The
youngest child is generally tied on its mother's back while she
steers; the elder children, too, have sometimes similar burdens, but
jump and climb about without the least consideration for them. It
has often grieved me to the heart to see the head of an infant
scarcely born, thrown from one side to the other with each movement
of the child that was carrying it, or the sun darting so fiercely on
the poor little creature, who was completely exposed to its rays,
that it could hardly open its eyes. For those who have not been
themselves witnesses of the fact, it is almost impossible to form an
idea of the indigence and poverty of a Chinese boat-family.
The Chinese are accused of killing numbers of their new-born or
weakly children. They are said to suffocate them immediately after
their birth, and then throw them into the river, or expose them in
the streets--by far the most horrible proceeding of the two, on
account of the number of swine and houseless dogs, who fall upon,
and voraciously devour, their prey. The most frequent victims are
the female infants, as parents esteem themselves fortunate in
possessing a large number of male children, the latter being bound
to support them in their old age; the eldest son, in fact, should
the father die, is obliged to take his place, and provide for his
brothers and sisters, who, on their part, are bound to yield
implicit obedience, and show him the greatest respect.
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