The Morning Herald

[From the San Francisco Morning Call.]

The steamer at Hong Kong lies at anchor in the bay, after she has received her cargo. The regular Chinese coolie passengers are given to understand that on the day named she will sail, and that they must be ready to go on board at an early hour in the morning. At about 3 o'clock A. M., the embarkation begins, the coolies being brought out to the ship from the shore in lighters, which usually carry from 400 to 600 persons. When the lighters come alongside, a gangway is made, and along this the coolies pass in single file, each having in his hand a ticket with which he has been provided, which he exhibits. As soon as all are on board the anchor is weighed and the ship steams out of the harbor.

But before all this, which is regular, has occurred, and under the cover of the darkness of night, small boats, or "sampans," as they are called in China, move silently off from the shore, each containing from five to ten Chinese females of the lowest order: These women do not pass aboard by any gang plank, but they are put through a port, which has been left conveniently open for this purpose. They are received on board by some officer of the ship, who has provided a secret hiding-place for them; and before the gray twilight of morning appears, everything about the ship has a remarkably regular appearance. Just before the ship reaches Yokohama, on her way to San Francisco, all the Chinese passengers, except women, are mustered on the main deck, and are made to pass through a narrow gangway, only wide enough for one to pass at a time. Their passage tickets are taken up and another ticket furnished each one, to show that he will be all right when disembarked at San Francisco. While this inspection is in progress upon the main deck, two of the ship's officers go into the steerage and make a search to ascertain if there are any stowaways on board. If any are found they are put ashore at Yokohama: but no instance has ever been known where a female stowaway was put ashore except after the arrival of the steamer in San Francisco.

After the ship has arrived at this port, opportunities are given to the owners of these women to smuggle them ashore. This is done by the connivance of some officer of the ship, and possibly of some subordinate Custom House officer.