282 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. XVII. 
On the banks of the river are numerous temples, or 
A joss-houses, built in the most romantic and beautiful 
situations. A fig-tree (Ficus nitida) — a kind of Banyan 
— is a great favourite with the priests, and is always 
found growing beside the temples, where its dark green 
leaves and wide-spreading branches afford an agreeable 
shade from the fierce rays of the sun. About nine miles 
below Foo-chow-foo a pretty little pagoda stands on an 
island on the left bank of the river ; near this is the 
anchorage for large vessels which it would not be prudent 
to take up to the town. All the low hills are neatly 
terraced and cultivated with sweet potatoes and earth- 
nuts, and on the more fertile of the mountains cultiva- 
tion is carried on at least 2500 feet above the level 
of the sea. But many of the mountains are quite barren ; 
bare rocks of granite are showing themselves over their 
surface, from amongst which springs are almost always 
flowing ; and when the water accumulates in the glens 
between the hills, it forms numerous beautiful cascades, 
as it tumbles down into the Min. Some parts of the 
region are well wooded, at least for China ; and, viewing 
the scenery as a whole — the beautiful river, winding its 
way between mountains, its islands, its temples, its 
villages and fortresses — I think, although not the rich- 
est, it is the most romantic and beautiful part of the 
country which has come under my observation. 
The city and suburbs of Foo-chow-foo stand in an 
opening amongst the hills, about twenty miles from the 
mouth of the Min. The river runs through the suburbs, 
which are connected by the celebrated bridge called the 
Wan-show, or "myriads of ages," which was always said 
