Num total de 250 páginas William Wightman Wood, norte-americano nascido em 1804, deixa as suas impressões da China que conheceu no início do século 19.
Os pais era actores famosos na época e ele foi jornalista, empresário, naturalista e poeta tendo vivido vários anos em Macau, Cantão e Filipinas.
Em Cantão foi um dos fundadores do jornal The Canton Register em 1827 com o apoio da companhia britânica das índias orientais. As críticas que fez no jornal por causa do sistema comercial imposto fê-lo regressar aos EUA mas por pouco tempo e em 1831 estava de volta a Cantão onde passou a trabalhar para a empresa Russell & Co. como secretário de William Henry Low, tio de Harriet Low (1809-1877) que vivia em Macau na altura. Wood e Harriet namoraram e ela até aceitou o pedido de casamento, mas o tio não autorizou a relação por considerar Wood um "aventureiro sem dinheiro".
Não obstante ser proibido a permanência de mulheres estrangeiras em Cantão, Harriet chega a estar lá três semanas até que é descoberta. As autoridades chinesas ameaçam a empresa do tio caso ela não saísse...
Wood ainda cria outro jornal, o The Chinese Courier and Canton Gazette em 1831 e que duraria até 1835. Um ano antes, Harriet partira de Macau rumo aos EUA e Wood parte em 1836 para as Filipinas onde vive sempre solteiro e virá a ter um papel importante na divulgação da fotografia.
Voltando ao "Sketches of China" começo por explicar por que razão Wood decide escrever. Segundo ele havia nos EUA uma ideia "romântica” da China. Como era constantemente abordado para falar desse país misterioso que conhecera tão bem escreveu e ilustrou Sketches of China (1830), proporcionando uma visão sobre a China no ocidente.
Macau é abordado nas páginas 18 a 30. Destaco entre outros, a descrição do jardim e gruta de Camões, o comércio, a população, os muros da cidade cristã, a Porta do Cerco, etc...
Excerto:
The approach to Macao from the sea is very beautiful. The town is situated on a peninsula running about N by W and S by E and the front of the town which is built on the shore of the outer harbour looks out east towards the islands and the China Sea.
The walk or esplanade is called by the Portuguese the Praya Grande. The town extends across the peninsula and the back or western side runs along the shore of a branch of the river which forms what is called the inner harbour where the Portuguese and other ships trading to Macao are moored.
The shallowness of the outer harbour and the want of protection from the strong gales which sweep it from the eastward compel ships to shelter themselves in the channel between two islands to the SE called the Typa where the water is deep and the anchorage good.
Heavy vessels are obliged to discharge a portion of their cargoes here previous to going in in consequence of the want of water at the entrance of the inner harbour.
Porta do Cerco
Aided by the neighbouring scenery Macao has a very pleasing appearance as it is approached from the eastward and in fine weather the view of the town and neighbouring islands is extremely beautiful. A nearer inspection however is sufficient to dissipate much of the favourable opinion which a distant view may create but in spite of many faults and disadvantages it is for a place of so mongrel a description less offensive than the filthy habits of the Chinese and carelessness of the Portuguese inhabitants would lead one to imagine.
That part of the peninsula on which the town is situated is not more than half a mile in length and less than a quarter broad but the limit prescribed to the Portuguese territory is the barrier or wall which runs across the isthmus at about two and a half miles distance from the opposite end of the peninsula. A few Chinese soldiers and an officer are stationed here for the purpose of guarding the boundary and preventing any one of either nation passing it. They are very careless and it is not difficult to bribe them or land below the barrier if curiosity leads one to examine it. This barrier was constructed in the reign of the Emperor Wan leih AD 1573. When the grant of land upon which the town of Macao is built was first made to the Portuguese the heaviest penalties were threatened to any one who passed this line.
The law extended both to the foreigners and natives none of which latter were permitted to remain in the town after the closing of the gates at night. By degrees however this discipline relaxed and at the present day the number of native inhabitants considerably exceeds the Portuguese in the town of Macao and some little villages very thickly populated have even been built upon the beach within the walls. (...)
Governo
The government of Macao is vested in a senate or council, a governor and minor officers. The principal negociations with the Chinese are conducted through the Procurador to whom application is always made for permission to proceed to Canton in a licensed Chinese boat.
The license is obtained from the proper Chinese officer by him and transmitted to the parties desirous of going they having previously made application either personally or by letter. A regulation exists in relation to arrivals which is but little attended to every foreigner landing in Macao with an intention of remaining is ordered by law to report himself to the governor and state the time & c of his arrival. Owing to this when a report has not been made it is necessary in making the application to assume the name of some other person who has reported himself on his arrival but who has gone off irregularly that is in a ship or in a smugglers boat by the outside passage. No questions are asked and of course no difficulty experienced as I have always succeeded without the least trouble. (...)
Guarnição militar
The garrison of Macao which is composed of a number of natives of Goa, Macao, Portuguese & c consists of about four hundred men, exclusive of officers. The troops are when on parade tolerably well looking but their arms and accoutrements are in indifferent order and neither the men nor the arms at all calculated for active service.
Fortalezas
Several forts at Macao are furnished with the heaviest artillery and in the St Francis on the left arm of the bay are some old brass guns of uncommon length and weight but which are nearly useless from the bad quality of the powder which is made at Goa and the ignorance of the gunners. During the period of the Ladrone war when the Chinese pirates were so formidable the junks of these marauders would pass within half gun shot of the forts with impunity the balls from the guns always falling short.
The principal fort which commands nearly the whole town and approaches is that of our Lady the Mount, generally known as the Monté, mounting upwards of forty guns of large caliber and from its situation very strong. The Guier, Bishop's Fort, St Francis, the Water Battery at the guard house in front of the town, and a Semicircular Battery defending the entrance of the inner harbour complete the defences of Macao and would render it in proper hands a post of the greatest strength.
The shallowness of the bay prevents the near approach of heavy vessels in front of the town and the natural advantages of the positions which command the entrance of the inner harbour would make an attempt to land a perilous undertaking if the defence were scientifically conducted.
Educação
The college of St Joseph is the only public institution for the cultivation of learning and at present enumerates a respectable number of students who are distinguished by a peculiar dress consisting of a long black frock square cap and narrow white muslin band or collar round the neck. The professorships are all filled by clergymen with the exception of the sinecure office of English instructor. I was informed that the library, though considerable, consisted chiefly of old theological works of little value and that the manuscripts preserved there were of no interest but I now regret that I did not apply for permission to examine them as my labours might have been rewarded by the discovery of something valuable in relation to the early history of Macao.
Igrejas
Churches are very numerous in Macao and one of them is of great antiquity its name however. I have unfortunately forgotten In addition to the regular churches there are chapels in all the forts and nunneries so that the good people of Macao have no lack of religious instruction and so frequent are their religious feasts and fasts that it is jokingly said the school boys have two hundred and twenty five holidays during the year.
Bigotry and intolerance are assiduously cultivated and cherished by the inhabitants who are with a few exceptions priest ridden and ignorant to the last degree. Various estimates of the population have been made the most accurate of which is that which gives the number of Portuguese at about three thousand and Chinese four thousand, which does not include the villages near the town but merely the persons who dwell within the walls.
Habitação
The houses of the Portuguese are mostly very 14 spacious but dreary and uncomfortable from the scanty furniture and want of carpets which are not used except in the houses of the richest citizens In place of carpets or mats the floors are covered with several coats of smooth paint varied in imitation of marble. Fires are not used in the winter although many days occur during the season in which a warm room is very desirable and even necessary to those who are suffering from indisposition.
Stoves or grates are always placed in the houses occupied by Americans English & c but either the poverty or avarice of the inhabitants induces them to dispense with this comfort. More care is taken in constructing the buildings of Macao than those of Canton the materials are generally better chosen and the work performed with greater neatness. Some of the private residences are handsome houses such as the Casa as it is called in the garden where the cave of Camoens is situated and some others.
Comércio
The market of Macao is tolerably supplied with provisions the fish are exceedingly plentiful and in great variety. Among them are several species of grouper sole and many delicious kinds peculiar to the river and the China Sea. The price is very low and necessarily so from the inconceivable quantities which are daily captured by the fleets of fishing boats. Upon the Praya Grande is a native custom house where all the fish are landed previously to their being sold and the government duty laid on them by the Chinese officers stationed there for the purpose. In favourable weather the bay is crowded with fishing boats and the scene at this little custom house is the most noisy and bustling imaginable as every one is anxious to have his fish weighed as soon as possible in order to avail himself of the first opportunities of the market.
As soon as the weight of each boat load is noted it is immediately sold in portions to the small dealers who are waiting in crowds at the landing and by them carried off in large round baskets suspended from the ends of a pole or bamboo across the shoulder to supply the inhabitants. Foreign merchandise imported in European ves sels is dutiable at the Portuguese custom house which faces the inner harbour and is really one of the most respectable buildings in the town.
The extent to which smuggling is carried of late years has made considerable inroads into the revenue of this establishment. On coming within sight of the numerous small boats or sam pans which lie moored in front of the town a race commences among the amphibious damsels who navigate them for the honour and profit of conveying one ashore as the water is too shallow at low water to admit a near approach of large boats. These sampans, as they are called, are short broad boats very flat drawing but a few inches water and manned by a brace of Chinese ladies who are quite dexterous in managing them. In addition to a fee of a dollar to these sunburnt viragos for rowing you perhaps twenty yards a further extortion of a dollar as a landing fee is suffered from the mandarins besides unconscionable able demands for baggage.To experience these enormities it is necessary to land from a native boat as in coming on shore in one belonging to a ship no attempt is made to exact this plunder.
continua...
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