On the 29th of October we saw the low mountain-country of Dalmatia, and on the 30th I entered Trieste, whence I hastened on to Vienna the day following. I was obliged to pa.s.s several days in the greatest anxiety before the town, as it had been taken by storm on the last day of October and was not opened until the 4th of November. It was not until I had seen that all my relations were safe that I was able to return thanks with a grateful heart to the good Providence which, in all my dangers and troubles, had so remarkably protected and preserved me in health and strength. With equal grat.i.tude I remembered those people who had treated me with such kindness, had so disinterestedly received me, and through whose help I had been enabled to overcome the frequent great hardships and difficulties I encountered.
From my readers I hope for a charitable judgment upon my book, which in simple language describes what I have experienced, seen and felt, and makes no higher pretension than that of being sincere and trustworthy.
NOTES.
{9} The s.e.xtant is a mathematical instrument by which the different degrees of longitude and lat.i.tude are determined, and the hour known. The chronometers also are set by it. In order to find the lat.i.tude the ship is in, an observation is taken at noon, but only when the sun shines. This last is absolutely necessary, since it is from the shadow cast upon the figures of the instrument that the reckoning is made. The longitude can be determined both morning and afternoon, as the sun, in this case, is not necessary.
{11} The heat does not require to be very great in order to melt the pitch in a ship"s seams. I have seen it become soft, and form bladders, when the thermometer stood at 81.5 in the sun.
{12} Every four hours the state of the wind, how many miles the vessel has made, in fact, every occurrence, is noted down in the log with great exact.i.tude. The captain is obliged to show this book to the owners of the ship at the conclusion of the voyage.
{13} Some years ago a sailor made an attempt to scale the Sugarloaf.
He succeeded in attaining the summit, but never came down again.
Most likely he made a false step and was precipitated into the sea.
{14} The worthy Lallemand family received her, a few days after her arrival into their house.
{23a} The princess was three weeks old.
{23b} Rockets and small fireworks are always let off at every religious festival, some before the church, and others at a short distance from it. The most ludicrous part of the affair is, that this is always done in open day.
{27} They are differently paid, according to what they can do. The usual hire of a maid-servant is from ten to twelve shillings per month; for a cook, twenty-four to forty; for a nurse, thirty-eight to forty; for a skilful labourer, fifty to seventy.
{34a} Truppa is a term used to designate ten mules driven by a negro; in most instances a number of truppas are joined together, and often make up teams or caravans of 100 or 200 mules. Everything in the Brazils is conveyed upon mules.
{34b} A cord, with a noose at the end; the native inhabitants of South America use it so skilfully that they catch the most savage animals with it.
{38} Fazenda is equivalent to our word "plantation."
{39} Kabi is African gra.s.s, which is planted all over the Brazils, as gra.s.s never grows there of its own accord. It is very high and reed-like.
{40} Rost (roaster) is employed to denote partly a strip of low brushwood, partly the place where a wood has stood previously to being burnt.
{42} All through Brazil, carna secca is one of the princ.i.p.al articles of food, both for whites and blacks. It comes from Buenos Ayres, and consists of beef cut into long, thin, broad stripes, salted and dried in the open air.
{47} Under the term "whites," are included not only those Europeans who have lately immigrated, but also the Portuguese, who have been settled in the country for centuries.
{50} This wholesome plant grows very commonly in the Brazils.
{53} In the southern hemisphere the seasons, as regards the months, are exactly the contrary to what they are in the northern. For instance, when it is winter on one side of the Equator it is summer on the other, etc.
{55} Maroon negroes are those negroes who have run away from their masters. They generally collect in large bands, and retire into the recesses of the virgin forests, whence, however, they often emerge to steal and plunder; their depredations are not unfrequently accompanied by murder.
{59} The Rio Plata is one of the largest rivers in Brazil.
{60} Other captains a.s.sured me that it was only possible for men-of- war to pa.s.s through the Straits of Magellan, as the pa.s.sage requires a great number of hands. Every evening the ship must be brought to an anchor, and the crew must constantly be in readiness to trim or reef the sails, on account of the various winds which are always springing up.
{62} The gla.s.s sank in the day-time to 48 and 50 degrees, and at night to 28 degrees below Zero.
{73} All the Indians are Christians (Protestants), but I fear only in name.
{76} Elephantiasis, in this country, generally shows itself in the feet, and extends up as far as the calves of the legs. These portions of the body, when so affected, are greatly swollen, and covered with scurf and blotches, so that they really might be taken for those of an elephant.
{78} I purposely abstain from mentioning the names of any of the gentlemen at Tahiti, a piece of reserve which I think ent.i.tles me to their thanks.
{86} Up to the present period, Tahiti has produced nothing for exportation, and therefore all vessels have to clear out in ballast.
The island is important to the French, as a port where their ships in the Pacific may stop and refit.
{91a} The expense of living at an hotel in Macao, Victoria, and Canton is from four to six dollars a-day (16s. to 24s.).
{91b} Carl Gutzlaff was born on the 8th of July, 1803, at Pyritz, in Pomerania. As a boy he was distinguished for his piety and extraordinary talent. His parents apprenticed him to a leather- seller. In this capacity he was noted for his industry, although he was far from contented with his position; and, in the year 1821, he found an opportunity of presenting a poem, in which he expressed his sentiments and wishes, to the King of Prussia. The king recognised the talent of the struggling youth, and opened to him a career in accordance with his inclination. In the year 1827 he proceeded as a missionary to Batavia, and, at a later period, to Bintang, where he applied himself with such a.s.siduity to the study of Chinese, that in the s.p.a.ce of two years he knew it well enough to preach in it. In December, 1831, he went to Macao, where he established a school for Chinese children, and commenced his translation of the Bible into Chinese. He founded, in conjunction with Morrison, a Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge in China, and edited a monthly Chinese magazine, in which he endeavoured to interest the people upon history, geography, and literature. In 1832 and 1833 he penetrated as far as the province of Fo-Kien.
Gutzlaff"s Travels have made us acquainted with several very important facts connected with the different Chinese dialects, and are also of great worth to other scientific points of view. They are especially useful in enabling us to form a correct opinion as to the merits of the works that have lately appeared on China; and everyone must acknowledge his rare talent, must value his immovable fixedness of purpose, and must admire his zealous perseverance in the cause of science, and his unshaken belief in the principles of his religion. (Dr. Gutzlaff died in November, 1851).
{93} All large vessels have two painted eyes let into the prow; with these, as the Chinese believe, they are better able to find their way.
{95} There is only one mail a month from Europe.
{101} When they copy a picture they divide it, like our own artists, into squares.
{102a} A pikul of raw opium is worth about 600 dollars (120 pounds).
{102b} I had more especially reason to fear this latter circ.u.mstance, as the people had given out that on the 12th or 13th of August, at the latest, there would be a revolution, in which all the Europeans would lose their lives. My state of mind may easily be imagined, left, as I was, entirely alone with the Chinese servants.
{103} One of the ports which were opened to the English in 1842.
{104} His costume was composed of a wide over-garment reaching to the knees, and furnished with flowing arms, and, underneath this, trousers of white silk. The upper garment was made of brocade of very vivid colours and an extraordinary pattern. On his breast he wore two birds as marks of his rank, and a necklace of precious stones. His shoes, composed of black silk, were turned up into points at the extremities. On his head he wore a conical velvet hat with a gilt b.u.t.ton.
{105} The reader must know that these animals are looked upon as particularly sacred.
{108} The town of Canton is nine miles in circ.u.mference. It is the residence of a Viceroy, and divided by walls into the Chinese and the Tartar town. The population of the town itself is reckoned at 400,000, while it is calculated that 60,000 persons live in the boats and schampans, and about 200,000 in the immediate vicinity.
The number of Europeans settled here is about 200.
{110} The Chinese adopt white for mourning.
{112} n.o.ble Chinese ladies pa.s.s a much more secluded life than Eastern women. They are allowed to visit one another very seldom, and that only in well-closed litters. They have neither public baths nor gardens in which they can meet.
{114} The leaves of this gathering are plucked with the greatest care by children and young people, who are provided with gloves and are bound to pick every leaf separately.
{116} 173 dollars the chief cabin, 117 the second (34 pounds 12s.
and 23 pounds 8s.)
{118} These steamers carry the mails, and make the voyage from Canton to Calcutta once a month, touching at Singapore on their way.