Sketches from Formosa.

SEED AMONG THORNS AND ON GOOD GROUND 221
found to be so money-making that every means is taken
to increase their number.
We spent the first night at Kiam-tsui-kang, said to
be one of the largest towns in the Island. It stands
about three miles in from the western coast-line, and
an equal distance from the direct main road to Ka-gi
city. The place has been frequently visited by us, and a
good many old Hospital patients are to be found in the
'neighbourhood. The result, however, is that, so far as we
know, Kiam-tsui-kang still remains shrouded in spiritual
darkness. After our arrival on this occasion, I preached
to a large crowd till the lateness of the hour compelled
us to disperse. There was no little interruption from
time to time, one or two hearers remarking that we were
merely French spies ; others, that we were foreigners
trying to find new openings for the sale of opium ;
that we were travelling-doctors ;
a few,
but the greater number,
that we were good men going about exhorting people
to the practice of virtue.
We started again on Friday morning, and after about
three hours of tiresome travelling, arrived at the large
village of Gu-ta-wan. As we had arranged to spend
the night there, and as this name is likely to become
a familiar one in our Mission, it may not be out of place
to add a few words about the object and results of our
present visit. Six months have not yet elapsed since
we came first to know that an interest in the Gospel
had been awakened in Gu-ta-wan. None of us having
ever visited the place, and the name being new to us,
it was described as being a considerably-sized Chinese
village some twelve miles south-west from the county
city of Ka-gi. More definite information was obtained
from three of our theological students after returning
from their summer holidays. They halted for several
hours at Gu-ta-wan on their way to Taiwan-fu, and