Our latest dates from Ichang are to the 20th January, when the well-known authoress and traveller Mrs. Bishop (Miss Isabella Bird) was on the point of Jeaving chang for Wanhsien, where she will take chairs for the journey overland to Chengtu, a somewhat risky undertaking at the inclement season of the year, otherwise there is little or no danger in travelling over this well known road. "Our correspondent writes that Mrs. Bishop gave a most interesting; lecture on Armenia in the Mission Chapel on the evening of the 28h which was attended by well nigh all the community. The impression left on the writer was, that the gifted authoress was a woman of keen observation, stated her facts in well chosen but simple language, and the picture drawn of Nestorians, Syrians, Armenians, Kurds, and Turks was presented tu the audience in a most interesting way. The Kurds and Turks were well in the foreground, picturesque and striking to a degree, but in a light not favourable to themselves, or their wretched government. The freebooting characteristics of the Kurds were well illustrated by several instances that came under the personal observation of the lecturer, which she was enabled to uive in detail to the Grand Vizier on her arrival in Constantin"ple, and to learn afterwards that her report had been most beneficial in helping to ameliorate the condition of the Nestorians and Armenians, in the valleys she passed through. The Kurds appear to have many of the ways and habits of the old moss-troopers who harried the borders in former days. While owe could not help thinking that the Armenians must be much like their cousins-german—the Polish Jews, both of whom reap from Kurd and Russian where they have not sown, and are hotel in consequence. The meeting closed with hearty vote st thanks to the lecturer by H.M.'s Consul.
Weather cold. River two feet above lowest level. Chinese evidently bent on festivity—pizs are dying daily, pork is being smoked and cabbages hung to dry—and well do they earn their holiday and let us hope they will thoroughly enjoy The steamers are finding the usual ficulties in navigating the intricate channels of Salamis Bar, and the Shasi Flats. They "re taking four and five days to make the run from Hankow to Ichun; ut this season, Several Canadian an other missionaries are leaving for stations in the JAPAN,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.