Peking, China, May 21st, / 74

My Dear Sister:

Your three home letters reached me here all right. I had a pleasant time on the whole coming up from Shanghai, but was sea-sick the two first days, and land-sick the three last. We came up from Tientsin to this place in little covered carts, resembling an American dray cart, over roads which are noted for roughness, mud, and everything disagreeable. I found some of our Missionary party here, and was heartily welcomed by them and the others. They all live together in what they call a compound, no other foreigners being in the vicinity.

Well, I have been here just a week, and have seen a number of things of interest. Peking is divided into 4 cities -- the Southern, Tartar, Imperial, and Forbidden. The first is a rectangle 5 miles by two, and lies along the southern side of the Tartar city. This is 4 miles square, and encloses the other two cities. The Forbidden city is closed against foreigners. The Southern city has a wall around it, but not so large as that of the Tartar city. The wall of the latter is 50 or 60 feet high, and wide enough at the top for several carriage roads. Our M. E. Missionaries live just inside this wall, close to one of the gates. There is an immense gate at each corner, with a lofty tower over it, besides two or three double gates between each two corners. On coming into one of these gates, one is struck with the wideness and regularity of the great streets. But what is likely to attract his chief attention is the endless droves of camels moving along in single file among the crowds of people and donkeys and carts and wheelbarrows. I suppose I have seen at least 500 camels since I have been here.

Yesterday I walked clean around the Tartar city -- 16 miles. I took a lunch along, and spent the day. It is very nice walking on the wall when the sun isn't hot. When it is, it isn't. You see the greater part of the city by going around it. It is beautiful. The houses are not pretty, but they are all shut in among and half concealed by a forest of green trees. I cannot tell you how pretty it is to look out over the city. The country around outside is not very lovely, but on the west side there are high ranges of mountains at a distance. In that direction is the Great Wall, which a party of us propose to visit next week. It will take four days. Shall describe it in the Advocate, probably. On the wall of the Tartar city there are houses scattered along, kept by watchmen, where you get tea to drink when you are thirsty. The watchmen are as polite and obliging as they can be, and always refuse cash. (That is, unless you insist on their taking some). At each gate you find a cool and shady place to rest in the doorway of the tower. There are 13 or 14 gates in all, or almost one for every mile.

Today I went with Bros. Pilcher and Walker to visit the Temple of Heaven, one of the most famous temples in all China. The grounds are in the Southern city, and are enclosed by a wall several miles in circuit. Foreigners are forbidden to go in; but we slipped in at the gate early in the morning, and by means of bribery, trickery, and muscular force, succeeded in running all over the grounds. (Nice work for missionaries to be at, eh?) There was a lovely grove of venerable cedars around the Temple, a sprig of which I send you. I also enclose a piece of the network resembling loose matting which is enclosed in the sides of the Dome. You will see it is nothing else than glass. The

Dome over the Covered Altar is lofty, and can be seen at a great distance. There is

nothing gorgeous about it, but it is very imposing. There are two immense altars, the Covered Altar and the Open Altar, both after the same pattern. You go to the summit by three flights of stone steps, nine each. The Emperor visits the covered altar once a year to make his offering. The other altar he visits twice a year. This has also a dome over it, much more magnificent than the other, for it is none other than Heaven itself.

We also visited the Temple of Agriculture. Nothing very curious to be seen. One exception. The Emperor of China each year at the opening of spring is accustomed to break the first furrow with his own hand. I saw the plow with which he does it, and took hold of the handle. (Chinese plows have but one handle).

I have scratched this off in a great hurry, and must close. Father's letter came last night. Tell him I am very thankful to him for writing so long and so good a letter. Will stay here two weeks yet. Health good, good society, and a pleasure excursion every day. This is my vacation you know. Am also studying when time permits.

Your aff. Brother

A. Stritmatter