f his journal was written in
shorthand.

"On the Sabbath Brother Collins and myself spend two hours in the
forecastle instructing the sailors. Many of them seem perfectly willing,
some of them anxious to receive instruction."

"July 17. Saturday evening. Today passed to the eastward of Christmas
Island (an island in the Indian Ocean). It is a small island about ten
miles square. This is the first land seen since we left Boston. Of
course, we gazed with much interest."

"July 22. About nine o'clock Tuesday evening we anchored off Angier. This
is a village off the island of Java, bordering on the Straits of Sunda.
Remained at Angier until Wednesday afternoon. Capt. Patterson laid in a
good supply of pigs, geese, ducks, chickens, yams, turtles, water, two
goats, and fruits of various kinds in abundance."

"Aug. 6. Friday. Wednesday evening arrived at Macao. This morning set
sail for Whampoa, twelve miles below Canton."

After a few days at Canton and Hongkong, Mr. and Mrs. Doty and Mr. Talmage
embarked for Amoy on the schooner Caroline.

"Aug 21. The Caroline is a small vessel of about one hundred and fifty
tons burthen. She was built, I suppose, for the opium trade. Our passage
from Hongkong was not very pleasant. Our quarters were close and our
captain was far from being an agreeable companion. He drank freely and was
very profane."

"We left Brother Collins and Brother White and wife at Hongkong. We had
been so long in company with these brethren, that it was trying to part
with them. On Thursday, the day before yesterday, we arrived safely at
Amoy. The brethren gave us a very hearty welcome. The missionary company
at this place consists of Brother Pohlman, of the A.B.C.F.M.; Mr. Alexander
Stronach and wife, and Brown, of the Presbyterian Board. Mr. John Stronach
also belongs to this station. He is at present at Shanghai."

III. THE CITY OF THE "ELEGANT GATE"[*]

[Footnote *: the meaning of the two Chinese characters composing the name
Amoy.]

In a letter to the Sabbath-school of the Central Reformed Church, Brooklyn,
Mr. Talmage thus describes the southern emporium of the province of Fukien:

"Amoy is situated on an island of the same name. The city proper or
citadel is about one mile in circumference. Its form is nearly that of a
rhomboid or diamond. It is surrounded by a wall about twenty feet in
height, and eight or ten feet in thickness, built of large blocks of coarse
granite. It has four gates.