t 1^9 J 



CHAPTEE XXII. 



YANGTZE NOTES. 



KIANGYIN TO KIUKIANG. 



By F. W. Styan, p.z.s. 



A SHORT account of a holiday trip in a houseboat up the Yangtze from Kiangyin to 

 '**^ Kiukiang, with special reference to some of the birds met with on the river, may fitly 

 commence the Chapter entitled "Yangtze Notes": — 



It was on China New Year Day that, aftet six days tedious tracking against a north-east 

 gale, six days of the usual delays, collisions, wrangling and petty annoyances that seem to 

 be inseparable from creek navigation, we at last got clear on to the broad waters of the 

 Yangtze at Kiangyin. The mast was hoisted for the last time, the shears were stowed away 

 not to be used again for many months ; sail was made and we experienced the satisfactory 

 sensation of living on board a sailing-boat once more and not on a barge. The breeze was 

 fair and strong and just before dusk we anchored at the lower end of what is generally 

 known as the Shayu River, a shallow " cut-off " on the right bank of the river which saves 

 many miles to light-draught steamers, the main channel following the north bank in a long 

 bend. Between the two channels lie a series of low islands protected by high sea banks 

 which, judging from the little we saw of them, might well repay exploring in quest of sport. 



We landed on a sand-spit for a short walk before dark and for some time saw nothing 

 but gulls which were abundant enough. At last I marked six large waders in some shallow 

 water. They were very tame and, being uncertain what they were, I shot a couple. The 

 rest instead of flying away walked leisurely about looking at their dead companions and 

 showed no alarm till the dog ran in to retrieve. He brought back two handsome avocets, 

 birds which are by no means to be bagged every day, a fact which made me regret letting the 

 others off. On returning to the boat we sailed on a few miles and then, the night being 

 dark and the channel uncertain, made all snug and anchored. 



The following morning after we had made a few miles a dead calm set in which 

 rendered us helpless until the tide made, so we took the opportunity of exploring one of the 

 islands, and the results so far exceeded our expectations that it was only anxiety to press on 

 as quickly as possible to Chinkiang that restrained me from visiting every island on our 

 route. The scenery was certainly not entrancing. The island lies very low and at first sight 

 appeared entirely under cultivation, but a nearer inspection showed that between the sea- 



