1842
Topography of Fukien.
655
1. The department of Furhau is bounded on the east by the sea; on the north, by the departments of Funing and Kienning; on the west by those of Yenping and Yungchun; and on the south by that of Hinghwa. The city of Fuchau-the capital of the province and of the department-stands about twenty-five or thirty miles from the sea, on the northern bank of the river Min. In 1835, the brig Governor Findlay anchored in lat. 26° 6′ north, and long. 119° 53′ east, being 3° 26′′ north and 28′ east of Fuchau. The party, which left her in a boat to procced to the Wúi hills, soon arrived off the fortress of Min-án, half way to the capital, at which place the river contracts and runs within very narrow limits, bounded by high and bold hills on each side. Four or five miles further westward is an island, called Pagoda island, beyond which the river reunites with a branch that puts off from it several miles above the city. The magistrates of the districts Min and Haukwán both reside at Fu- chau. The districts of Chángloh and Futsing lie on the south of the river, both bordering on the sea; and the latter extending to the frontiers of Hinghwa. On the north of the river, on the coast, are the districts of Lienkiáng and Loynen. Westward from the capital, on the southern side of the Min, are the districts of Mintsing and Yungfu. The chief town of Mintsing, bearing the same name, stands close upon the river.
the river. It was near this town that Mr. Gordon and his party, in 1835, were fired on by Chinese soldiers, and com- pelled to desist from their purpose of visiting the hills of Wúí. The Rev. Mr. Stevens, one of that party, described the country as being exceedingl; rich and beautiful all the way up from the sea to this place, a distance of seventy or eighty miles. "Bold, high, and ro- mantic hill give a uniform, yet ever varying, aspect to the country; but it partakes so much of the mountainous character that it may be truly said, beyond the capital we saw not one plain, even of small extent. Every hill was covered with verdure from the base to the The less rugged were laid out in terraces, rising above each other, sometimes to the number of thirty or forty. On these, the yellow barley and wheat were waving over our heads. Here and there a laborer, with a bundle of grain, which he had reaped, on his shoulder, was bringing it down the hill to thresh it out. Orange, lemon, or mulberry groves, and other trees, sometimes shaded a nat- row strip along the banks, half concealing the cottages of the inha- bitants."
Further westward, on the northern side of the Min are the two remaining districts of this department. Kútten and Pingnan
summit.