on earth； this is one。 Over its dismal gateway may well be written；
〃Whoso enters here leaves hope behind。〃
This ward is divided into four 〃apartments；〃 each one having a high
wall at the back。 The sides next the court are formed of a double row
of strong wooden bars； black from age and dirt； which reach from the
floor to the roof； and let in light and air through the chinks between
them。 The interiors of these cribs or cattle…pens are roughly paved
with slabs of granite； slimy with accumulations of dirt。 In the middle
and round the sides are stout platforms of laths； forming a coarse；
black gridiron； on which the prisoners sit and sleep。
In each ward there is a shrine of a deity who is supposed to have the
power of melting the wicked into contrition； and to this accursed
mockery； on his birthday； the prisoners are compelled to give a feast；
which is provided by the jailer out of his peculations from their daily
allowances。 No water is allowed for washing； and the tubs containing
the allowance of foul drinking water are placed close to those which
are provided for the accumulation of night soil； etc。； the contents of
which are only removed once a fortnight。 Two pounds of rice is the
daily allowance of each prisoner； but this is reduced to about one by
the greed of the jailer。
As we entered the yard； fifty or sixty men swarmed out from the dark
doorways which led into their dens； all heavily chained； with long；
coarse； matted hair hanging in wisps； or standing on end round their
death…like faces； in filthy rags； with emaciated forms caked with dirt；
and bearing marks of the torture； and nearly all with sore eyes；
swelled and bleeding lips； skin diseases； and putrefying sores。 These
surrounded us closely； and as； not without a shudder； I passed through
them and entered one of their dens； they pressed upon us； blocking out
the light； uttering discordant cries； and clamoring with one voice；
_kum…sha_； i。e。； backsheesh； looking more like demons than living men；
as abject and depraved as crime； despair； and cruelty can make them。
Within； the blackness； the filth； the vermin； the stench； overpowering
even in this cool weather； the rubbish of rags and potsherds； cannot be
described。 Here in semi…starvation and misery； with nameless cruelties
practised upon them without restraint； festering in one depraved mass；
are the tried and untried； the condemned； the guilty and innocent （？）；
the murderer and pirate； the debtor and petty thief； all huddled
together； without hope of exit except to the adjacent judgment…seat；
with its horrors of 〃the question by torture；〃 or to the 〃field of
blood〃 not far away。 On earth can there be seen a spectacle more
hideous than these abject wretches； with their heavy fetters eating
into the flesh of their necks and ankles （if on their wasted skeletons；
covered with vermin and running sores； there is any flesh left）； their
thick matted； bristly； black haircontrasting with the shaven heads
of the freethe long； broken claws on their fingers and toes； the
hungry look in their emaciated faces； and their clamorous cry；
_kum…sha！ kum…sha！_ They thronged round us clattering their chains；
one man saying that they had so little rice that they had to 〃drink the
foul water to fill themselves；〃 another shrieked； 〃Would I were in your
prison in Hong Kong；〃 and this was chorused by many voices saying； 〃In
your prison at Hong Kong they have fish and vegetables； and more rice
than they can eat； and baths； and beds to sleep on； good； good is the
prison of your Queen！〃 but higher swelled the cry of _kum…sha_； and as
we could not give alms among several hundred； we eluded them； though
with difficulty； and； as we squeezed through the narrow door；
execrations followed us； and high above the heavy clank of the fetters
and the general din rose the cry； 〃Foreign Devils〃 （Fan…Kwai）； as we
passed out into sunshine and liberty； and the key was turned upon them
and their misery。
We went into three other large wards； foul with horror； and seething
with misery； and into a smaller one； nearly as bad； where fifteen women
were incarcerated； some of them with infants devoured by cutaneous
diseases。 Several of them said that they are there for kidnapping； but
others are hostages for criminal relations who have not yet been
captured。 This imprisonment of hostages is in accordance with a law
which authorizes the seizure and detention of persons or families
belonging to criminals who have fled or are in concealment。 Such are
imprisoned till the guilty relative is brought to justice； for months；
years； or even for a lifetime。 Two of these women told us that they had
been there for twenty years。
There are likewise some single cellshovels clustering under a wall；
in which criminals who can afford to pay the jailer for them may enjoy
the luxury of solitude。 In each ward there is a single unfettered
manalways a felonwho by reason either of bribery or good conduct；
is appointed to the place of watchman or spy among his fellows in
crime。 There is a turnkey for each ward； and these men； with the
unchained felons who act as watchmen； torture new arrivals in order to
force money from them； and under this process some die。
In the outer wall of the prison there is a port…hole； just large enough
to allow of a body being pushed through it； for no malefactor's corpse
must be carried through the prison entrance； lest it should defile the
〃Gate of Righteousness。〃 There is also a hovel called a deadhouse； into
which these bodies are conveyed till a grave has been dug in some
〃accursed place；〃 by members of an 〃accursed〃 class。
In addition to the large mortality arising from poor living and its
concomitant diseases； and the exhaustion produced by repeated torture；
epidemics frequently break out in the hot weather in those dark and
fetid dens； and oftentimes nearly clear out the prison。 On such
occasions as many as four hundred have succumbed in a month。 The number
of criminals who are executed from this prison； either as sentenced to
death； or as unable to bribe the officials any further； is supposed to
be about five hundred annually； and it is further supposed that half
this number die annually from starvation and torture。 Sometimes one
hundred criminals are beheaded in an hour； as it is feared may be the
case on the Governor going out of office； when it is not unusual to
make a jail delivery in this fashion。
In numerous cases； when there is a press of business before the
judgment…seat and a dead…lock occurs； accusers and witnesses are
huddled indiscriminately into the Naam…Hoi prison； sometimes for
months； and as the Governor or magistrate takes no measures to provide
for them during the interval； some of the poorer ones who have no
friends to bribe the jailer on their behalf； perish speedily。
At night； in the dens which I have described； the hands of the
prisoners are chained to their necks； and even in the daytime only one
hand is liberated。 I thought that many of the faces looked quite
imbecile。 The jailer； as we went out； kept holding out his long…clawed；
lean； brown hand； muttering about his promised kum…sha； very fearful
lest the other turnkeys； who were still lying on their beds smoking
opium； should come in for any share of it。
Mr。 Henry；* my host and very able cicerone； is an American missionary；
and as such carries with him the gospel of peace on earth and good will
to men。 Surely if the knowledge of Him who came 〃to preach liberty to
the captive； and the opening of the prison to them that are bound；〃
were diffused and received here； and were spread with no niggard hand；
the prison of the Naam…Hoi magistrate； with its unspeakable horrors；
would go the way of all our dungeons and bedlams。
＇*I cannot forbear adding a note on the extent of Mr。 Henry's work in
1881。 He preached 190 times in Chinese； and five times in English； held
fifty…two Bible…class meetings； and thirteen communion services；
baptized forty…five adults and eight children； traveled on mission work
by boat 2；540 miles； by chair； eighty miles； and on foot 670 miles；
visited 280 different towns and villages； and distributed 14；000 books；
receiving assistance in the latter work only on one short journey。 His
life is a happy combination of American energy and Christian zeal。＇
But this is not all。 From the prison it is only a short distance to the
judgment…seat； and passing once more through the 〃Gate of
Righteousness；〃 we crossed a large court infested by gamblers and
fortune…tellers； and presented ourselves at a porch with great figures
painted on both its doors； and gay with the red insignia of
mandarinism； which is the entrance to the stately residence of the
Naam…Hoi magistrate； one of the subordinate dignitaries of Canton。 In
the porch； as might have been in that of Pilate or Herod； were a number
of official palanquins； and many officials and servants of the mandarin
with red…crowned hats turned up from their faces； and privates of the
city guard； mean and shabby persons。 One of these； for a kum…sha of
course； took us； not through the closed and curtained doors； but along
some passages； from which we passed through a circular brickwork t