7
355
Description of harbour.
'Tide.
Climate.
Beach low.
Interior country.
Roads.
Water.
Harbour good.
Also climate.
good-looking, and some about 13 hands high. Apparently great numbers are used here.
Inhabitants were very civil.
The harbour of Chee-foo is entered from the N. E. The mainland is connected by means of a bar of sand, with a piece of high land looking like an island, which fronts the town and forms a bay. To the S. E. this bay is protected by rocks, apparently a long reef, on the S, E, side of which is another anchorage. The bay is about 5 miles across, and rather more in length. There is room for a great number of vessels to lie in about 4-4 fathoms.
The rise and fall of tide is about 7 feet.
The water is said to be about 4 feet lower during the N. E. monsoon than the S. W.
In February, 1859, when the Solomon family arrived here, the thermometer was at about 12° Fahrenheit at night, and there was ice round the shore for about 40 yards; also a thin crust sometimes round the ship in the morning. The northerly winds were very cold.
To the east of the town a rocky promontory projects into the sea, and on the point is a small shore fort, with spears existing only as paintings on the walls.
At low tide, the beach in front of the town cannot be approached within 300 yards; but one can land on this promontory at all times of the tide, taking care to avoid the rocks, which are numerous.
There is a chain of hills running nearly east and west, about 3 miles to the south of the town, and about 1200 feet high.
They are of granite. The flat ground is sandy and very dry—highly cultivated.
The roads are dry and good.
There is a stream running down near the town; but at this season dry. It evidently carries off a considerable quantity of water during the rainy season.
There is good water to be procured from wells, though those near the beach are brackish. There is also a spring at a green spot to the west of the town.
On the high projecting land, to the north of the bay, are two villages and a small tower battlemented to protect the eastern one.
This place being only connected with the mainland by a spit of sand, might be rendered impregnable by a small force, aided by a couple of vessels, though it would not be such a pleasant position as the ground in rear of the city.
There are wells here; but no streams, except in wet weather.
After crossing the range of hills described above, there is a plain of about 6 miles wide, and then another similar range, behind that another range could be seen, and probably beyond that is the sea, forming the southern boundary of the "Shan-tung" promontory. These hills extend also to the west to near "Ting-choo-foo."
The harbour is undoubtedly a good one, and I think would form a very good northern point of rendezvouz, and Commissariat or Hospital Station.
Any large ship would lay better here than at the Pei-ho anchorage, and yet be within 200 miles of that river.
The climate appears very good.
Even at this time of year the heat is by no means oppressive; cool winds are even blowing from the south. The soil is dry and sandy, and the vegetables good.
There are said to be quantities of cattle on the Min-too islands.
About Half a mile in rear, or to the south of "Che-foo," is an old town, with the ruins of a wall surrounding it, with four gates about the old portion remaining in a state of preservation.
The ground behind this place and the more modern town being flat and low, leads one to imagine that the old one was originally on the coast line, and that the sea has receded.
Russians and
A strange rumour, and entirely of Chinese origin, existed here on our arrival, that 3000 Russians were at the Pei-ho, and, farther, that 500 more were expected to come down to "Che-foo." A very curious confirmation of our suspicious. It is needless to say that our ideas on the subject had nothing to do with this report.
July 18th.—Sailed from "Chee-foo" at 9 A.M., and reached Teng-choo-foo at 5 P.M., distant about 36 miles W.
Went on shore; landed outside the city on a rough jetty, at the mouth of a sort of inner harbour or dock the Chinese have formed. We ascended the wall, which is very old, by a breach, and were met by a number of people. We attempted to walk round the top of the walls, but were rudely prevented. We stated that we wished to see the Mandarin, but no one would tell us his name nor where he lived, but directed us to a different and rather distant part of the wall, and said we must go along outside the wall we were then on, and enter by a gate which they pointed out.
So we descended the breach and found that there were two distinct walled cities. The one we had entered being the smaller, and very old, the walls much out of repair and breached certainly in two places.
Having got outside the wall, we walked towards the larger city, up what appeared a road, but in reality was a dry bed of a stream. Near the S. end of the N. western city a bridge of 3 arches spanned this stream; the road passing over the bridge came down from the west and led between the two cities. Getting in this road we turned to the left, and entered the city by its N. Gate, which was very large, and constructed like all their city gates. The walls were here in good repair, and, I think, not less than 35 feet high.
On entering the city we were surrounded by very great crowds. There were only 4 of us, all unarmed, and my Chinese servant. He overheard a discussion between two Chinese as to the propriety of their taking and imprisoning us. We did not like, at so late an hour in the evening (about 7 P.M.), leaving the city gates between us and the ship, so we left a message with a respectable looking man to be delivered to the Magistrate, saying that we intended calling on him to arrange about the purchase of stores, but were unable to do so from not knowing his house, and from the lateness of the hour. We then went out through the gates and returned on board.
July 19th.—Wrote a letter to the Mandarin to the same effect as the message we delivered. The interpreter who took it on shore was jeered at by the people, who cautioned one another to have nothing to do with it.
However, he threw it among them and returned. We were, however, quite sure the Mandarin would get it sooner or later, and, accordingly, next day, a man came on board to inquire how many bullocks or sheep we wanted,
7
355
Description of
harbour.
'Tide.
Climate.
Beach low.
Interior country.
Roads.
Water.
Harbour good.
Also climate.
good-looking, and some about 13 hands high. Apparently great numbers are used here.
Inhabitants were very civil.
The harbour of Chee-foo is entered from the N. E. The mainland is connected by means of a bar of sand, with a piece of high land looking like an island, which fronts the town and forms a bay. To the S. E. this bay is protected by rocks, apparently a long reef, on the S, E, side of which is another anchorage. The bay is about 5 miles across, and rather more in length, There is room for a great number of vessels to lie in about 44 fathoms.
The rise and fall of tide is about 7 feet.
The water is said to be about 4 feet lower during the N. E. monsoon than the S. W.
In February, 1859, when the Solomon family arrived here, the thermo- meter was at about 12° Fahrenheit at night, and there was ice round the shore for about 40 yards; also a thin crust sometimes round the ship in the morning. The northerly winds were very cold.
To the cast of the town a rocky promontory projects into the sea, and on the point is a small shore fort, with spears existing only as paintings on the walls.
At low tide, the beach in front of the town cannot be approached within 300 yards; but one can land on this promontory at all times of the tide, taking care to avoid the rocks, which are numerous.
There is a chain of hills running nearly east and west, about 3 miles to the south of the town, and about 1200 feet high.
They are of granite. The flat ground is sandy and very dry-highly cultivated.
The roads are dry and good.
There is a stream running down near the town; but at this season dry. It evidently carries off a considerable quantity of water during the rainy season.
There is good water to be procured from wells, though those near the beach are brackish. There is also a spring at a green spot to the west of the
town.
On the high projecting land, to the north of the bay, are two villages and a small tower battlemented to protect the eastern one.
This place being only connected with the mainland by a spit of sand, might be rendered impregnable by a small force, aided by a couple of vessels, though it would not be such a pleasant position as the ground in rear of the city.
There are wells here; but no streams, except in wet weather.
After crossing the range of hills described above, there is a plain of about
6 miles wide, and then another similar range, behind that another range could be seen, and probably beyond that is the sea, forming the southern boundary of the "Shan-tung" promontory. These hills extend also to the west to near
"Ting-choo-foo."
The harbour is undoubtedly a good one, and I think would form a very good northern point of rendezvouz, and Commissariat or Hospital Station,
Any large ship would lay better here than at the Pei-ho anchorage, and yet be within 200 miles of that river.
The climate appears very good.
Even at this time of year the heat is by no means oppressive; cool winds
are even blowing from the south. The soil is dry and sandy, and the vegetables good.
There are said to be quantities of cattle on the Min-too islands.
About Half a mile in rear, or to the south of "Che-foo," is an old town, with the ruins of a wall surrounding it, with four gates about the old portion remaining in a state of preservation.
The ground behind this place and the more modern town being flat and low, leads one to imagine that the old one was originally on the coast line, and that the sea has receded.
Russians and
A strange rumour, and entirely of Chinese origin, existed here on our Reports concerning arrival, that 3000 Russians were at the Pei-ho, and, farther, that 500 more were China. expected to come down to "Che-foo." A very curious confirmation of our suspicious. It is needless to say that our ideas on the subject had nothing to do with this report.
July 18th.-Sailed from "Chee-foo" at 9 A.M.,and reached Teng-choo-foo
at 5 P.M., distant about 36 miles W.
Went on shore; landed outside the city on a rough jetty, at the mouth "Teng-choo-foo." of a sort of inner harbour or dock the Chinese have formed. We ascended the wall, which is very old, by a breach, and were met by a number of people. We attempted to walk round the top of the walls, but were rudely prevented. We stated that we wished to see the Mandarin, but no one would tell us his
name nor where he lived, but directed us to a different and rather distant part Inhabitants uncivil of the wall, and said we must go along outside the wall we were then on, and enter by a gate which they pointed out.
So we descended the breach and found that there were two distinct walled cities. The one we had entered being the smaller, and very old, the walls much out of repair and breached certainly in two places.
walls, &c.
Having got outside the wall, we walked towards the larger city, up what Description of appeared a road, but in reality was a dry bed of a stream. Near the S. end of the N. western city a bridge of 3 arches spanned this stream; the road passing over the bridge came down from the west and led between the two cities. Getting in this road we turned to the left, and entered the city by its N. Gate, which was very large, and constructed like all their city gates. The walls were here in good repair, and, I think, not less than 35 feet high.
On entering the city we were surrounded by very great crowds. There were only 4 of us, all unarmed, and my Chinese servant. He overheard a discussion between two Chinese as to the propriety of their taking and imprisoning us. We did not like, at so late an hour in the evening (about 7 P.M.), leaving the city gates between us and the ship, so we left a message with a respectable looking man to be delivered to the Magistrate, saying that we intended calling on him to arrange about the purchase of stores, but were unable to do so from not knowing his house, and from the lateness of the hour. We then went out through the gates and returned on board.
July 19th.-Wrote a letter to the Mandarin to the same effect as the message we delivered. The interpreter who took it on shore was jeered at by the people, who cautioned one another to have nothing to do with it.
However, he threw it among them and returned. We were, however, quite sure the Mandarin would get it sooner or later, and, accordingly, next day, a man came on board to inquire how many bullocks or sheep we wanted,
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