Once only since this port was opened to foreign trade has snow been seen—excepting ut intervals of a few years on the summit of Rushau—aud that was four and thirty years ago, Then it lay only to the depth of half an inch, Prior to that, according to accounts handed down fron father to sun amongst the natives over generations, two hundred years had pnased all. fall must have been " heavy Away since any snow was known to fall at
on record that it lay four feet deep, putting ours of this week altogether in the shade for severity, and rendering it scarcely worth reporting but for the rarity of the weeurrence, It took place the aight of Sunday the 15th instant, 60 tinuing until 11 o'clock the following morning, by which time the whole face of the earth Was covered to the depth of six to nine inches. It can scarcely be foreigners by sure) were evident threatenings of it on the Ssu day, which was x bitterly cold day, Kushat and the higher hills around us being already cupped with white, The natives were ton pinched up and stupefied by the cold on Sunday to think what the morrow might bring forth, therefore grent their surprise on Monday morning to see whut but few of them had ever seen before, The first sounds which greeted the foreigner's ent on awaking were w succession "Hi Yahs!" as one by one of the hous hold began to move about, The writer notice asked his be: his room with the mori what the mooning of all the Hi Yahs" about the house meant, and he was told "have got large rain." The boy had never seen nor heard of snow befure.
Grent were the rejoicings when the elderly folk amongst the population made is known whut the snow portended; it meant & year of happiness and prosperity. The fact ud been handed down from thei vefathers and there was no mistake abuutit, there was no jusspidgin or fungshuei about it; it was a hard fact learnt from experience following previous experiences. Amongst other pleasing assurances we are to have a revival of the tea trade; the coming crop is to be plentiful and of excellent quality but this is only one of the many good things in stove for Fueehow according ta the learned natives.
Te was curious to notice the devices in snow, some grottoes, others animals, in the shop fronts, many of them coloured. Large quantities of snow were collected in baskets, which on enquiry, we for preserving jars for medicine, to be used in cases of scalds, fever, boils and skin diseases for all of which ie dera myst efficacious cure.
It is skid that some dozens of beggars were funnd lying about dead, bath in town and country, haviog perished from ould and hunger, The opportunity of photographing Foochow uuder.snow was taken both by professional and amateur artists with great success, and our albums will now be furnished with scenes of the neighbourhood under an entirely new aspect.—Foochow Dui'y Echo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.