CHAPTER VIII.
FOOCHOW AND THE RIVER MIN.
The Japanese in formosa—Cause of the invasion—The River Min—Foochow Arsenal—Chinese gunboats— Foochow city and great bridge—A city of the dead— Its inhabitants—Beggars—Thieves—Lepers—Ku-shan monastery—A hermit—Tea plantation on paeling hills —Voyage up the Min—Shui-kow—An Up-country Farm—Captain Sheng and his spouse—Yen-ping City— Sacrificing to the dead—Shooting the Yen-ping rapids —A native rassenger-boat.
The island kingdom of Japan is to all appearance destined to afford an unparalleled example of progress. She has indeed preferred, to quote Professor Tyndall's words, "Commotion before stagnation, the leap of the torrent before the stillness of the swamp;" and we have just seen, in Formosa, how such leaping torrents in their impetuous courses cut out new channels in the mountain sides, spread fertility over the plains below, and even reclaim the land from the barren domain of the ocean with the debris which they sweep down.
There is vigorous life and hope and high promise for the future in the busy movement that is carrying Japan from darkness into civilisation and light; and the impetus, if we mistake not, which she is gathering in her onward course will clear away mighty obstacles and check stagnation and decay in other quarters as well as her own.
