Life and Adventure in the South Pacific

by John D. Jones

On the right were two other gods, facing toward the left, also in a sitting posture, the legs being turned out, and the right foot of each resting on the back of a tortoise. They were about twenty-five or thirty feet high, and eighteen feet in circumference around their middle. They were ornamented with bright and various colors, and gilded and decorated in a profuse manner, appearing more like theatrical characters than gods. Many smaller figures of the human form are about the feet of the larger ones, as if paying them homage. These, also, are richly and handsomely painted, and gilded in a similar manner. All the gods have shrines, kneeling-stools, and Josh-sticks placed before them. The first of these gods, on the right of this room, is represented as a black man, with a huge beard, wearing a crown, and holding a sword in one hand. This is the god of war. The other is the god of music, with a complexion light and delicate, animated features, and regularly trimmed mustaches. He is playing a guitar, and smaller Chinese figures are playing at his feet.

On the left of the room, facing toward and corresponding with those on the right, were two other gods of the same size and style, and seated in the same manner as those on the opposite side of the hall. One of them had in one hand a dragon’s egg, with the young dragon just presenting itself, while in its other hand was held, writhing about the arm, a serpent which he was crushing. The other god held a flag, and had a very self-conceited expression of countenance, as if he was a very great character in his own estimation. These are the gods of vengeance and justice.

We passed through a door in the back part of the room into a second apartment. This room contains the greatest number of idols, and is where the principal religious ceremonies are performed. Idols are arranged all round the room, and there are several in the centre. As you enter the door, three huge gods, twenty-five feet high, appear, looking very demurely, with eyes cast downward. Two goddesses, one on each side, stand facing at right angles. They are all very richly dressed—the goddesses particularly so, having crowns on their heads. The others have nothing on their heads but a sort of skull-cap, without a front-piece. The usual amount of vases, Josh-sticks, etc., were standing around, besides various other things, the use of which we did not learn. On the left of the altar was a large iron kettle, used for a drum; and there was also a hollow instrument, made from a peculiar kind of wood, and in the shape of a large sleigh-bell, for drumming purposes. Back of all these idols is a goddess mounted upon an ass, the head of the animal being turned up toward her, as if braying. The gods around the outside of this room were in two rows, and were about the size of men, of various patterns and designs, probably that each worshiper might choose a god for himself.

While examining matters and things in this room, a female approached, and, going to a desk or counter that stood in one part of the room, held a short conversation with a priest who stood there. She then purchased a bunch of fire-crackers (such as Young America delights in on Independence days); then advanced to one of the large idols, kneeled down, bowing her head so that it touched the stone floor, three times in succession. She then took two sticks or pieces of wood, resembling oyster-shells, which she held above her head and let fall. This she repeated, bowing her head to the stone floor two or three times, taking particular care, however, not to strike the floor hard enough to break any of the stones, or her head either. Appearing not to be satisfied, she arose, her countenance betraying great anguish. Leaving her angry god, she turned to the goddess, who, she thought, would better understand her feelings, being a woman like herself, and, with her head bowed again, went through the same forms. This time, on arising, she appeared more pleased, and, lighting Josh-sticks, she again commenced, holding the burning sticks in her hand, advancing to the goddess, then receding from it, then bowing to the floor, striking the head, etc., besides much more that was about as foolish. She then lighted the crackers, and threw them around in all directions. At last she took a bamboo box of tablets in her hand, shook it till one fell out, with some Chinese motto on it, which she carried to the priest, who interpreted it, giving her a corresponding slip of paper, which, we suppose, after being burned, entitles her to some thousands of cash in their spirit-world, or admits her to some great honors and privileges. Any person, by paying a few cash, can shake the box and obtain a similar receipt. After chin-chinning the principal god in the room, she departed.

In all the Chinese houses which we visited Josh-sticks are kept continually burning, to drive away the evil spirits, and keep them from harm.

While a part of the ship’s company were on shore enjoying themselves, the remainder, on board ship, were continually devising means to “kill time.” On one occasion, Tom W., our old joker, made his appearance on deck, presenting a most comical figure. He had on a pair of pants that came within six inches of his ankles, with a narrow piece of leather passing around the bottom of his feet for straps; a coat with the waist between his shoulders, and the skirts trailing the decks; the whole surmounted by a tall, bell-crowned hat, with narrow rim. About his neck was suspended a boatswain’s whistle. Rigged out in this style, he mounted the “hurricane deck,” and commenced pacing to and fro with great dignity. On board the “Susquehanna” they were exercising the men in loosing and furling the sails, and every time the whistle of the boatswain sounded on board, Tom replied, imitating them as nearly as possible, and turning “full front” to the frigate, over whose sides were seen sundry heads, peering at the whaler to see what could be the matter. To all this, however, Tom paid no attention, but continued his dignified strut, interspersing his walk with all manner of “calls” on his boatswain’s whistle. The quarter-master of the frigate now leveled his glass at the whaler’s “boatswain,” and took a long squint. Perceiving this, Tom called for his glass, and one of the boys passed him a handspike. Bringing it to bear, he “squinted” in return at the quarter-master; then would take a turn or two fore and aft the deck, give a shrill whistle, and again level his “glass.” By this time most of the officers of the “Susquehanna” were gathered on the quarter-deck of that vessel, staring at us, and probably thinking all hands drunk or crazy. Tom, who knew how far to carry the joke, now came down from his elevated position.

The sails having been loosed to dry during the day, toward evening the watch were sent up to furl them. Every thing in readiness, Tom’s whistle sounded, all hands sprang into the rigging, and mounted aloft. The sail was rolled on the yard at the sound of the whistle; the men descended from aloft, and mounted, furled a second, then a third sail, and so on through the whole programme: all was done at the sound of the boatswain’s whistle. This proceeding “astonished the natives;” the officers and crews of the several men-of-war and other vessels gazing at the new “wrinkle,” and systematic style of performing work on board a Yankee sperm whaler!

Notwithstanding the fact that numerous naval vessels belonging to the United States, England, and France are nearly all the time on this station, yet the coast and Canton River swarm with Chinese pirates. The government of China, also, has an armed junk, mounting twelve guns, stationed on the coast, for the ostensible purpose of protecting commerce; but it is pretty strongly believed that this Chinese man-of-war not only winks at the piracies committed, but is not backward about running up the black flag herself on certain occasions. About the time we arrived at Hong Kong, a brig bound to some part of the East Indies was overhauled, before she was clear of the bay, by a number of fishing-junks, as they professed to call themselves, and, after massacring nearly all the crew, and wounding the remainder—leaving them dead, as they supposed—they rifled the brig, taking away every thing they found of any value. The next morning she was found in this disabled condition by the Chinese man-of-war, who took her in tow, and brought her into port. One of the English men-of-war immediately got under weigh, and, after cruising among the various islands a few days, overhauled some of the junks and brought them in. The prisoners were immediately taken ashore and tried; several were hung, and the remainder imprisoned at hard labor for the remainder of their lives.

We had heard much of the Chinese theatre, or Sing Song, as they term it, and concluded we would pay it a visit. The building, which is a temporary erection, is very large, built of bamboo, and capable of containing four or five thousand persons. The gallery is large and commodious, it being built for the accommodation of the “fan-qui-loo” (foreign devils). The Celestials occupy the pit, and, there being no seats, they are compelled to stand. To see such a mass of heads, “all shaven and shorn,” in one compact space, swaying to and fro, and hear the continual buzz of their voices, is really amusing. And then to watch them as a policeman goes through the crowd, semi-occasionally bringing his short club down upon the bare heads of the Chinese, just heavy enough to make them sing out “Hi-yar-r-h! how can do? no proper.” Still, they make room for him, not caring to receive a second whack. After looking at the crowd below us, and wondering where they all came from, until we became somewhat restless, we were fairly startled by a most frightful, horrible din. Gongs, bells, and sundry other equally harmonious instruments were made visible, and the “orchestra” were beating and playing them as if each were paid according to the amount of noise he made, and was determined to win. This horrible music, as they termed it, appeared to increase, until we were obliged to stop our ears with our fingers, to prevent being entirely deafened. However, it ceased as suddenly as it commenced, and the performers made their appearance, dressed in the richest Chinese style. Alter going through a sort of pantomime, which lasted about half an hour, a couple of them, who appeared to be leaders of the different parties, jabbered away at each other in Chinese, and finally commenced a regular fight, which soon became general, all hands “pitching in” in the most scientific Chinese manner. Fire-crackers were burned, gongs sounded, and other warlike demonstrations generally were gone through with, until one of the parties, having killed their opponents, now dragged them from the stage. This was followed by other scenes equally interesting to those who could understand nothing that was said. The performances closed by acrobatic feats, which were equal, if not superior, to any we ever saw. We can only sum up the whole by saying the crowd was immense, the performance nonsensical, and the music horrible.

The Chinese method of erecting stone buildings is very singular; and, although it shows the inferiority of the Celestials to the “outside barbarians,” still it is very ingenious. A perpendicular bamboo wall is first built as a guide, and the stones are then laid inside and against it till the walls are complete. One would naturally think that they could lay the stone wall as perpendicular as they could build the bamboo, yet we were assured they could not. We noticed a fine building in process of erection—a masonic temple. This building was for the use of a lodge working under a charter from England, and composed of English and American residents.