Sketches from Formosa.

156
SKETCHES FROM FORMOSA
to the mainland ; but, a few days after our arrival there,
tidings came of the bombardment of Tamsui, with an
official notice that the French had placed the whole
western side of Formosa under what was called " a pacific
but strict blockade." Dr. Anderson and Mr. Thow have
thus been shut up in Taiwan-fu for the last six weeks,
and we sojourners at Amoy have repeatedly been refused
the opportunity of relieving them, or communicating
with Formosa in any way whatever.
About a month ago Dr. Mackay, of the Canadian
Mission, passed through Amoy to join his family at Hong
Kong. He then supplied us with a very graphic and a
very sad account of what had been taking place in the
northern part of the Island. It was estimated that the
French must have poured upwards of a thousand shells
into Tamsui alone. Their firing was criticised as having
been of the most wild and reckless nature. Every
European house was struck, and nearly every member of
the small foreign community was exposed for whole days
to the most alarming danger. A piece of a shell, upwards
of thirty pounds in weight, smashed through the roof
of Dr. Mackay's house and buried itself in the floor of the
hall at a place where people were constantly passing.
Dr. Mackay also stated that a widespread and serious
outbreak had taken place against the native Christians.
Two of them had been speared to death by Chinese rowdies,
and no fewer than seven of those fine northern chapels
had been levelled to their foundations. May God send
speedy deliverance to His people ! We rejoice to learn
our brethren in South Formosa
that, till five weeks ago,
have been preserved from such painful and bitter experi-
ences.
Of course, it is impossible to say when we may be able
to return to Formosa, or what may be the conditions
under which our work will be resumed. The general