Excursions in the Soiiih of China 355 



by women. The plain is bounded by a high range of mountains, 

 mostly wooded, and any slight undulating eminences are covered 

 with innumerable horse-shoe or omega-shaped graves, the ceme- 

 teries of departed generations. In the midst of this alluvial de- 

 posit, at about three miles from Shao-K'ing, rise seven abrupt and 

 detached rocks of red-veined marble, with remarkable peaked 

 summits, averaging about 200 feet above the level of the plain, 

 their distant outline reminding one irresistibly of the Needle 

 Rocks intensely exaggerated. They present features of more 

 than ordinary interest, not only to the geologist, but also to the 

 antiquarian, and are famous throughout the two Kwangs, for their 

 wonderful caverns, whilst the monastic retreats, perched in 

 seemingly inaccessible hollows and ledges on their precipitous 

 sides, are objects of pilgrimage and veneration for many miles 

 away ; and various superstitious legends are related in connexion 

 with the far-famed Marble Rocks of the seven stars (Sam-Seen- 

 Koon). 



"We ascended by a laborious climb up narrow paths to the 

 summit of the easternmost rock, which is the highest and largest 

 of them all, and obtained an extensive view for our trouble, the 

 fantastic peaks of the neighbouring rocks forming a picturesque 

 foreground. There are two Budhist chapels on this rock, besides 

 some residences for the monks. In the lowest chapel was an 

 elaborate image of Budha, representing that deity with forty-eight 

 arms. The faces of the rocks are overgrown with bushes and 

 small trees with creepers and ferns growing in the crevices. 

 Every here and there are seats and benches, with colossal inscrip- 

 tions cut in the solid stone, dating from the dynasties of Yong- 

 Ching, Kang-Kee, and Keen-lung. The trees and rocks were 

 full of the feathered tribes, such as titmice (Parus minor), plenty of 

 the Chinese starlings (Acridotheres siamensis), chattering with great 

 noise, rollers (Eurystomus orientalis), and others. We now de- 

 scended, and walked along the foot of the rocks, where are some large 

 ponds in which the art of pisciculture is carried on by the Budhist 

 monks with great economy and success. They buy the fish spawn 

 in jars at the market, and hatch the ova in the shallow paddy fields, 

 which are arranged in terraces connecting one with another, so that 

 the young fry can be shifted as may seem necessary. They fatten 

 up their fish in stews, producing magnificent specimens of carp. 

 Throughout the whole of China fish is remarkably cheap. We 

 now examined the great cave and temple of Kon-Yum-Ngam. 



