An English Lady in the French Colonies, Part II

Vassal began her book on Vietnam, On and Off Duty in Annam, by mentioning that she was initially delighted that she and her husband, a new army doctor, would be posted in Vietnam, "rather than Martinique or Timbuktu!" [1] Almost immediately, however, her opinion of the colony and its people became negative. Upon first witnessing the native population, she remarked:

The Annamese were rather smaller than the Chinese, and of a darker complexion. Their lips were red-brown and swollen with chewing the betel, and their black lacquered teeth made their mouths repulsive. Indeed, I found them most unprepossessing in appearance.[2]

Repulsed by this habit of chewing betel nuts, Vassal resignedly remarked later that it was common to all classes, rich and poor alike. Incredulous that the rich classes, who were "civilized enough to use whitewash" would continue to chew such a vulgar thing, she was shocked that the rich actually competed with each other over who could project their saliva the farthest. [3] Furthermore, not only were they "barbaric" and "vulgar," the Annamese were also quite "ignorant," in particular the women. Though Vassal admitted they were very devoted to their children, they were also ignorant of the most basic rules of hygiene. They left their babies outside for prolonged periods of time where they frequently were bitten by mosquitoes. That was the least of the babies’ problems, however, as their mothers also did not believe in bathing them. As a result, many of them suffered from partial or total blindness. [4] Finally, and perhaps almost as revolting to Vassal as the other "barbaric" behavior, the Annamese did "not think it necessary to put the milk [they give their children] in a clean pail, nor to wash their hands." [5] The Annamese people were "barbaric" and "backward" in other ways as well. Deeply superstitious, they often refused to go to the doctor, even when mortally ill. When finally put in a hospital, most of the time against their wishes, they were most "aggravating" to the doctors and nurses. [6] This, moreover, was not the only instance when the Annamese was superstitious; superstition was an integral, practically inseparable, aspect of their lives. It led to Annamese planters not knowing about or using — from Vassal’s writing, it is unclear — for instance, fertilizers. [7] Not only were the Annamese "lazy," they were also too deeply rooted in their past and unwilling to act in a manner befitting people living in the beginning part of the twentieth century.

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