[The following letter gives a concise abstract of the foregoing Notes of travel.]
To the Editor of the North-China Herald.
Dear Sir,—The following brief particulars of a journey from Ningpo, via Teen muh san, and the Confucian Pass in Anwhuy Province, to this place may be interesting to your local readers.
We (Dr. Macgowan and myself) left Ningpo in a boat on the night of the 24th ult., and early the following morning reached Kongkēaou, a small village in a southerly and westerly direction, some 60 or 70 le from Ningpo, where we took to the chairs carried with us, and proceeded by the way of the Heaven Struck Rock and Ningkong jow to Haou-lung, where we slept in an Ancestral Hall. That day we travelled, somewhat circuitously, 93 le—though the course and distance made good was only 7 miles N. and 7 miles W.
March 26th—From Haoulung to Hō pé chee, where we again slept in an Ancestral Hall.—Distance travelled 100 le.—Course good, S. 27 miles—W. 12.
March 27th—From Hó pē chee to the Poosan monastery.—Distance travelled 86 le.—Course good, S. 13 miles— W. 18.
March 28th—From the Poosan monastery, by the way of the Iron washing Beds and Smelteries, to the hien city of Singchong—taking up our quarters at the Tow va sze or Temple of the Great Buddha, a demi idol 51 feet high from its seat, cut out of the solid rock. Distance travelled 87 le.—Course good, S. 1 mile— W. 11 miles.
March 29th—Sunday,—kept as a day of rest.
March 30th—Travelled half a day to the district city of Dzing, where we slept at a monastery out side. Distance 40 le.—Course good, N. 5 miles—W. 7.
March 31st—Through a very mountainous country to Shihchong, a hamlet in a dell, where we slept in a house by a paper manufactory. Distance 90 le.—Course, N. 11 miles—W. 21.
April 1st—To Foong je how, where we were met by, and pressed to pass the night at the residence of a Tea maker and merchant of the family name of Luh. Distance travelled (more than half a-day along the sides of mountains) 67 le.—Course N. 14 miles—W. 25.
April 2nd—A short walking distance north of Foong-je-how we took boat at noon, and at mid-night entered the River Tsien-Tang. Estimated course good, 20 miles west.
April 3rd—About 11 a. m. reached the hien city of Foo-yang, never before passed through by Europeans. Pass through, and at night readied a monastery among the hills, called Ka-yuen-sze, where we slept. Water travelling estimated at 110 le—Land 45 le. Computed course to Foo-yang, S. 6 miles—W. 29.—Foo-yang to Ka-yuen-sze, N. 13 miles—W. 5.
April 4th—Passed through the hien city of Linghaen (not visited before by Europeans) and at night reached the Monastery or Caravansara of Vok-hing, where we slept. Distance travelled 90 le.—Course good N. 10 miles—W. 21.
April 5th—Kept as the Sabbath—no travelling.
April 6th—This day reached the Chaou-ming monastery, nearly at the top of the Eastern Teen muh san, never before visited by Foreigners. Here we slept. Distance travelled, two-thirds in ascent, 45 le. Course good N. 7 miles—W. 6.
April 7th—Travelling, part of the day, from the Eastern Teen muh to the Choey yen sze, or monastery, an establishment covering, within walls, 6 acres of ground, at the southern foot of the Western Teen muh. Distance travelled 24 le.—Course good, S. 2 miles.—W. 6.
April 8th—Half a-day on foot to the monastery on the Eastern Teen muh, and afterwards to the top of the mountain and back. Total distance about 32 le. Course of our journey good, N. 3 miles—W. 1.
April 9th—Passed into Anwhuy, and that night slept in a Tavern in the village of Toong haen. This was the most western point reached. Distance travelled 60 le. Course good, N. 7 miles—W. 13.
April 10th—By the way of the Confucian Pass into Chekiang Province again, through the hien city of Gnan keih (locally called Aan-cheh) and on to the hien city of Haou-fung (or Shaou-foong) where we slept at the Kwanti mew (Temple) out side. Distance travelled 74 le.—Course good, N. 11 miles—E. 22.
April 11th—From Haoufung to the Maichee Ferry,—three miles beyond the town, where we took boat at 8 p. m. and a little before mid-night started for Hoochow, which was reached at 11 of the following day. There we remained till Monday morning, the Doctor then leaving me by boat for Kan Poo, on his return to Ningpo. From Haou-fung to Maichee Ferry the distance travelled was 85 le. Course good N. 17 miles—E. 20.
While in the boats, four days from Hoochow to Shanghae, sometimes sailing at 5 or 6 knots an hour, tugging at 5, or skulling at 2 knots—latterly through a continued series of winding creeks, it was not possible to fix the courses and distance with anything like correctness, and I have therefore not attempted it.*
As it is my intention to publish fuller particulars in the shape of a hand-book to the whole land travel, two-thirds of which was through districts never before traversed by Europeans in their usual costume, at all events during the remembrance of "the oldest inhabitant," we found the people as kind as it is possible to conceive. A nod or a smile was, instantly returned, and a salute promptly responded to in a spirit indicating respect and appreciation of the compliment. Certainly, if prejudice does exist against foreigners in these regions, it was not exhibited towards us; and there appears to me no reason to doubt but similar excursions could be extended in perfect safety to the most western parts of the empire.
If I might judge from a little incident in the district of Ningkwoh (Anwhuy) where one of our bearers struck the native guide for leading us over a tiresome path, I should say but little sympathy exists between the people of the several provinces. Complaint being made by the guide to one of his countrymen who came up with us on their return from a pilgrimage to the Eastern Teen-muh, the words used by them were—"How dare you, Chekiang men, to come into our province, and strike one of its people on the Emperor's high way? Were it not for our regard to the foreigners you accompany, we would take you all to the nearest authority, and there get you a hearty bambooing" I mention this circumstance the tone of the admonition implying more than is here expressed, because I think it tends to show that with our quarrel with the Cantonese the people of other provinces will not care a jot;—and that unless the Chinese Government initiate it, (their means being required for the attempt to subdue a rebellion in which, in spirit, all participate) the war need not, of necessity, be extended north of its present field. News travels so slowly in the interior that fifty miles from Ningpo the mass of the people never heard that that place was in the hands of the English for some time in 1841 and 42; and unless brought more closely to their senses than is now apparent, the present generation of people away from the Northern Consular cities may never hear of the "Second War with China."—I am, Dear Sir, your's truly.
P. S.—Throughout the whole journey I did not see, beyond a few well worn cloth winter Jackets, a solitary yard of foreign fabric. I did not see an offensive weapon of any kind, sword, spear or firelock;—and, none but small footed women crossed our path.—W. T.
* My companion having remarked at starting that the latitudes and longitudes of the different cities in our route weie variously stated by different authorities, I was particular in noting our course with all the pains in my powers, so as to check to half a degree at least. The rate of walking was fixing at an average to ten le [a little over 3 miles] per hour.—W. T.