Pay Day at Lappa
Being in Macao on the 31st July I accompanied the Customs accountant on his tour to pay the Lappa Customs Stations near by. At 9.30 we embarked upon one of the trim little revenue steamers, a miniature man of war, for Malowchow, the main station of the Lappa Customs. The launch is clean and bright not a speck on the Nordenfeldts on the brass work or on the uniforms white with red sashes and broad brimmed straw hats of the crew. Steaming down the harbour among sampans junks and native craft of all descriptions and boarding two other launches on the way we finally reach Malowchow, a barren desolate rock merely a rock from which access to the shore can be had by boat only. Upon its bald face cling several rude Chinese houses a the residences and offices of a large Customs Staff. Here we land and pay returning then to Macao for tiffin and to distribute the IG s bountiful largess among the indoor staff and the natives of the Head Office.
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A visit to Lappa Customs Station, Lappa Island, near Macau. Foto Univ. de Bristol |
This done we board the launch again as and steam for Chien Shan, Station No 1 situated some three or four miles up the river whose mouth forms the Inner Harbour of Macao. This afternoon trip is the most pleasant part of the day. First the long quiet steam up the river conducive to pleasant thoughts and good digestion after the heavy tiffin made necessary by the morning exercise and fresh air.
Conceive how blissful it is to sit well protected from the blazing sun comfortably sleepy breathing incense from cigar or cigarette and gliding over the dimpled waters to do nought but admire on the one side Macao's ancient forts, time worn temples, the distant lighthouse and the dense verdure in the Garden of Camoëns, soft nestling mid roofs of gray on the other hills and fields and summer sky while over the neck of the isthmus lie the blue sea and the bluer hills that look toward Hongkong.
Junks afar off on the ocean's bosom their sails which have the seeming of huge butterfly wings gilded with the sun are full of grace Junks nearer seen under whose heavy timbered sides we steam or which the vehement scolding of the fierce little shrill voiced whistle orders out of our way are fantastic strange not lovely. The odd structure of the boats themselves the miscellaneous crews of men women and children the latter for the most part clad most healthfully in dirt and sun shine the pigs ducks and chickens all equals in these compact republics dogs rivalling in melody our whistle the antique guns which line sides and dumbly menace pirates and evil doers all form a picture as quaint as may wish to see.
Past them all we go past the vessels of war all aflaunt with flags their ancient guns well nigh harmless except to the servers each like a poodle with a ribbon round its throat contrasting strangely with the rifles we saw in the morning on board Portuguese men of war. They stood but lately opposed to each other these vessels war the highest product of of Chinese naval architecture and war like design and poor old Portugal's grace ful gunboats which though obsolete likely to prove of but little utility in with modern powers could smash flinders swarms of such vessels as had opposed to them on the mudflats Macao. They fronted each other and threatened for the gun boat Rio lay beside the boundary ready to check aggression of China while the might China a fleet some half dozen strong war junks promised annihilation to. On the China shore opposite the Praia a fort sprang up in a night and might look nowhere without seeing red ensigns and fresh earthworks was fairly invested by guns and garrisons that a man with a Winchester and a belt of cartridges might almost bid defiance to. (...)"
Excerto de artigo publicado no jornal The Chinese Times, 10 Janeiro 1891
Nota: imagens não incluídas no jornal referido
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