On the north side of the island stands the capital city,
Victoria, in which tier above tier, stair-like the rows of houses and
splendid buildings rise one above another up the side of a hill.
Beautiful quays, broad streets lined with shade trees, churches,
barracks, theaters, hospitals, hotels, and shops with great show
windows take one back in thought to the European capitals; and as the
elaborately decorated pagodas are not near to the Christian churches,
and, as there are not many more Chinese than English people in the
streets, one can almost forget that he is within the confines of China
and a tropical land.
In this great capital city nearly all the missionary societies of China
have settlements, and in each of the missionary seminaries the stranger
finds a hospitable welcome, but the one we like best of all to visit is
the beautiful College of the Holy Saviour in Mayland. It stands in the
very shadow of the cathedral, the tall spires of which, towering to the
heavens, tell us in which direction to turn our steps to find it. We
know full well that the door-keeper, the old Italian Brother with
snow-white hair and coal-black eyes, will greet us cordially, and show
us the garden and the grounds on which blonde-haired European boys play
in brotherly fashion with pig-tailed Chinese youths.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25