16^ WITH BOAT AND GUN IN THE YANGTZE VALLEY. 



Fifty years ago Soochow was in her glory, but the Taipings came and the streets 

 were one scene of desolation, and nine-tenths of her homes became ruins. From the 

 most reliable information we can gather from 600,000 to 800,000 of her population perished 

 during the rebellion. The tales of the survivors are the repetition of the words of the 

 "weeping prophet" over the Holy City. It was around the walls of Soochow, that "Chinese 

 Gordon," with but a cane, his " magic wand, " led his troops to victory and won his 

 fairest laurels. Outside the city the four rebel kings who surrendered were decapitated 

 by Li Hungchang and the reign of terror in Mid-China practically ended. During the next 

 succeeding years the greater part of the city was rebuilt. Most of the families have now 

 recovered from their losses, and the future is bright with hope. In great quietness and safety 

 there dwells within the walls a little colony of Americans — numbering forty, including les 

 enfants — who with a college, a hospital, 20 schools, 15 churches and chapels, each opened 

 several times a week, and a wide distribution of Christian literature, especially of " The 

 Book of Books," come with the message of peace to Soochow and good-will to her citizens. 



Within the past few months the author of the above highly interesting and informing sketch has passed 

 away. Dr. du Bose was not only a good Chinese scholar and linguist, but he possessed other high literary 

 attainments, and published much that will keep his memory green for long years. He was a man of a most 

 engaging and loveable personality, had something of the sporting instinct within him and a hospitality and 

 heartiness that were all his own, and he left behind him a big host of friends. Happily he was permitted to see 

 the great object of liis later years nearing realization, the stamping out of the opium curse from China. Surely 

 no more single-minded missionary ever worked in the honoured field. Ossa ma moUiier cubentl 



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