Narrative of the Expedition to China

John Elliot Bingham foi um oficial da marinha inglesa que aos comandos da corveta HMS Modeste participou na Primeira Guerra do Ópio com a China, juntamente com o capitão Charles Elliot.

Logo após o final da guerra, em 1842, publica um livro em dois volumes, onde descreve o conflito na perspectiva inglesa, incluindo a captura de Cantão e outras batalhas navais, para além de dedicar várias páginas a Macau (que ele descreve como a cidade de Ama-ko inserida na ilha de Macao), onde viveu durante algum tempo. É deveras interessante a descrição pormenorizada que faz, por exemplo, do pagode da Barra - Templo da deusa A-Ma (é a única ilustração de Macau incluída no livro) - da Gruta de Camões, dos hábitos e vestuário dos chineses e dos portugueses, da fisionomia da cidade, da venda ambulante, da baía da Praia Grande, etc...

Seguem-se alguns excertos de "Narrative of the Expedition to China: From the Commencement of the war to his termination in 1842", Volume 2, de John Elliot Bingham, editado em Londres em 1842.

Estabelecimento de Macau

The settlement of Macao or Gaou Moon under the flag of Portugal, as I have before stated, is part of the Island of Heangshan on which the Portuguese were allowed to make a settlement through the connivance of the mandarins about the year 1537 paying to the Chinese a ground rent of 500 taels per year. The mandarins however annually inspect the Portuguese fortresses and levy duties on the shipping in the port. By an imperial edict the arrivals are confined to twenty five Portuguese vessels yearly; they do not however, amount to above half that number. The celestial authority is represented by a sub prefect who resides at Casa blanca and a Tso tang who lives within the town to keep a watchful eye on the inhabitants; nor can the Portuguese erect or pull down any buildings without permission from the Chinese. It would therefore be absurd to suppose that the Portuguese possess the sovereignty of Macao; the only symptom of which is the right to govern their own subjects and foreigners by the laws of Portugal.

Governo

The Chinese population are completely under their own mandarins who must be consulted before any of the black haired race can be punished. Yet the Portuguese assume all the forms of government the authority of Portugal being represented by a governor who is assisted in his arduous duties by a senate and judges. The senate assemble in an enormous building and are often as long in debate as if the interests of nations depended on their councils. On one occasion when the Young Hebe tender to the flag ship a schooner of about 50 tons wished to enter the inner harbour for security from an expected typhoon this august body was in discussion all night on the mighty subject and it was only in consequence of the strong remonstrance of the commodore to the governor on the impropriety of such an unfriendly act towards an ally of the Portuguese nation that the point was yielded. The commandant of the fort at the entrance of the harbour having threatened the officer in command of the Hebe that he would fire into the schooner if she attempted to enter was assured by that gentleman that on his doing so the compliment would be immediately returned.

Geografia

The peninsula of Macao is formed of two barren rugged hills joined by a neck of land which slopes towards the city on either side on this the city is situated extending from shore to shore. The houses are well constructed of brick or stone but all are covered with a white cement. The buildings on the southeastern side of the city stand a few yards from the beach and extend round the shores of the bay where a fine promenade is formed in front of them called the Praya Grande.

Many other narrow streets run up the sides of the hilly neck having good and substantial houses but the paving is truly horrible indeed in what Portuguese city is it otherwise?

Along the shores of the inner harbour are numerous wharfs and warehouses Macao has more the appearance of a European city than any I know of in our Oriental possessions for unlike their European brethren the Portuguese make no difference in the construction of their houses whether they are on the broiling plains of the East or the more temperate banks of the Tagus. The place has in all thirteen churches and bigotry and priestcraft reign paramount.

'Cidade chinesa'

The Chinese portion of the city in the north west side of it is a labyrinth of narrow lanes in which the stranger may casily lose his way. Every description of articles of Chinese production or manufacture may be purchased and through these passages a constant stream of population buyers and sellers for there are few idlers amongst the Chinese is passing all day long. 

Fortalezas

The defences of the town consist of five forts and from the natural strength of their position if well provisioned they might be made almost impregnable. As the forts are at present built many a weak point may be discovered by the eye of the inquisitive engineer. A tolerably good road leads from the Praya Grande round the western side of the peninsula to the barrier and thence returns along the eastern to the opposite side of the city. This may be said to be the only part on which the inhabitants can enjoy equestrian exercise. Several horses and ponies are kept by the British residents who also have a number of English cows giantesses amongst the celestial quadrupeds.

População

The population may be taken at thirty five thousand of whom only about five thousand can in any way be called Portuguese subjects and these intermarry and blend with the natives until the distinction is almost completely obliterated. I think the females of these half casts are taken individually or in a body the plainest women I ever saw. The trade of this place has been fast sinking into decay and is altogether in a very depressed state. The late disputes between the British and Chinese have given a slight reaction to it and the owners of the houses have been reaping a golden harvest from the exor bitant rents charged to the foreign residents. The new and increasing settlement of Hong Kong will soon deprive them of this last hope and the city of Macao will remain but as a memento of what it has been. (...)

Hospital naval, templo e Gruta de Camões

A large house had been hired and fitted out as a naval hospital besides which there is one supported by voluntary subscriptions under the direction of the Medical Missionary Society. In this humane institution natives and Europeans are equally received.

"Temple of Matsoo-poo at Ama-ko, in Macao"

Among the lions of Macao, the temple of the goddess Matsoo poo, in the village of Ama ko, is deserving of notice. This temple and its adjuncts as will be seen in the frontispiece faces the inner harbour on and about the beautiful hill of Ama ko the rocks of which interspersed with rich foliage are grouped in the most grotesque forms fancy can imagine. (...) 

The traveller will hardly quit Macao without paying a visit to the cave of Camoens being the spot which during his exile formed the retreat of this exquisite but most unfortunate poet. Here the greater part of the Luciad was written and many of those beautiful sonnets were composed which have been so elegantly rendered into English by Lord Strangford. (...)

The garden that surrounds this grotto situated to the northward of the town a little beyond the Church of St Antonio is indeed a beautiful little retreat an oasis in the desert and from the kindness of the gentleman to whom it belongs is open to the public. The cave itself is situated on the side of a gently sloping hill on the top of which is a small modern quadrangular summerhouse commanding a most beautiful and extensive view of the surrounding country. To the south westward are seen the Typa the inner harbour crowded with every variety of native craft with the opposite shore of the Lapa with its verdant hills. (...)

Ano novo lunar

During this holiday keeping the street from the windows of my room had a most lively appearance and particularly so as the Chinese were passing and repassing in their gayest apparel From its being the cold season their usual clothing was much increased one part of which added materially to the grotesque appearance of the wearer .

Profissões de rua

To complete the picture add cooks with their kitchens pastrymen with their deep red boxes filled with a great variety of sweetmeats a migratory glass mender with his basket of tools and rivets with which I have seen the shade of an argand lamp that was apparently shattered to pieces most neatly repaired In short to form a true idea of the scene every trade and employ ment may be included In the square facing the senate house a medical practitioner had during my tempo rary sojourn at Macao established himself and dealt out medicines and charms of every description. (...) Innumerable venders of fruit and vegetables are passing to and fro with their baskets slung on their long sticks uttering the peculiar cry of their stock. (...)

Pedintes

The greatest nuisance of all in Macao is the number of beggars that infest the streets where the most horrible objects of deformity are constantly to be met. (...)

Tufão

Scarcely a tanka was to be seen in the bay before the Praya Grande where they generally swarm The retirement of these boats from the beach to places less exposed is the surest indication of the coming storm. (...) As the sun set there was a large segment of a bright red circle arising in the north and by its unnatural glare indicated the approaching gale. At dusk after the wind had blown in eddies with tremendously heavy rain and most awful lightning even the little breeze that had been felt in the afternoon wholly dropped when the ship was anchored and preparation made for the expected tempest. (...)