"June 5th. Monday. To-day being the fifth day of the fifth month (Chinese),
was the festival of dragon boat-racing. Several dragon boats filled with
rowers, rather paddlers, were contesting this afternoon in the harbor. The
water was thronged with boats filled with Chinese to see the sport. Many
of these boats, and almost all the junks in the neighborhood, were decked
with green branches, also with streamers flying. The origin of this
festival is said to be as follows: In very ancient times one of the first
officers, perhaps Prime Minister of government, gave offense to the
emperor. The emperor banished him. He was so downcast on account of the
emperor's displeasure that he went and drowned himself. The emperor
afterwards repented of his act, and on inquiry after the man learned that
he had drowned himself. He sent out boats in every direction to search for
his body, and also to make offerings to his spirit. His body was not
found. But from that time to this his body is thus searched for every year
and his spirit thus appeased. This celebration is universal throughout the
empire and wherever there are colonies of Chinese, throughout the islands
of the (East Indian) Archipelago.
"The same good feeling continues to exist at Amoy as formerly. We are on
the best of terms, so far as we can judge, with all classes, the officials
and people. The mandarins receive our calls and return their cards. All
of them but one have visited us at our houses. Some of them call on us
quite frequently. This places us on a high vantage ground. The people
will not fear to listen to us, attend our meetings, and visit us at our
houses, as they would if the mandarins kept aloof from us. The same good
feeling towards foreigners seems to extend far into the interior. At least
we go from, village to village wherever we please without hindrance, and
are always treated with kindness."