128 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



Monsieur Gautier, the director, the party went by rail to Lukiapang to make inter- 

 comparisons with the observatory instruments. I was engaged in this work from 

 October 31 to November 3, some delay being caused by the wet windy weather which 

 prevailed. 



Returning to Shanghai, we began the return to Canton, November 5, when we 

 boarded the Hsin Peking for Ningpo. On November 8 the steamer Poochi was boarded 

 for Wenchow, where we arrived Saturday, November 10. Having procured a guide 

 who could speak both Mandarin and the local dialects, I started south on November 

 12, taking a launch to Juian, a walled city 23 miles southwest by canal. Thence, having 

 crossed the Feiyiin Kiang, a strong tidal river, at this point, I hired two small boats 

 to take us to Pingyang, 30 li (10.7 miles) distant by canal. Linki, about 20 miles dis- 

 tant, was made by canal boat, with a 3-mile walk between the two canal systems at 

 Shiae Ko Du. This section of the country consists of plains broken by steep-sided 

 rocky hills and ranges. It is intersected by numerous canals and waterways, and pro- 

 duces rice and sweet potatoes. In connection with the local magnetic disturbance, 

 observed at Linki on November 14, it might be noted that the formation of the district 

 is igneous rock. An overland journey of 80 li (28.6 miles) by carriers was made to 

 Futing, a walled city situated near the head of an arm of the sea. The road gradually 

 ascends a long valley between rocky bare hills to the Fukien border, where the gate is 

 found at an elevation of about 1,000 feet above sea-level. From here on, the country 

 continued either very hilly or mountainous. On November 16 a distance of 50 li (17.8 

 miles) was made to Pailin, a large market village producing tea and dried sea-products. 

 The mountain scenery for 80 li (28.6 miles) beyond Pailin is very beautiful. Rice, tur- 

 nips, and sweet potatoes are grown in the valleys, but the hillsides are devoted to tea 

 and tea-oil trees. The mountain sides are clothed with good timber (fir, cedar, spruce, 

 and deciduous trees), besides bushes and scrub. Waterfalls and streams are numerous, 

 tumbling from crags and ravines of dark-brown igneous rock. The road over the 

 mountains attained a height of 1,500 feet before descending steeply to the plain on which 

 Funingfu is situated. Funingfu is built along the base of some steep wooded hills, about 

 5 miles from the head of Funing Bay, with an estimated population of 15,000. Tea, 

 tea-oil, sugar, and sweet potatoes are its chief exports. Large droves of goats are driven 

 through annually on their way to Foochow for slaughter. The port of Funingfu is a 

 little village called Yentien, 40 li (14.3 miles) south at the head of an inlet of the sea. 

 The guide from Wenchow was paid off at this point and sent back, as he could not 

 understand the ever-changing dialect. By courtesy of the Church Missionary Society, 

 the journey to the treaty port of Santuao was made in the mission junk, a clean, roomy 

 craft named the T. C. D. (Trinity College, Dublin). A sail of about 33^ hours sufficed 

 to reach Santuao. 



The trip round the coast from here to Foochow takes about 8 hours by steamer, 

 but as there was no vessel due for at least 5 days, it was decided to proceed overland. 

 On the night of November 21 the crossing to Feiluan was made in the custom-house 

 boat and next morning a caravan of coolies was hired for the 50-mile journey to Kwan- 

 tow, near the mouth of the Min River, from which place a launch runs daily to Foochow, 

 25 miles farther inland. On November 23 a long stage of 100 li (35.7 miles) was made 

 to Lienkong, where the party arrived long after dark. The slowest coolies did not 

 arrive till 10 o'clock and were urged along to prevent them passing the night at some 

 wayside inn. The city gates were closed, but an entry was effected by scaling a breach 

 in the walls, the loads being passed up in pieces. The road traveled runs over hilly 

 country after crossing a pass at an elevation of 850 feet. The journey from Wenchow 

 to Foochow, a distance of 280 miles, lasted from November 12 to November 24, inclu- 

 sive of delays amounting to 3^ days for observations. The weather remained fine and 



