58 MICKIE ON THE GULF OF PE-CHE-LI AND LEO-TUNG. [Feb. 13, 1860. 



Sixth Meeting, Monday, February I3th, 1860. 



Sir EODERICK I. MUECHISON, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Presentations. — The Revs. T. Butler, and C. S. Allen Dickenson; 

 Consul J. Petherick ; Colonels J. F. D. Crichton-Stuart, m.p., and /. F. 

 Batemau ; R. H, 0' Daly ell; and R. H. W, Dunlop, Esqrs., were pre- 

 sented upon their election. 



Elections. — Captain J. F. Cooper (1th Royal Fusiliers) ; Commander 

 H. Carr Glynn, r.n. ; and David Aitchison ; John Ball ; G. Wingrove 

 Cooke ; David A. Freeman ; Nicholas P. Leader ; John Rutherford ; Henry 

 Wynn Seymour Smith ; and John Ingram Travers, Esqrs., were elected 

 Fellows. 



Auditors. — Thomas H. Brooking and E. Osborne Smith, Esqrs., on the 

 part of the Council ; and the Rev. Dr. Worthington and Thomas Lee, Esq., 

 on the part of the Society, were elected Auditors for the year. 



The Paper read was — 



China; Notes of a Cruise in the Gulf of Pe-che-li and Leo-tung in 1859. 



By Mr. Mickie. 



Communicated by H. Hamilton Lindsay, Esq., f.r.g.s. 



Shang-tung and Leo-tung lie on opposite sides of the Gulf of 

 Pe-che-li. They are mountainous provinces, similar in character, 

 though separated by a tract of alluvial plain. Their opposite shores 

 are connected, across the gulf that lies between them, by the chain 

 of the Miatao islands. 



In April and May, at the close of the dry season, the soil ap- 

 peared arid in the extreme ; every breeze raised a storm of dust ; 

 but the rains of June and July filled the watercourses and brought 

 out the verdure. The hills are bare of trees ; they are stripped 

 for firewood. Part of their sides are terraced for cultivation, and 

 sown with Indian corn and millet. 



The climate during spring and summer, is undoubtedly good ; 

 there is no malaria, and the air is dry and pure. The cold in 

 winter is described as intense. Every man at Che-fow has a fire- 

 place under his bed. The buildings differ from those of South China, 

 being small, substantial, and plain. They are built of stone or brick, 

 and rarely of wood. The people are simple in their habits ; they 

 are a hardy race, tall and robust, and live long. The poorer people 

 live on Indian com, the others on wheaten bread, and, in winter, 

 all of them consume much animal food. The population lives by 

 agriculture, fishing, and carrying produce. Each donkey or mule 



