64 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



well known that the men who are brought over 

 are selected from the lowest class, they are no 

 better than slaves in China ; whereas in Peru 

 many of them become domestic servants, and in 

 some cases they have acquired considerable 

 wealth, and are doing business on their own 

 account. 



It is necessary for Peru, which is very thinly 

 populated, to seek elsewhere for labour, and 

 China, with its superabundant population, is 

 naturally the country to apply to ; but there is 

 no reason why these emigrants should not be 

 brought over of their own free will, and not 

 smuggled as they undoubtedly sometimes are. 

 As for the horrors of the " slave-ship, " I fancy 

 they have been very much overstated. During 

 our stay at Callao several of these coolie ships 

 arrived, and I went on board one of them, a 

 beautiful clipper called the " Camilla Cavour," 

 on her arrival with a cargo of coolies from 

 Macao, ostensibly to buy cigars, but in reality 

 to judge for myself on this subject. The captain, 

 who was justly proud of his craft, showed me all 



