Page:Through China with a camera.pdf/272

 Methodist Mission Chapel in that place, which stands on a hill and faces the main stream at a point where it is fed by two nearly equal tributaries, the one flowing from the Bohea Hills and the other from a source further to the south-east. The town contains a population of about thirty thousand souls, and does a considerable trade in paper, lackered ware, baskets and tea. The foot of the hill was encircled by a high wall, from within which rose an inclined plane of roofs, broken here and there by groves of trees and temples, but still almost appearing one solid slope of tiled steps, over which an Alpine tourist might scramble to the outermost wall above, whose top could be seen in a faint line sweeping round the heights that closed in the city from behind. Beyond this hill, which looked as if it had been made for the town that covers it, a high range of moun- tains rose up in a deep purple belt, like a great protecting barrier. The Mission House in the main thoroughfare was a miserable place enough, and we learnt that no one would let a decent house to Christians. The native missionary when we entered the chapel was conducting the morning service in the midst of an attentive congregation. He resided here with his family, and looked happy and contented ; although, as I have said, his abode was a poor one, built and partitioned off with bamboo-laths and plaster, so thin that one could have pushed one's fingers through the walls ; while the roof was festooned with cobwebs and admit- ted more dayUght and air than was either necessary or agreeable. The interior beneath, however, wore a clean and even cheerful look. The back of this dwelling, like many others, was perched upon the city wall; and there was a path running beneath the fortifications, along which I picked my way with caution, and yet narrowly escaped being tripped up by a herd of pigs, as they rushed to banquet upon some filthy refuse dropping down