John Thomson
1875
Chao-chow-fu

Book page
Google Books
John Thomson The Straits of Malacca, Indo-China, and China; or Ten Years' Travels, Adventures and Residence Abroad (London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low & Searle, 1875), p. 284-285.
 
At Chao-chow-fu my experience was somewhat different. I got up one morning before daybreak to photograph an old bridge across the river there, and I fondly thought that, being so early astir, I should get clear of the city mob; but, as it happened, there was a market held on the top of the bridge, and even before it was quite light long trains of produce-laden coolies were pouring in from every side. I had just time to show myself and take a photograph, when a howling multitude came rushing down to where I stood near my boat on the shore. Amid a shower of missiles I unscrewed my camera, with the still undeveloped photograph inside, took the apparatus under my arm, and presenting my iron-pointed tripod to the rapidly approaching foe, backed into the river and scrambled on board the boat. I lost the cap of my camera, and the bright lens received a black eye of mud in exchange. However, the picture turned out a good one, and I may make it my boast that I took the bridge at the point of the tripod. Chao-chow-fu bridge is not unlike that at Foochow which spans the river Min. It is built of stone, and contains a great many arches, or rather square spaces, for the passage of boats beneath.
 
LL/36135