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CHAPTER XXIX. 



THE CHIENTANG RIVER mm ft 



'T^HIS river, known to the natives in certain districts through which it passes as the Green 

 * River, flows through one of the grandest and most beautiful regions to be found in 

 China. According to Pere Richards in his Comprehensive Geography of the Chitiese Empire, a 

 standard work, the Tayiiling i":^ ]% H) or "Great Stack Mountains," in the South of 

 Chekiang, are the watershed of the Chientang. Fortune in his world-read volumes "Tea 

 countries of China " makes out that it has three separate sources, one on the northern slope 

 of the Bohea tea hills, another near the city of Chang Shan (^ i\\) on the borders of the 

 province of Kiangsi, and a third, the one of special interest, in the tea hills of the well 

 known green tea district of Fychow or Huichow (^ *]{[) or rather in the watershed in 

 the hill range known as Chang Shang Kwang (-J^ III ^). Now this watershed has a peculiar 

 interest for from its northern slopes springs the source of the Ching Shui Ho (f^ if^ J'liJ) 

 or Clear Water River which flows northward to Wuhu where it debouches into the Yangtze, 

 and from its southern side that important tributary which flowing South and East joins 

 the main stream at Yenchow (j^ J'M). Thence the united streams make a north 

 easterly course and find their exit in the Hangchow Bay. From the town of Fuyang (^ Wj) 

 about 120 // from Hangchow the river is one succession of rapids and shoals which render 

 progress impossible except for boats of the shallowest description, but in the flood season 

 junks of fair size go far up its affluents; in fact, in the summer several of these feeding 

 streams are navigable to their very sources, although boats have to be hauled over and carried 

 over many of the difficult places. And in this connection it may be pointed out that the 

 Chinaman regards a shallow or a rapid in a very different light from the foreigner. He 

 does not hesitate, but at once sets to tackling the difficulty at which the foreigner would 

 look askance and halt. It is really marvellous over what apparent impossibilities the 

 native will safely take his craft. Small steam launches run from Hangchow to Yenchow, 

 380 //, the half way house to Huichow, or Fychow as it is commercially known. In many 

 places both the main stream and its tributaries become so rapid that the waters are diverted 

 to turning the water wheels which grind rice and corn and other grain. In the flood season, 

 it must not be forgotten, that big boats with large cargoes of tea make the entire journey, 

 with but few interruptions, from Tung Chee, the shipping port for Fychow tea to Hangchow. 

 Sportsmen so far have not worked the Chientang beyond the town of Yenchowfu. 

 There is shooting on both banks all the way from Hangchow to this city, but the localities 



