exhibiting a rather greenish hue, and emitting odours generally associated with your notions of a cellar near a river. Such are a few of the items connected with the rainy season in the tropics generally; but when you have rain descending in per pendicular torrents for ten days and nights without intermission, accompanied by crashing thunder, flashing forked lightning, and roaring winds, with the addition of a flood like that we had at Manilla at the beginning of July, you may say you have seen bad weather, and not till then. I never shall forget how the Indians enjoyed it, laughing all day long up to their waists in water, and taking great pleasure in wetting any Chinamen that came near them. We used to swim in the streets; but it was cold pastime. We sat at our window all day sketching; then a boatful of girls and men going to the cigar manufactory would pass ; then another boat of Spaniards out for the day, wtt through and shivering, but supremely happy. Our house was in a miniature ocean, three feet of water in the shallowest places. We walked out to see what was doing, though minus shoes and stockings, and in quaint costumes; or we amused ourselves paddling canoes. We had an English neighbour opposite, and we used to call on each other in the water. But rain, like other things, comes to an end, and so our old sun came out in glorious blaze, and turned our mud into dust in a very short time. As the troops have gone to India, and as the Celestial war is postponed, I would call the attention of the " old folks at home " to the Manilla Native Infantry, as being splendid soldiers for China. They are all anxious to go, and every Indian thinks himself a match for six Chinamen. They are strong, hardy, temperate fellows, drinking water and eating rice; they could stand the climate well. You see by the Sketch from life that I send you what kind of looking: men they are, and how admirably the dress of the man in the inverted washing-basin is adapted to fighting in the son. Every soldier, when in action, wears the salacotte, made of bamboo, with generally a white covering. It is a splendid hat for the sun. How convenient it would be to have a few regiments of these Indians, so close to China, as they do not belong to caste as our Indians do ! It is worth considering ; at all events, we could form an Indian legion from the Philippines. The neatness of their bar¬racks and their cleanliness next the Dutch; every soldier has a neat trunk with his clothes, above that his knapsack, salacotte, and car¬touche-box, one above the other, with the number of the regiment and his own number marked upon it. At the end of the room are two washhand-stands, with brass basins for ablutions; in the middle instruments for cleaning and arranging the guns; halfway down the side the guns are piled round the picture of the patron saint of the company. Each room contained 109 soldiers; there was not a speck of dirt to be seen; blue curtains excluded the glare, an open window admitted the breeze. everything was in beautiful order and in its place. Attached to these rooms were the private rooms of the sergeants, with writing materials, &c. Next was the band-room. The walls were hung with questions on the principles of music. Every music-desk has a neat brass lantern; and the instruments were kept in a glass case scrupulously clean. A few boards, on stands when used, and taken off when not used, serve for tables, and can also make very capital roofs at night. These tables are put up, at the sound of the drum, in a moment. The soldiers eat standing, and only use their fingers. The meal being over, the table is taken off its legs, and put up against a wall or trees. They have no incumbrance in the shape of beds, as they sleep on mats, like all good people do in the Philippines. I think these men would be very economical soldiers for our purpose. The officers, of course, are Spanish. Their dress is very neat — a dark blue tunic, single-breasted, white "pants," and neat kepi. The full dress of the sapper, I think. is very neat. The soldier with the black pot wears a cap like some of the French soldiers, and is dressed in fatigue dress of brown holland. The one in marching dress is all in blue cotton; the knapsack is of white cotton, capable of containing much or little. They all wear white spats over their shoes. Their feet are very small. But how shall I describe in glowing colours Ty-ping-Shan — the St. Giles of Hong-Kong, or the Escolta, by moonlight ? Ty-ping-Shan is decidedly picturesque in an artistic point of view, containing as it does the refuse, the scum, of China; but, as there is a price on our heads, the study of that interesting locality becomes less fascinating. Far more interesting a walk down the Escolta at Manilla. The Escolta is the principal street of Binondo, Manilla. There we can admire the industrious Chinamen in safety: some cobbling, squatted on the ground before their little tables; a small waxed wick in a kind of bowl, supported by a stand, containing the light. A pair of large blue trousers is generally the extent of clothing they indulge in; the never-failing cigar is in their mouth — and you have the China shoemaker. Further down are very swell shops. The carcel has supplanted the little wick lamp. John Chinaman is dressed in spotless white; his head is nicely shaved, and his hair is tied in a knot, for Manilla Chinamen rarely wear tails. He has a "number one "counter; his shop is a pattern of neatness and brilliant with the bright sayas (skirts of dresses) of the native women, and may be a few elegant senoritas and senoras purchasing the latest-imported crinolines in which to figure in the " Lanceros " at the next ball. The comet not having burnt the world on the 13th of June, the beauties of Manilla set to work frantically at the "Lancers," without which novel dance no ball can possibly take place. Every band plays the " Lancers;" every small urchin whistles the "Lancers;" people are buried to the tune of the "Lancers," for the Indians have peculiar notions of burial music. The other day I heard the " Post-horn Galop " splendidly played; and, thinking it a "jollification," looked out of the window, when to my surprise I saw the village band stepping out, followed by — a dead child! dressed out sumptuously, the mourners looking remarkably happy. When they came back two small boys had gone into the bier for a lark, as happy as kings. In church they play the liveliest tunes imaginable. I don't think any Indian ever felt unhappy or anything could make him feel so. But I have forgotten: we were in the Escolta, admiring John's productions; we will return, leaving the ladies purchasing, and will walk up towards San Anton. It has been dark since six p.m.; the moon is shining brightly; the street is full of natives in shirts of every colour, and striped like zebras, only perpendicularly. The Chinamen, sitting on the forms at their shop-doors, smoking, and ever waiting till the last for customers. Dark-eyed betelnut girls are at the corners, the flickering light of their cocoanut lamps producing splendid effects of light and shade. Further on is a gambling-room: surrounding a common wooden table is a picturesque group of men and women staking great sums at various games of hazard, the dim light giving them almost a fantastic look, their brown faces absorbed in the game, the heads of jet-black hair, with a bright-coloured handkerchief tied round them; more shops, more Chinamen, till we get into town, where serenades have taken the place of money-making, and the air is filled with the sounds of the guitar and flute. In town the serenaders have splendid bands, and music is heard in almost every house, all the windows being open, and the inside of the rooms being visible you can recognise any of your friends from the street, and step up where you like. How different in Hong-Kong, where at eight at night the streets are deserted, save now and then a solitary Chinaman, with Ms paper lantern, or an Englishman returning home ! The dusky-looking policeman, armed with a loaded musket, is seen in every part of the town. Not a sound is heard; it is like a town of the dead; you go into the club, a few officers are playing at billiards; into the reading-room, everybody is reading. The only amusement is eating and drinking, and that never stops. I pity the poor soldiers, for they will drink and get fevers, and will lay it to the climate. This is remarkably fine, as some splendid specimens of humanity in Hong-Kong testify. Our Street during the Flood was sketched from our door in San Anton. You would not think it a street; the sketch shows what the nipa houses are like, built entirely of bamboo and leaves, and the rooms all being about eight or ten feet above the ground. This would be a good plan for huts in China for the troops; they are impervious to rain, which swells the leaves, so the more it rains the drier they keep. When the dwellers under tiled roofs had their rooms soaked the people under nipa were quite a l'abri; no one in the Philippines ever lives on the ground floor, so that fevers are, I may say, unknown. Since they have in Hong-Kong taken to the upper stories, and planted plenty of plaintain-trees, which absorb malaria, it has become quite a different place for health. The Chinamen can easily build these huts, as they have built some for the Madras infantry at Hong-Kong, but these are not high enough off the ground. The Soirée Musicale is in aback shop near Manilla. The Chinamen, having closed for the day, and it being Sunday, think that " music hath charms," and are accordingly indulging; an Indian is admiring the harmony; the old gamecock is roosting in a niche in the wall. the pale ale-bottle does not contain anything drinkable, but the tea pot is well filled, and the cigar renders the harmony complete in every sense of the word. I have sketched a few Nursemaids at Hong-Kong: the British children, as usual, overdressed, and taught the use of crinoline at an early age. Even in China you see we have perambulators. Coolie is indulging in a quiet whiff. The gentlemen in chintz mitres are Parsees, without whom Hong- Kong would not look itself. In the distance part of the barracks is visible. I have a peculiar predilection for this spot in Hong-Kong. It is very amusing to gossip with these girls — their Anglo-Chinese is delightful..

Price: 20 USD

Location: Zagreb, HR

End Time: 2025-01-28T18:06:18.000Z

Shipping Cost: 8.5 USD