NATIONAL USAGES.
It may be thought by those who are for submitting to every species of degradation, to gain commercial advantages, that I was unnecessarily fastidious in the course I adopted in the negotiation with Cochin-China; but when it is known that there is no end to the doctrine of submission with the ultra-Gangetic nations; and all past negotiations of European powers will fully confirm what I now state, that neither privileges, nor immunities, nor advantages of any kind, are to be gained by submission, condescension, conciliation, or by flattery, (they despise the former as a proof of weakness—the latter as arguing a want of spirit;) that threats and aggressions are neither justifiable nor necessary, a dignified, yet unassuming conduct, jealous of its own honour, open and disinterested, seeking its own advantage, but willing to promote that of others, will doubtless effect much with nations of this stamp and character, and must in the end be able to accomplish the object desired.
Previous to visiting Cochin-China, I had laid down certain rules of conduct, which I had resolved to adopt towards these people, as well as the Siamese. In the first place, I had determined to adhere most strictly to the truth, however detrimental it might be to the interest of our commerce at present, or however unpalatable it might be to either of the nations. I had further resolved, not to submit to any degrading ceremonies, by performing the Ko-tow, uncovering the feet, &c., &c. My answer to such requisitions would be: We do not come here to change the customs of your court with its own statesmen, but we come as independent people, for a short interview. Let your statesmen preserve their customs, and we will preserve ours. Still, it may be answered: You come to us, we do not go to you: my reply then would be: When you come to us, you shall be allowed your own customs, in the mode of presentation to the President. Reasoning with these people, must not be founded on the ground of lord and vassal, but reciprocity. National usages should be avoided as much as possible, and natural reason, common sense, the reciprocal rights of men, be taken as the foundation of intercourse. There is no end to the doctrine of submission to law, where every worthless justice of peace tells you with a bare-faced lie in his mouth, that his will and present declaration are the law of the land. Seeing the gross impositions practised, by apparently friendly nations, with other negotiators, I had further determined never to repose any confidence in their advice, but to let my own judgment be the guide of what was just and right. Furthermore, to be kind and courteous to all; but after some little formalities, to reveal as little to inferior officers as possible; and lastly, to use some state and show, as they are useful auxiliaries in making an impression upon the uncivilized mind.
I deem it best, here to remark, that in my negotiations with Asiatics, all apparent acknowledgments of inferiority, which precedes signatures to letters, as “your humble servant,” &c., are always construed literally, and of course have an injurious effect upon a conceited and arrogant people; and great nicety should be observed in preparing documents on parchment, to which should be attached a large seal, incased in a gold box, having the envelope of rich yellow silk or satin, or otherwise it will give offence.
To all outward appearance the country surrounding this noble bay is in a highly flourishing condition, but on a more close examination this beautiful vision is not realized. The inhabitants are without exception the most filthy people in the world. As soon as the boat touches the strand, out rush from their palm-leaf huts, men and women, and naked children and dogs, all having a mangy appearance; being covered with some scorbutic disease, the itch or small-pox, and frequently with white leprous spots. The teeth, even of the children who are seven or eight years old, are of a coal black, their lips and gums are deeply stained with chewing areca, &c., their faces are nasty, their hands unwashed, and their whole persons most offensive to the sight and smell; for the most part the comb has never touched the children’s heads, and a whole village may be seen scratching at the same time from head to foot. They are apparently brought up in utter idleness; not a school is to be found, and they are seen playing all day long at hide-and-go-seek under the boats, lounging among the palm-trees, or sleeping on the bare ground in the shade or sun, as they find it most convenient. The dress of the men and women is nearly the same, being a wide long shirt, buttoned generally on the right side, with a pair of short simple trousers, made of cotton. Those who are able, wear a turban of black crape, and every man who makes any pretensions to gentility, has a pair of reticules or broad-mouthed purses, in which he puts areca and tobacco: these are thrown over the shoulders, and are generally neatly made; some are wrought extensively in gold, some embroidered with silk; others are of plain silk or satin, and generally of their favourite colour, blue: those of an ordinary kind are worn about the waist, or carried in the hand. But the dress of nineteen twentieths of the inhabitants is merely a waist-cloth, which is kept in a most filthy condition.
PRODUCTS.
In the course of a whole month, the period of our residence here, I have not seen a person bathe, although beaches abound every where: the Cochin-Chinese appear to have an utter aversion to cleanliness, and one would be apt to infer that they all had a touch of the hydrophobia, from their aversion to water. From the highly flourishing appearance of the land, the immense number of fishing and coasting boats constantly employed, it would be reasonable to conclude that great quantities of sugar, coffee, cotton and fish were exported, and that provisions of all kinds could be had in abundance; but such is not the fact: from one to three small miserable junks, from the island of Hainan, visit here annually, bringing coarse tea and some paper, and take in return, ground-nut-oil, a small quantity of wax, and some colambac, here called kinam; being a resinous aromatic concretion, and generally said to be taken from the heart of the aloe wood. Sapan wood is occasionally to be bought. The terrace culture is resorted to, in raising upland rice. In fact, not enough rice is raised for the use of the inhabitants, and they are obliged to import part of this necessary article of food from Nhiatrang, and other parts of the kingdom.
Their mode of freeing rice from the husk, is by means of a long beam having a pestle at one extremity; the beam plays on a pivot secured between two parallel upright posts, a large mortar being firmly fixed in the ground; the beam is elevated by the operator placing his foot upon the other end; this is a primitive, and a very slow method of freeing the husk from the kernel, and it causes it to be much broken. Indian corn appears to thrive well, but they obtain but a scanty supply: if more attention was paid to agriculture, and a less number of people were employed in fishing, exports to a large amount might be made within a few years; they import rice and tea, when they might raise both in abundance, as well as coffee.
Elephants appear to be used here for domestic purposes; they are said to be found in great numbers. Buffaloes, having a hump between the fore shoulders, are used in the plough as well as the common ox; the price given for the former for the use of the ship, has been from ten to fifteen dollars. A small fleet horse, or rather pony, is here much used, the price being about twenty quans, equal to eleven dollars. Fowls, ducks and pigs, are by no means plentiful, and are only bought at high prices; they will offer two, three or four of the two former for a Spanish dollar or for a couple of common jackknives, which they much prefer. The fruits which have been thus far offered for sale, are the custard-apple and the jack, limes, oranges, pomegranates, watermelons, lemons of immense size, and a great variety of the plantain and banana, in one kind of which I found a great many seeds; they were disposed of in horizontal layers in six compartments, having a small pith running through them; there are about fifty seeds in each, of an irregular shape, pointed slightly, and white at the apex; immediately beneath them was a black ring, extending about one fourth of the way down. Never having seen any seed-bearing plantain, I am induced to note it; when ripe, the outside is of a reddish yellow, and the fruit pleasant to the taste. The vegetables are few in number, and all we have yet seen, are beans, the egg-plant, and the sweet potato.