CHAPTER II 

 WESTERN HUPEH 



General Topography and Geology 



THE country comprising western Hupeh, with which 

 we are concerned, lies west of the 112th parallel of 

 longitude. The city of Ichang, situated on the 

 Yangtsze River, just west of this parallel and about 1000 

 geographical miles from the mouth of the river, is a convenient 

 starting-point for exploring this region. This important town 

 is a treaty port, opened to foreign trade in 1877. The popula- 

 tion is roughly estimated at 30,000. There is also a small 

 foreign community consisting of a British Consul, Imperial 

 Maritime Customs' staff, a few business men, and missionaries 

 of Roman Catholic and various Protestant denominations. 

 There is very little local trade, but Ichang being practically the 

 head of steam navigation on the river, is a most important 

 transhipping port. Six steamers regularly trade between 

 Ichang and Hankow, and the thousands of native craft lined 

 up in tiers attest its importance as an entrepot of trade. In 

 the near future it is destined to be a most important junction 

 on the Hankow-Chengtu railway and already important work 

 on this enterprise has been commenced there. Ichang is well 

 known, and every year foreigners visit it in increasing numbers 

 intent on seeing the famous gorges which lie immediately 

 beyond. It is easily reached from Shanghai and from Peking. 

 From Shanghai palatially fitted and specially designed steamers 

 leave every night for Hankow, 600 miles up the Yangtsze. 

 From Peking and Hankow a good express train runs to and 

 fro weekly. Between Hankow and Ichang a regular fleet of 

 steamers keep up constant communication. Ascending the 

 river by steamer from Hankow the hilly country commences 



