The west shore., October 01, 1886, Page 297, Image 7

THE WEST SHORE.
297
of the lamp and rolls it on the bowl of the pipe until he
has made it into a thin and hard cylinder. Ho then
places it over the hole in the pipe, lotting the end of the
wire pass into the hole, and whon scoured in place ho
deftly withdraws the wire, loaviug the opium attached
to the bowl and surrounding the hole He then stretch
es out at nearly full length, puts the end of the pije
into his mouth, and holding the bowl close to tho lamp
draws the flame inward with his breath, tho smoke of
the burning opium coming through tho pipe and into
his mouth, to be discharged through tho nostrils. A
pipeful is exhausted in about ten breaths, and then tho
process of rolling is related. Two or three pipefuls
are sufficient to completely upset a novice, but an old
smoker can stand ten times that number before being
overcome. We watched the operation repeated several
times, and then tho stench became so sickening and the
atmosphere so foul and unbreathable, that wo hastened
out into the fresh air with all tho dispatch possible.
Our next visit was to a lodging house, which was
simply a brick building out up into innumerable small
rooms, making a perfect labyrinth of passages, doors,
apartments and stairways. Hunks of wood are arranged
in tiers against the walls and partitions liko tho bertha
on a stoamer, and uKn thesn tho lodgcrB stow them
selves away for the night, a dozen of tliein occupying a
room so small, so foul of atmosphere and so permeated
with vilo odors, that a white man would deem it an un
endurable prison. When they can find such lodgiugs
as those for ten cents a night, and can supply them
selves with food during the day for ten cents more, it is
no wonder they can save ino'uey on sovonty-flvo cents a
day. We saw ono street merchant whoso sole stock in
trado consisted of a little tuhlo with folding legs, a small
butcher knife and a water melon. The latter cost him
twenty cents, and was cut into ten slices and retailed at
five cents a slice. It ho sold it all he cleared thirty
cents by the operation, giving him enough for his board
and lodging, and ten cents surplus, which ho could save
or gamble away as ho saw fit If business was gixxl
enough to call for two melons during tho day his profits
wore proportionately larger. While wo wore watching
him, two young Chinamen came up, and one of them,
fishing a nickel out from tho depths of his raiment, pur
chased a slice of melon and divided it with his compan
ion. It was evidently his treat, and showed that tho
reckless liberality of the American displayed in the so
cial custom of treating has its imitators among our
heathen visitors. It is by Chinamen who saw wood,
pick up rags, do odd joint of work, keep these little tink
ering corners and stands, and the gangs front the coun
try, that the lodging houses are patronised. If one has
Wen suflicieutly provident to save up ten dollars, ho
can subsist at least two months without employment
This question of board and lodging is one tho Chinese
have reduced to it finest limit, but Caucasian civiliza
tion will never be satinficd to adopt their solution of the
problem.
From tho lodging house we were conducted to a
gambling den. It was necessary first for our guides to
send word to the proprietor that visitors were coming.
Had the policemen undertaken to enter without giving
warning that their visit was a friendly one, they would
have found it a work of at least two hours to break in
with sledges ami axes. Opening directly from tho street
and running back to tho interior of a brick building, waa
a narrow passage, through which we went in single file.
At the street entrance stood two sentinels, or look-outs,
A few feet inside was another whoso duty it wss to ad
just a set of upright bars upon receiving a signal of
danger from without Heyond these wore throe thick,
woodou doors, each guarded by a lusty Chinnman who
was alert to oloso it and seoure it with a heavy orossW
when an alarm was given. In making a raid the police
woidd havo to batter down all these obstructions, only
to find, upou gaining the interior, that no gambling was
iu progress, but that a lot of Chinamen had assembled
to engngn in social conversation and to enjoy the dis
cordant music of a native orchestra lurched upon a dim
inutive gallery at one end of the room. Under such cir
cumstances it is imxweiblo to make a successful raid,
and none is attempted. Tim police aro jwrmitted to
enter nt any time when assurance Is given that their
visit is of a friendly nature, and this promise is never
violated. This freedom of access to gambling dens,
opium joints and lodging houses is of great assistance
to tho olllcers when searching tor criminals, and this
mutual understanding between them and tho proprietor!
saves tho olllcers infinite trouble and annoyance and tho
proprietors tho eienso of replacing battered doors and
fastenings.
Once inside, wo were met by ono of the managers,
who courteously explained the mystery of the only game
in progress. We found a long table surrounded by
players and sMctators, while others occupied a llttlo
gallery jiiHt alsive and dictated their play to friends bo
low. Near either end of the table was marked a black
square alsmt ten inches on each side, while at one end
sat the dealer. The latter took a handful ot small
pieces of metal and threw them into a heap in front ot
him, covering them with a Ixiwl. Tho result ot the
game deluded upon the iiumlwr left iu the pile after
tho others had Ihmhi taken away In seta of four. The
players made their Isils by laying their money or checks
at tho corners of the squares, one corner representing
one, the next two, tho next three, and the last four.
When all bet had been made the dealer lifted the bowl
and Ix'gan drawing the counters away from the pile In
sets of four, using a stick and not touching them with
his haul His motions were keenly watched by the
players, and as the pile diminished iu slxe they set up a
chattering like a ragn of monkeys. )ly tho time the
heap was reduced to fifteen or twenty they could all tell
just what the result would lie. If the pile divided into
even fours, those who M on the fourth comer won and
the others lost; if there was a remainder ot three the
third corner won; if two, the second, and if there was