114 
WANDERINGS IN CHINA. 
Chap. VII. 
Shanghae. There were tliree routes which might be 
taken ; one was by sea, another was a land road which 
led along the coast by the city of Wan-chow, and the 
third was up the river Min to Kein-ning-foo and across 
the Bohea mountains. The latter was much the longest 
way, as it leads far to the westward, in the direction of 
the far-famed Woo-e-shan. For many reasons I was 
most anxious to reach this place, and so determined on 
the Min route. 
Having finished my business in the district, I col- 
lected my things together, and went down to the mouth 
of the Min. Here I engaged a boat and set out on my 
journey. A few miles above the town of Foo-chow the 
river divides into two streams, one of which passes the 
city, while the other takes a more southerly course for 
some distance ; they, however, reunite about ten miles 
from the sea. I took the southern passage, and thus 
avoided the city of Foo-chow altogether. Both wind 
and tide being fair, my boat glided up the river with 
great rapidity, and the first night I had the satisfaction 
of getting as far as the second bridge, three or four 
miles above the town. Here we sculled the boat 
in-shore, and rested for the night. On the following 
morning at daybreak we got under way again, and pro- 
ceeded up the river. Numerous boats accompanied us, 
being on their way for the large towns of Suiy-kow, 
Yen-ping-foo, and Kien-ning-foo, all on the banks of the 
Min. As I was dressed in the costume of the country, 
no one took the slightest notice of me, and I considered 
myself in a fair way to accomplish the object I had in 
view. 
