AFTER traveling all night in the house-boat, the early morning found us at Sanjapoo, the end of the canal; while directly before us loomed up Mokanshan, towering 2,000 feet above us, the houses at the top being plainly visible, but appearing as tiny white stars in the reflection of the morning sun.
Here begins the real climbing. Our baggage is all given over to the care of Chinese coolies, who fasten it on both ends of a bamboo pole, and swing the pole over their shoulder. Each coolie takes from 150 to 200 pounds.
Then securing sedan-chairs for ourselves, we commence the climb. The chairs are very light, being made of willow or bamboo, and rest on two bamboo poles. The poles have a cross-bar at each end, and these rest upon the shoulders of the coolies, two being enough for a person weighing 150 pounds. Heavy persons often have three or four coolies.
The sensation of this ride is both exhilarating and delightful. At every step the bamboo poles spring, and we go literally bouncing up the hill. At times the path is very steep and rugged, and the coolies must step carefully or we would go tumbling down on the rocks. We go straight up as steep as it is possible to walk, until we are landed safe at our destination.
To one who has never experienced the delights of a bamboo grove, it is hard to describe it. The trees are from two to six inches in diameter, growing straight up for thirty-five or forty feet before branching. They are in such close proximity that the branches form a heavy shade overhead, making an effectual protection from the sun, yet leaving many small openings through which the light streams, giving a sparkling effect underneath.
One of the great delights of the mountain is the pure cold water that flows from numerous springs. After living all the year on boiled water, it is a great relief to secure this water fresh from nature's own still. In one cañon the water rushes out in such a volume as to create a pretty fall.
The outlook from the mountain is beautiful, commanding a view of the surrounding country for miles in every direction.
The whole top of the mountain is covered with houses, most of them owned by missionaries, representing various denominations, who spend their summers here. There are altogether between two and three hundred houses.
Our own mission owns a piece of property here, and we have put up a building, which has been fitted up for treatment rooms. This is the first summer that it has been in operation, and it has been well patronized by other missionaries as well as our own brethren. It is indeed a strength to our work to have a place like this in our midst where sick workers can be treated. We hope some day to be able to put up a sanitarium here, as it is an excellent location, and would undoubtedly save the lives of many of our workers, who are stricken with the tropical diseases and are not able to secure proper treatment to overcome them.
In addition to this, we have operated two dispensaries all summer, one on the mountain top, and one at the foot of the mountain. These have been well patronized, and we have sought to treat the souls as well as the bodies of these unfortunate ones, by a judicious use of our papers and tracts.
All our workers on the mountain have had language studies; and in addition to this a daily class has assembled in the chapel for instruction in Bible studies, which are adapted to the missionaries' needs. Some excellent instruction has also been given on tropical conditions, and treatment of various prevalent diseases.
We have built a small chapel near the treatment rooms, and I am sending a picture of it. This was taken on the occasion of our workers' meeting that was held in conjunction with the meeting of the China Union Mission Committee, from August 24 to September 3.
Elder I. H. Evans arrived on the opening day of the meeting, and we greatly appreciated the earnest words of counsel and instruction which he gave us. His wide experience in the work of the General Conference and Mission Board, makes his counsel very valuable to us here in this field, where so many perplexing questions are continually springing up; and we feel very thankful that the General Conference has sent us such a strong man. We know he will be a great encouragement and strength to the work at this time.
An excellent spirit of harmony and cooperation prevailed throughout the meetings, and plans were laid which will strengthen, unify, and enlarge our work as fast as possible.
The workers have now all returned to their respective fields, rested, strengthened, and ready to take up the labors of another year; and we all feel to praise God for the blessings of Mokanshan.
