Everyday Life in China; Or, Scenes Along River and Road in Fuh-Kien (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ... DIARY OF A MISSIONARY JOURNEY. We left Amoy at nine n.ra. in the 'Gospel boat, '--a heavy craft designed to weather stormy times upon the broad bays and rivers upon which we have to travel. She is thirty feet long, ten feet in the beam, and draws about two feet of water. There is a house, half upon deck and half under, with two bunks for as many missionaries, in which narrow compass we stretch out our little travelling mattress. At the stern a portion of the deck is movable, and lifting this as a trap-door, one looks into a dark den, into which six or eight Chinese boatmen let themselves down to sleep. How they contrive to spend ten minutes there without being suffocated is their affair, and not mine, since they are perfectly contented with their quarters. For three hours there was only a gentle wind, but at twelve o'clock a stiff breeze sprang up, and we reached our anchorage at two. On the way there were the usual sights, so surprising to a new-comer, but so stale to those who see them constantly. Men were seen by scores apparently walking on the water, but in reality standing on a few thick pieces of bamboo. On these are fastened rowlocks eighteen inches high, and by means of small oars these sea-walkers propel themselves in the direction of their nets. Others were sitting on these bamboo life-preservers, coolly fishing with a dozen lines, each of which has a large number of hooks. We anchored a quarter of a mile from shore, and were fetched from our boat by a rickety punt. Crossing a potato-field soon after landing, I saw the largest snake I had yet met with out of a menagerie. It was about eight feet long, and thicker than my wrist, with small head and tapering tail. I must have almost trodden upon it, for it bounded away from my...