Macao is worth seeing on many accounts although fallen from the position it once held Its churches and public buildings are numerous and handsome its streets well paved and cleanly, and the Praya Grande, a crescent of goodly well constructed houses facing the sea, to be coveted as a place of residence in this monsoon. Its trade has much declined since our merchants removed their business to Hong Kong and the finishing blow was given by the late Governor Amaral who, in turning out the Hoppo or head Chinese Custom house official, put a stop to the most lucrative portion of the junk trade.
Formerly numbers of junks arrived annually with cargoes from Singapore and the Straits for transhipment to other ports on the coast and on the rivers, in the interior, now they are obliged to go elsewhere to get the necessary chop or permission to unload Amoy.
I was told was reaping much benefit from this change and unless the Hoppo be reestablished Macao may never recover the commerce thus injudiciously driven away.
In common with all Portuguese colonies and possessions the church has the lion share of the good things here and the lady in scarlet revels in her abominations.
In common with all Portuguese colonies and possessions the church has the lion share of the good things here and the lady in scarlet revels in her abominations.
The people, if a few miserable, half castes from Goa and other places can be dignified with the appellation are priest ridden and superstitious; no heretical place of worship is permitted to pollute by its presence the abode of the faithful and it seems almost incredible that although the English for so many years ruled paramount here as regards wealth and intelligence and that Macao might be considered in the light of a suburban villa residence attached to to the factory at Canton; no Protestant church or chapel has ever been erected nor to my knowledge has any provision been made for the spiritual requirements of our countrymen in this remote region.
There is however a very pretty spot consecrated as a cemetery in which many gallant heroes belonging to our noble service are taking their rest among them Sir Humphrey Senhouse and Lord John Churchill. This burial ground adjoins the gardens of Senhor Marques which are liberally thrown open to the public by the proprietor here is shown the cave sacred to the memory of the great Lusitanian poet Camoens a pretty spot embosomed in the shade of some magnificent lychee trees here in cool grot the bard passed much of his time and on a tablet erected to his memory two verses of his immortal poem the Lusiad are inscribed.
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| Vista final séc. 19 (imagem não incluída na obra referida) |
In its military position Macao resembles Gibraltar a narrow sandy isthmus about two miles in length connects it with the mainland or what may be considered the main in the centre of this neutral ground stood the barrier a stout stone wall extending across the strip the arch thrown over the road is all that now remains of this Chinese post the rest is a heap of ruins. The spot where poor Amaral was assassinated is about two hundred yards on the Macao side of this barrier.
Since his death the Portuguese have claimed that portion of the neutral ground as part of their territory have constructed forts to command it and the amis of Portugal are deeply engraved on a large stone forming part of the boundary of the building where formerly the Mandarin nominally master of Macao had his official residence. The garrison is very small consisting of about five hundred every one included a large proportion being officers Many of the men are military delinquents answering to the description of those unhappy beings who composed our African corps at Sierra Leone in former days with few exceptions they seem a wretched lot.
There was a ghost of a military band which played for a few minutes at morning parade in front of the windows of the hotel at which I was staying the Albion on the Praya Grande. The harbour of Macao is reported to be fast filling up and is little used except by junks and lorchas two men of war brigs were however in it apparently unseaworthy.
The Typa, a snug anchorage, is the rendezvous for vessels drawing more than 12 feet but ships must lighten to 15 feet to get in even at springs. The Donna Maria frigate and US corvette Marion were moored there and the place is seldom left without an American man of war this being now the head quarters of their navy the Mahon of the east.
Since his death the Portuguese have claimed that portion of the neutral ground as part of their territory have constructed forts to command it and the amis of Portugal are deeply engraved on a large stone forming part of the boundary of the building where formerly the Mandarin nominally master of Macao had his official residence. The garrison is very small consisting of about five hundred every one included a large proportion being officers Many of the men are military delinquents answering to the description of those unhappy beings who composed our African corps at Sierra Leone in former days with few exceptions they seem a wretched lot.
There was a ghost of a military band which played for a few minutes at morning parade in front of the windows of the hotel at which I was staying the Albion on the Praya Grande. The harbour of Macao is reported to be fast filling up and is little used except by junks and lorchas two men of war brigs were however in it apparently unseaworthy.
The Typa, a snug anchorage, is the rendezvous for vessels drawing more than 12 feet but ships must lighten to 15 feet to get in even at springs. The Donna Maria frigate and US corvette Marion were moored there and the place is seldom left without an American man of war this being now the head quarters of their navy the Mahon of the east.
The holding ground in the outer roads is good but a ship might as well and better be at sea as in the outer roads of Macao in blowing weather a heavy ground swell sets in and all communication with the shore is cut off.
The Amazon was at anchor here full six miles out she sailed on the 27th for Manila and I returned to Hong Kong in the Canton, a fine iron steamer of 160 horse power belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company; the distance is forty two miles which she did in a minute or two over four hours.
I must not forget to mention a visit I paid to the studio of Chinnery the artist whose reputation is famous throughout the East indeed it may be said to be still almost European although so many years have elapsed since he left his native land Mr C cannot now be far short of eighty years of age he left England for Madras in 1801 and has been settled at Macao since the year 1825. (...)
The Amazon was at anchor here full six miles out she sailed on the 27th for Manila and I returned to Hong Kong in the Canton, a fine iron steamer of 160 horse power belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company; the distance is forty two miles which she did in a minute or two over four hours.
I must not forget to mention a visit I paid to the studio of Chinnery the artist whose reputation is famous throughout the East indeed it may be said to be still almost European although so many years have elapsed since he left his native land Mr C cannot now be far short of eighty years of age he left England for Madras in 1801 and has been settled at Macao since the year 1825. (...)
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| Praia Grande ca. 1850. Pintura anónima do período China Trade. |
A passagem por Macau deu-se em 1852. Entre as várias curiosidades deste testemunho destaco a visita ao estúdio do pintor George Chinnery, o hotel Albion, na Praia Grande e ainda a banda.
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