Smuggling opium - Capsing-Moon Passage (unlettered)

In the early 19th century, vast quantities of Opium were carried away on ‘scrambling dragons’ (p’a-lung) or ‘ast crabs’( k’uai-hsieh) at Lintin, outside the Bocca Tigris. The ships were typically armed to the teeth, crewed by fierce Tanka riverman. This image shows the Opium ships at Lintin.