6 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



It has been mentioned that the most difficult stretch of 

 the Middle Yangtsze was that between Ichang and Wan Hsien. 

 This is the region of the world-famous Yangtsze Gorges. Five 

 in number, these gorges extend from the immediate west of 

 Ichang to Kuichou Fu, a distance of about 150 miles. Through- 

 out this stretch the river flows between perpendicular walls of 

 rock, is narrowed to a third or less of its usual width, and 

 becomes in consequence very deep. Soundings taken by the 

 British gunboats in their ascent in 1900 gave 63^^ fathoms of 

 water in two places, and this when the water at Ichang was 

 rather less than 6 feet above zero mark ! The cliffs, composed 

 largely of hard limestone, are 500 to 2000 feet or more high, 

 and commonly 500 to 1000 feet or more sheer. The scenery 

 hereabouts is savagely grand and awe-inspiring. 



Foreign maps without exception give the name of Yangtsze 

 kiang (variously spelt) to this magnificent river. So far I have 

 never met a Chinese to whom this name is intelligible. I have 

 read that the name denotes " Son of the Ocean," and is applied 

 to the section between Wuhu and the sea. This may be so, I 

 have no knowledge on the point. Many local names are given 

 to stretches of this river, but from Sui Fu, in western Szechuan, 

 to its mouth it is universally spoken of by Chinese as the 

 Ta kiang (Great River), occasionally it is rendered Chang kiang 

 (Long River), or simply Kiang, meaning The River. West of 

 Sui Fu it is called the Kinsha Ho (River of Golden Sands) ; the 

 Chinese do not consider this the main stream, but regard the 

 Min (Fu) River as the principal. They recognize that the Kinsha 

 has the larger volume, but it is navigable only for some 40 miles 

 and then loses itself in wild and barbarous regions. The Min, 

 on the other hand, is navigable to Chengtu, some 200 miles 

 above Sui Fu, and is therefore to the utiUtarian mind of the 

 Chinese of much greater importance. From near Batang 

 northward the Kinsha Ho is known by the Thibetan name of 

 Drechu, and finally near its source it goes under the Tangut 

 name of Murussu. 



In ascending the Yangtsze from Ichang to Chungking the 

 observant traveller is struck by the insignificant character of 

 the tributary streams. Apparently the only one of importance 

 joins the main stream at Fu Chou on the right bank. This 



