Amoy to Foochow.
The suggestion concerning the appointment of men for Chinchew was new to
us. Everything seemed favorable for adopting the new suggestion. Four men
immediately offered themselves for the work, two for Chiangchiu, and two
for the region of Chinchew. They were men whom we thought well qualified
for the work, probably just the men we would have chosen.

"The evangelist U, and the colporteur Lotia, left Amoy on their mission to
Chiangchiu, May 12th. A few days after their arrival, about midnight on
the 17th of May, the insurrection broke at Chiangchiu, which interrupted
their labors. The evangelist thought that quiet would soon be restored and
therefore resolved to remain a few days. The people rushed upon the
insurgents, wrested their arms from them, and slew many of them. The
insurgents finding themselves overpowered attempted to flee. The gates of
the streets were closed against them. The people along the streets
attacked them by throwing missiles from the tops of the houses. All
strangers in the city were in great danger of being suspected and treated
as insurgents. The evangelist in leaving the city was seized by some of
the mob. Some said he was one of the insurgents, others said he was not.
He succeeded in making his escape to the house of a friend outside of the
city walls. The colporteur made his escape over the wall of the city and
fled to the house of some friends in the suburbs near the river-side. By
my letter of May 19th, it will be seen that Amoy was attacked by the
insurgents on the morning (May 18th), after they entered the city of
Chiangchiu. The insurgents are members of a secret society. For very many
years there has existed in this region a society by the name of
'Thian-te-hoe,' Heaven and Earth Society. This is the name by which the
members designate their society. But as the members are generally provided
with knives or small swords, the society is designated by the people as
'Sio-to-hoe,' Small Sword Society. The professed object of this society
has been the overthrow of the present Tartar dynasty. Between this and
Chiangchiu the members of this society are very numerous. After the
breaking out of the insurrection at Hai-teng, and Chioh-be (cities fifteen
and eighteen miles from Amoy, half way to Chiangchiu), the whole populace
appeared to sympathize with the movement. Large bodies of the insurgents
moved up the river to Chiangchiu, others came down the river to Amoy. At
the same time