To most people in Shanghai the name of Pootung has no particularly attractive sound, They luck acres the river and opposits the Settlements see the steadily lengthening line of docks, mills, and various industries, studded with chimneys. Occasionally the place gains unenviable notoriety by the perpetration of some mean outrage by the band of desperadoes preying on the industrial fringe. To the traveller approaching Wonsung it looks 'A wide and melancholy waste OF putrid marshes, but the sportsman has some familiarity with it by reason of short week-end jaunts, after the pheasant or snipe. Yet Pootung is more than all this, and has some remar! able characteristics. In the first pla it contains, within a compa natively small area, a greater proportion of—native Rowan Catholics than any other part of China, with the possible exception of certain parts of Szechuan. Whole villages: are Christian—not convert, but of the ixth or seventh generation—and, as is well known, the International Cotton Mill workpeople, to the number of about 2,000, are drawn from these.
Within the last year or two, practically since the inauguration of the fine church at Dangmujao, the objective of the present journey, and yet to be described, a happy custom apports to have groan foreigners paying occasional visits to the interesting country. Such an one took place Last' week, and, it can be safely said it will leave a lasting impression upon those who were privileged to participate in il With the approach of the end of May it was ar ed tow the church dedicated to. the Virgin at Danginujao, a church which, besides being a striking structure, has an element of romance in its history, The priest there, Father Gourand, has devoted his patrimony to it, and aided by his relatives, has built within the last two or three years a striking edifice accommorat 2,000 worshippers, besides an institution and school for children of Christian families and the poor little waifs and strays of Chinese humanity.
Last week the trip eventuated. Soon after two o'clock the party of visitors, consisting of several priests and five laymen, left the French Bund in a couple of steam launches. Crossing the river and going up the creek opposite the Arsenal, good progress was made along the winding waterway until about four o'clock, when the launches were exchanged for small native boats on account of the narrow creek. Some little distance further a stoppage was called at a plaice named Zi where several of the party landed spect a fine church, whilst the remainder continued on in the boats. The church here has a history. The original building was destroyed during the Rebellion, and two of the priests were killed. After the usual prolonged negotiations reparation was secured and the present edifice was erected by Imperial command, with a tablet reciting all the circumstances. It is a fine structure, with quarters adjoining for priests' residence, and quite close to an imposing house of 2 native Christian family who are not, however, sufficiently prosperous to allow them to live in it, and it is therefore little more. than a show place. The village contains about 200 native Christians. Here, as in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.