SUI-FU 97 



resembled the tropical types. It rained hard all day 

 and seventy-five li were made. 



May 5. — ^Beautiful scenery was passed through 

 to-day, the country being undulating. At mid-day a 

 small city was passed, of a difierent and more graceful 

 style of architecture than those seen below. 



On May 6 a distance of sixty li was made, and 

 Sui-fu was reached on the following day at 8.30 a.m. 

 This is the Soo-Chau of Blakiston, and is situated on 

 the right bank of the Min Eiver at its confluence with 

 the Yang-tze. It is built on high ground, and trees 

 growing from the banks of the river up to the city waUs 

 make it a strikingly beautiful place, the waters of the 

 two rivers washing the base of the eminence on which 

 it stands. The population is composed largely of 

 Mahommedans, and they are particularly civil to 

 Europeans. The town is very clean, with good shops, 

 and there is a special wharf for the trade with Yunnan, 

 which is large, the border of the province being within 

 a comparatively short distance. Here, among other 

 things, may be seen bales of the skins of wild beasts, 

 such as bears, leopards, tigers, deer, badgers, and 

 wolves. 



I had no trouble here with my passport, and met 

 two missionaries, Messrs. Wellwood and Owen, on a 

 visit from Cheng-tu, from which town they had accom- 



H 



