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here by road, there by river; doing things so well --having plenty of rich men to help — that they bring a man to the coast in carts and boats for less money than he could get along on foot.
For five dollars they pick him up in his village, and carry him down to Hong-Kong.
If he is poor they take his bond for those five dollars, supplying his needs in meat and drink, for which they take a second bond.
When he arrives in Hong-Kong, they get his licence and secure his berth.
The fare is forty-five dollars, which money they pay, also a landing-fee of five dollars, which is repaid by the Steam Company to our Committee in San Francisco.
These five dollars paid by the Committee, go into the Dead Fund.”
“Then, as a rule, each man who sails from Hong Kong to San Francisco is not merely a pauper, but a pledged debtor and bondman?”
“Hum! Chinaman is used to all that he no care; he work hard and save much money.
Then he go free.”
“ How much, on an average, is the amount of his debt when he lands?”
“From first to last a common passenger may owe ”
1875.
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